Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-12-29

fresh beef was the pulp after the beef
extract had been removed.
The imputations with respect TO canned
fresh beef were most carefully and thor
oIghly examined and reported upon by
the two impartial tribunals. They found
that there was no foundation for the
part Of the ration. or that it had been
furnished rs the prctence Of experiment.
or that IL was the pulp from beef.
The court OF inquiry properly found
that canned fresh beef was unpaiata-
bic ration. without condiments. when not
cooked and when not served with vege-
tables. Cen. Miles arrived at Tampa on
June j. for the purpose Of rendering such
assistance to the commanding general of
Inc Santiago expedition as his military
experience and high rank could give If
Gen. Miles did not look into the question
Of food for the Santiago expedition he
was as culpable as though he failed to
inspect all other such matters.
Gen. Miles charges with respect to re-
frigcrated beef were much more serious
than his imputations regarding canned
beef. His allegations, in substance, were
that the beef furnished the army had
been artificiaily preserved by injecting
into il chemicals which were injurious to
health: that he had overwhelming proof
that this "cmba mcd beef had been
/ treated with chemicals. 1t Is significant
to observe that the war investigation
commission says:
"Of the Witnesses examined by this
| commission, Gen. Miles and DR.. Daily are
! the only ones who make this charge"
seem, Gen. Miles did not base his allega-
! lions upon personal experience or sub
| NIT any proof in support of them. His
1 startling and scandaloUs accusations ap-
I pear to have been based entirely upon the
| verbal statements Of DR.. W. Ii. DAILY. q
! volunteer MAJOR ana surgeon upon ms
I staff during the war win Spain, and
upon a single letter subsequently sent
! him by this volunteer.
4 The processcd beef at Tampa exhibited
\ NV MIR. Powell. referred to in DR.. Days
J ffff n
Ventor Of the method BY which it was
/ treated. on his own responsibility and az
! mis- own expense. The inventor requested
ana received PERMISSION 10 put Two quar-
! tiers NJ. his own beef on one of the trans
| ports Ii spoiled when at sea few days
| later and was thrown overheard. None
! Of il was ever issued TO the troops. Mr.
/ Powell has stated under oatn mat ms
/ secret process was neither used then nor
I since by the contractors who furnished
\ refrigerated beef to the army. AS q mat
/ ter Of fact the inventor of the Powell
process of treating meats Swore that the
4 beef exhibited by him at Tampa and
| eaten by DR.. Daily was treated BY fumi-
I cation and that neither boric ncr salicylic
I acids was used at an in the operation.
| In conclusion, eX-Secretary Alger says:
The army had won its battles IN Cuba
and the Philippines; Porto Rico had
peacefully come into our hands after
\ few skirmishes; the protocol had been III
I oueratiun for over four months and even
/ the treaty Of peace had been signed at
Paris. Then came the major general com
handing the army of the United states
/ with his charges.
| while the allegations Of Gen. Miles
I were not based upon fact and We're CON
( clusively disproved by two separate tri-
( bunals. uniTnpeachable i'm their compost
ton and methods of investigation; the If
reparable damage had been done. a
brave, honest and faithful officer. suffer
ing under the lash of such cruel. unwar-
| ranted and unjustified imputations, while
| exonerated from the heavy odium of
those charges. was, as result of them,
| sacrificed on the altar of his own pas
| son, righteous in its existence but mex
! cusabe in it's expression.
Besides this. a false impression had
been created throughout the country as
to the food furnished the, army. which
may never he removed. The charges II
Gen. Miles were proven false in spirit
and substance. and therefore the more
hcinous in their effect. Yet the present
Congress promoted Cen Miles TO be
lieutenant general and has thus far failed
10 give to Gen. Shatter the rank of ma
ior general to retire upon in his old age.
ana this, after his magnificent campaisn
ut Santiago. as well as his former distln-
guiShed services.