The St. Louis Republic., 1900-12-29
ALGER'S PENT-UP WRATH
DESCENDS ON GEN. MILES.
Reviews "Embalmed Beef Scandal" and
Scathingly Criticises Conduct of Com
manding General of the Army.

New York. Dec "S-The North American
Review. H. IT'S next issue. Will contain an
article on THE Fooc Of the Army During
the Spanish War;" by former Secretary of
War Russell A. Aiger. The article reviews
the charges made by General Miles regard
ing "ernbalulsd beef and the appointment
OF a commission to investigate them. The
allegations against Commissary General
Eagan, the lltt2r's abusive reply TO Cen
eral Miles and the subsequent trial OF
Eagan by al army court are next taken
Up. The article then says:
1T IS proposed Ia treat General Miles's
allegations specifically and In detail His
charges with respect TO canned roast beef
were that II was not part Of the army
ration and tby 'ufe.ence> had been issued
10 the army 10y the Secretary of War and
the Commissary General without authority
OF law. and that 1t was the meat residue. a
beef pulp which was left after the extract
had been taken from il.
with respect 10 refrigerated beef. he al
legged that IL was 'enbalmed beef which
had been artificially preserved by injec-
tion OF chemicals into IL; that he had over
whelmins evidence that the embalmed beef
was treated with chemicals to preserve It.
ard that the refrigerated beef would not be
good in any country in the stomach of any
man.
He also said, generally. that bacon was
not considered suitable ration tor the
army was the cause or much sickness ana
distress: that il was largely Responsible
for the sickness IN the army. and thdt ne
had medical authority for this statement.
General Miles should have known that
neither the Secretary of War nor the Com
missary General could legally alter or add
TO the ration OF the army. the ration Is
fixed by law, and iis cgmponeits can 1e
changed only by the President Of the
United States II Gen -al Miles did not Know
that canned fresh beef was part OF the
army ration, then he displayed an igno-
rance in an important matter OF his pro
markable. II he d!d know that canned
fresh beef was a recognized part OF the
ration. then his attention IT,, 81 the contrary
.'On the LIST OF August. ISIS. canned fresh
beef first became a part of the travel ra-
ton OF the United States Army: then II; un;
der the command 0: General Sherman, ana
while George W. McCreary was Secretary
of War. Canned fresh beef was again
specifically referred % In general orders
Der 2s 1881: January i9, lSSs. and February
s, 1Sss. The aforementioned order changed
the army regulations and included IN those
regulations reference to canned fresh
beef.
WAS NOT EVEN HONEST
IN MAKING CHARGES"
The allegations OF General Miles that
canned fresh beef was not 4 part Of the
army ration. and that Ii Was issued as the
'pretenSe OF an experiment were not only
contrary to fact. but were MADE absolutely
without q particle of evidence of excuse.
II General Miles really believed his serious
charges. his conduct IS all the more blame
worthy. In that he apparently made no e.
fort to assure himself OF their truthfulnsss.
nor TO report them TO the Secretary OF War
before publicly uttering tEem.
IF We are to believe written evidence to
tbs contrary. IL does not appear that Cen
eral Miles was even honest in making his
dilatory charges that the canned beef was
issued as the pretense of an experiment, and
that It was not a part o. the ration.
"On the lIth OF June. 1855. his most con-
fdential staff officer signed q letter by
direction of the Major General eommand-
ing the Army instructins the depot com.
misary at Tampa to furnish to General
Nunez 1854 pounds Of canned roast beef.
Of the army If We are to accept the read
ing OF this letter as correct. II proves tnat
General Miles knew that canned fresh beef
was part Of the ration: that he knew
there was a large quantity of It at Tampa
for issue to the troops. and that he SO
fsr M approved OF us use "a as , to direct that
to our allies.
1T was never Intended by the Commissary
Department that canned beef should be
used other than as an emergency or travel
ration. General Egan's predecessors in Of
fee had. twenty, years before the Spanish
American War, highly recommended Its use
and It had been officially included in the
regular ration. Canned fresh beef has. ever
since the Civil War. been part Of the reg.
having been used annually in cur navy be-
fore the war with Spain. For years large
Quantities of canned fresh beef have been
shipped to the European armies.
with a legal warrant for Its use, the
approval Of at least two previous commits.
saries general. its general use abroad and
its large consumption in our own navy. Cen
erai Egan was certainly fortified In his be-
lief that 1t could be efficacously used by our
troops.
Moreover. the present Commissary Gen
eral then Colonel ]. F. Weston, In a letter
20 General Eean. under date OF March "A.
166. favors Its use.
Fresh canned beef was preferred over
corned canned beef because of the fact that
the salt In the latter produced thirst. de-
cided objection in a tropical country, but
the timed beef should have been used only
when cooked with vegetables and properly
seasoned. In this statement lies the secret
canned fresh beef The onlv fault found
with the ration was that II was unpa latable
wien served without additional cooking and
without vegetable and condiments
The ration was not used to any extent
In the camps in the United States. but only
and for short time in Cuba by part OF
Skaters army in the trenches. where OBJ
lection to its use could also be raised on
account Of Inability to cook and serve IL
suitably A few Issues were also made IN
Porto Rico. And yet, 3esrite the improper
/ preparation of the food. owing 10 unavoid-
liable circumstances resulting from military
necessity no complaln's of its unpalatabll-
ity reached the War Department.
CHARGES FOUND TO DE
WITHOUT FOUNDATION.
After the charges made by General
Miles. the most expert and scientific men
In the country were employed by the Gov
ernment to further the investication-sucn
physiological chemists as Professor r. II.