The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-12-31
brands Many of His Statements
on the Beef Scandal as Alb
solutcly Untrue.
NO DETAILS FOR THE PRESENT.
When He Replies To the Former
Secretary of War Plain
Facts i'm the Case Are
Expected.


! EErT'rT.rC SPECIAL.
Washington. Dec Ga great many
/ statements that former Secretary Of War
| A!ger makes In his articles on The fo"n
4 Of the Army During the Spanish War are
. absolutely untrue. The case was tried III
! III" high court of public opinion and the
F! press. anl its verdict was given tw" years
! ~"
! As to tn" statements which NJ. Ai-er
! makes. which are untrue. | cannot discuss
! them. ] q" not propose In 80 into d'taiis
| r"w. | intend to answer the article but I
! will 10 in my own time. That Is all l
: care Ia say now
! This is III" onswcr Lieutenant General
! Nelson \. Miles. commanding the army.
| consented to make to-day to the char-es
| Of General Z. y. AlSer. in his North Ameri
! can Review article. General Miles returned
to-day from North Carolina. where he had
| enjoyed several days hunting. He read
! General Alyer's article and then went for
a drive with Mis-. Miles.
General Miles deeply regrets that the beef
controversy has been revived He regarded
, II as closed. his charges. in his opinion.
| having been sustained and the country hav-
ing passed final Judgment
General MileS's action after the Spanish
W ar IL calling attention TO the character OF
meats supplied the army w3S not dictated
by any desire to call down public odium
upon General AlCer upon General Eagan.
In fact. he studiously avoided mentioning
their names. lie feels that as a result of
the charges then made and the investi1a-
tiCn ana publicity which followed there has
been vast Improvement in the rations
supplied To the army. with correspond
ing Improvement in the health of the SOL
diers. The beef packers are more careful
the inspection is better and the ration of
the troops is superior TO what II was during
the Spanish War.
Reply May BE Omfortable.
In his reply to General Alger. il is under
stood the Commanding General of the army
Will not hesitate to publish certain facts.
which. IT is said. will not he creditable to
the former Secretary Of War. General
Miles will take up in detail the charges of
General Alger ard make specific answer TO
each
With respect to General MiIes's delay in
bringing the facts in come ion with the
beef furnished to the troops To the attsn-
ton of the Secretary of War. it is explained
that he did not care to make serious charg-
es which would cause such Indignation
throughout the country unless he believed
the facts warranted their submission Ue
therefore. instituted quiet investigation
and gave consideration TO report made to
nm by subordinate officers. His duty as
Commanding General required that he
should take steps for an investigation as
soon as he became convinced that the Gov
ernment had been defrauded and the troops
had been compelled TO eat nauseating food
which was responsible for so much Illness
Had he failed 10 take action. he would have
been derelict and unfaithful to the obliga-
lions - his position
SmW,n Days delay in submitting his re-
port TO General Miles, arose from the fact
that ne became i'll after returning from
Porto Rico and the necessity of making n
careful analysis of the beef which he had
secured.
The report Of Lieutenant Colonel F. A.
Darlington. Inspector General. who made a
careful Investigation of the beef question.
sustained General Miles's assertion that the
beef was treated with personalities. and the
testimony of the officers before the War
Commission and the court of inquiry will
also be quoted in substantiation of General
Nies's attitude.