The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-01-18

! Porto Rico, General Eagan again takes up
Il the beet question and declares II was
/ good beef, and amy officer, no matter
4 what hts rank, failing to use proper sur-
i plies. does go mt his peril. and " he pur-
| chases and substitutes for the good article
4 an inferior and unwholesoine one, ono that
i the whole medical fraternity OF the United
4 States will unite In saying Is not whole
i some. gives men diarrhoen and dysen-
terry, then he does SO at still greater peril.
i by General Miles own statement he
4 directed tho purchase of native beef
| ashore. while this good refrigerated beef.
/ not embalmed bsef WAS there In Ponce,
| X was not emhdlmed beef nor was II
| treated with any chemicals whatsoever Tor
| lis preservation.
| Discussing Grnncral Miles statement
| that he wanted complete rations sent in
stead OF In bulk General Eagan says he
never saw any such request, and II he had
| lie would have regarded Ii MS ''eStraordi-
nary, for there is no such thing as sending
| complete rntioas III large quantities 9th :
| crwise than in bnlk.
1 III General Miles cun explain to yonr
commission what the difference is he can
do moro than ] think he or any other man
lean do and ! especially ask the commits
sion TO note this as one OF the things
bearing OH the entire subject.
Taking mp General Miles testimony that
| tho food was one OF the serious cnuseB
of sickness among the soldiers, General
Tagan denies this ana points ont that
General Miles gives il as his Judgment.
Because he merely expressed his 1udg-
ment that way. can not take further
Issue with that statement than to dis
pule 1t.
GENERAL Eagan declares that General
shafter cabled his appreciation OF the
character OF the refrigerated beef-not
embalIned becf--that arrived at Santiago
one day after the port was opened.
General Shaftar," he says, has repeat
edIy in person expressed TO me his pro-
found gratitude and appreciation Of the
fine beef. which he calls the hnesi ne
ever atc-thiFs same refrigerated peel
not ex salmed beefl-that is spoken OF by
General Miles in his statement made to
your commission. You have before yon
reports of various osaeers describing Inc
character of tho Superior end me beei
furnished to the army at Santiago ana
Porto Rico"
''The statement OF the character 81 inc
cattle In Cuba or In the island of Porto |
Rico needs no further illustration by me
Upon the question of the refrigerated
beef General Eagan says:
General Miles testified that 327 tons OF
this refrigerated beef might be called em-
balmed beef This statement means, In
u, L
ton on the part OF the men who furnished
IL. That is what | have to say In regard
to calling II embalmed beef
General ISagan says General Niles gives
what purports to be the statements Ut
fourteen officers expressing dissatisfaction
with the canned fresh beef.
General Miles, says be- does not inform
the Investigation commission now ne OBJ
tnincd them, nor does he inform the COM
mittee that these inverse reports on The
food were furnished to the war department
Tor its Information that II might take prop
Dr. steps In the matter, II the statements
made by the officers quoted by him We're
correct.
General Pagan submits that such invita-
ions to criticisc are apt to procure ad-
,erse criticisms and would be taken as
evidence OF desire for adverse reports.
I'm this connection 1t Is proper to say
hat there Is what is known as an inspec-
or generals department in the army,
whose appropriate duty H. when directed
~ proper authority, to examine Into mat
ers OF this kind and make an intelligent, Z
esponsible report; a report that can be
net and refuted n II is false; report that
untrue the author can be held duly nc
ountable for; report that would be OF
alue TO the government and serve TO guide
/ in future purchases; a report OF things 7
y existence that can be examined and d
ested."
General Eagan repeats his former state
lent OF thankfulness that this land never v
ave, and never Will, thank God, the purse
q addition TO the sword TO any general,
nd the day congress- ever permits any 8
eneral. be he whomsoever he may, to con-
rol the purse az well as to WELD the Il
word, that day the mistake OF this country
I'LL be made and that day designing men y
18th military command and the purse OF n
1e United States at their disposal may set 4
lenlseives up and do things that this II
runtry Is and alwsvs has been afraid TO !,
o." i y
AZ to the pretense Of IAN experiment Il
narged by General Miles In connection /.
18th the timed beef, General Eagan says: u
General Miles In saying that this food :,
as sent to the army as 'pr6tense Of ex- "
sriment' says that which implies cor pl
lpfion, which ninety -nide out Of hun
red people WILL understand u mean corr d
option because It was 'preteuse Of ex- II
,rimcnt.' he says. not even giving credit ! 4
him for furnishing Il az an experiment.y
1t that furnished II under the pre- !
nse OF an experiment This isa serious
large, said be-, not TO be held lightly, nor
be made with any light evidence. 4
Taking the statement ~ the sense that
~ probably Intended, the sense that has
ven accepted By the press Of the country | i
indeed nome Of that press calls for my / \
smisaal from the army and my court |
artial-~I ApsWer that Il Was not FUR
shed under TIE pretbnse 81 an experf-
ent nor even ~ - eypeglt1ent Up ~ /
ling this ceatsat nyseIf 9Th ssytpg ]