The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-12-29

interview Gen Miles was unable to deny
under oath and part " his statements IN
Il were used hy che court 81 inquiry as
u basis for iuveatigptlon
Rocitius Gen Miles chargca. the ex-
Secretary SAYS
'if Gen Miles dld not know that can
ued beef WAS part of the army ration.
then hc Displayed an ignorance Ia an I'M
poriani matter 81 his profession that b..
90 say the least. most remarkable. % h.
dii know that canned fresh beef was
recognized pfrt % the ration. then his al
legation % the contrary o. 80 much more
roprchcnslhlc
THE allegations of Gen. Miles that can
ned fresh beef was not part % the
army ration and that t was issued a.
the 'preteusc OF an experiment were not
only contrary 10 fact but wcrc made ab-
soiutey without a particle 81 evidence or
excuse. n Gen Miles really believed his
serious charecs. biz conduct u all the
moro b.ameworthy. in that he apparently
mad. no EFFORT jo assure himself of their
truthfulness. nor 20 report them 20 the
Secretary of War before publicly uttering
them
"lf We are TO believe written evidence
10 Tne contrary. n does NOT appear that
Gen Miles Was even honest in making his
dnatory charges chat the tInned beef was
ana that u was noe a part OF the ration.
On june u. tss his most confidential
star officer siHuod letter hy direction
or the major general commanding the
army instructing che depot commissary
nt Tampa % furnish 90 gen Nunez 1854
pounds OF canned roast beef 70 he issued
from the subsistence stores of the army.
n We are 90 accept the reading Of this
letert as correct u proves that Gen Miles
81 the ration. that he knew there was a
large quantity OF Il al Tampa Tor issue 20
tho troops and chat he 80 FAR approved
of ~ use a. TO direct that the ration be
Furnished in largt quantities 90 our allies
1T was never Intended by che commis-
sary department that canned beef should
be used other than as an emergency or
travel ration"
The article points out the legal warrau,
ami use here and abroad Of canned beef
and says the only fault found with the
ration wss that 90 was unpalatable when
served without additional cooking and
without vegetables and condiments.
He says the court OF inquiry and War
Commission found that there was no foun-
datiou for the charge chat canned fresh
beef was not a part of the ration, or that
Il had been furnished as The pretense 81
experiment. OF chat it was tho pulp from
beef Ia the haste under which the san
daEo expedition left Tampa. proper pro-
vision for cooking the food OF the men
on tho transports seems 90 have been
either neglected or Impossible on account
or the lack of time. Gen. Miles arrived
az Tampa OF June D. s- the special repre-
sentative of the War Department TO over
look and assist IN the preparation and
emharkation Of tho Santiago expedition.
II gen. Miles did not look into the ques-
tiou Of food for the Santiago expedition
he was as culpable a. though he had
failed 70 inspect all other important mat
ters. There was no shortage in vegeta'
bles
'"rhc ration was not a perishahle ar
ticle, and / DO not hiuk that the expires.
sion. colossal error. az applied by the
court Of inquiry 20 this purchase. was
warranted Moreover. tho Navy Depart
ment purchased annually go0oo pounds.
or 6S7.O0o rations. Qf this same canned
beef Again. the War Department IL now
sending 20 the Philippines ieO.0o rafions -
canned fresh beef q month Tor 81 force
consisting something less than To.oco.
"lt - significant to observe that the
war Investigation commission says3 'Oi
tho witnesses examined By this commits.
sion. Gen. Miles and Dr. DAILY are tho
only ones who make the charge OF chem
ically treated bcef Gen. Miles star
tling aud scandaious accusations appear
/ 10 have been based entirely upon the yer
| bal statements OF Dr. W n. Daily. a
volunteer major and surgeon. and upon
a single Letter from hits volunteer"
The ex-aecretafy takes up the incident
0f the Powell processed beef. Of which
/ he says two quarters were allowed 60 be
/ pat 90 one nf the Transports al AR Pow
/ els request. and that II spoiled and wss
I thrown overheard. None ever was issued
to the troops. Mr.. Powell swore that tha
bsef exhibited BY him al Tampa and
eaten By Or. Daily was treated hy fumi-
CATION. aud that neither boric nor saiicy-
lic acid was used az aA In the operation
Or. Daily made himself further ridiculous
IN his letter TO Gen. Miles by referring
to the taste and smell 81 dccompossd
borlc acid In the meat condemned by tns
board on the Panama. Scientific evil
dcnce was submitted to the effect
that borie acid does not decompose when
used as meat preservative. ana that j.
has neither taste nor osior.
"Ai the time tho Panama Incident o.
curred. Dr Daily himself admis that his
observations hsd been IN progress for
three months. he dld not communicate
his suspicions 90 the board which con-
demned and threw overheard the spoiled
meat. nor submh his alleged samples oi
tbst meat 20 the government experts and
I chemists for examination and test but
secretly took II home 60 anaiyxo He did
I bring 70 Washington residue claimed
20 have been taken from the Panama bot
not proven 10 be- refrigerated beef. which
| contained sraces of boric and salicyig
acids. The circumstance IL suspicious
and does not reflect credit upon Gen
| Miles only witness.
'"rhe allegation that the food furnished
/ the army wes the cause ~ much sickness
seems 10 have been ~ little investigated
or 20 have had a. little warrant for its
uftcranco As the other disproved charges. -
In conclusion. ex-secretary Aiger says;
while the allegations % Gen. Miles
I made only after the peace treaty had been
signed we're NOT based upon fact aud
we're coneluslwely disproved by two sep
arate tribunals. unimpeachabe IN thelI
composition and methods Of Investigation
/ the irreparabie damage had been done. 4
/ brave. honest ana faithful officer
| sufforing under ths lash Of &uch
cruel unwarranted and unjuHtifed smpu-
/ iations. while exonerated from the heavy
odium OF those charges wss, as = result
Of them. eacrlaced on che aitar of his own
/ passion. righteous IN It's existence bat
| mexcusabla fn rs expression. Besldei
this. d false Impression had been created
throughout the country as 20 the food
/ furnished the army. which may never b
removed. The charges Of Gen. Miles
twice proven false IN spirit and substance
are therefore the mSFe hcinOus IN their
| effect Yet the present Congress promoted
Gen. Miles to b. lieutenant general. and