Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-12-31
MILES VS.. ALGER.
Lieutenant General Will Answer
Ex-Sccretary's Statement.
Against Friends Advice But Said to
Have Made Up Mind.
Gen. Miles Has Plenty OF Defenders at Army
Headquarters.


army. has announced his purpose to
answer the article written by Former
Secretary of War Russell A. Alger on
the Miles, Eagan beef controversy.
This determination is contrary to the
advice of his immediate personal and
official friends and members of the
cabinet. They fear that it may lead to
the reopening of the entire beef con-
trovcrsy. and result in the organiZa-
ton of another court of inquiry, the
findings of which may be adverse to
the commanding general.
Cen Miles has been prepared Tor
Gen. Algcrs arraignmcnt. He is UNI
derstood to have desired that the beef
incident should be closed and forgot
ten His friends have told him that
only a discussion of Gen. Ayers state
ments on his part will revive it. In the
face of these statements Gen. Miles
declared before he left Washington
that he would reply to Gen. AlScr at
ter he had read the North American
Review article, and only after mature
consideration. Gen. Miles is now on a
shooting trip in North Carolina, and is
expected torcturn to Washington, today.
In the absence of Gen. Miles he does
not lack defenders at army headquar-
ters, though the officers stationed there
will not talk for publication. Brig.
Gen. Breckenridge, inspector general,
whose report praising the conduct of
the commissary department during the
war, is quoted by Gen. Alger said
There were two lines of canned
goods served soldiers during the war
with Spain-one the Shop-worn goods
and the other hastily prepared goods.
There may have been others inferior,
but they were of the smaller quantity.
There was, of course, Il great deal OF
very good canned goods.
The inspector generals department
never took sides in the beef contro-
yersy We wanted the soldiers per-
fectly fed, and, of course, everybody
else did; and. where they We're not
perfectly fed, the only thing to do was
to express your opinion ana let the
person in authority give the attention
it deserved.
AS far as we know them, the facts
are on record as set forth in Lieut.. col.
Garlington's report. a more chivalric
gentleman and soldierly spirit does not
exist in our army. and what he did in
the beef investigation he was directed
to make by Lieut.. Gen. Miles he did
from a sense of duty. | think the coun-
try cannot change the facts as they
were, nor can you gain much by recon-
sdering old questions when the case is
closed. The supplies of the army. as
Il result of the beef controversy, have
not been injured, but, if anything, i'm
proved.
1t may be that the commissary de-
partmcnt was ahead of the time in fur
nishing the character of the beef it
did, and the position 1t assumed was
not understood. If IL company of troops
should happen, from the use of the
kind of meat furnished them, to be af-
fected by ptomaine poisoning, and one
half of them should happen to be sent
to Il hospital for treatment, it would be
natural for the men to form a preJu
dice against the meat which might we'll
be unwarranted.
The difference between fresh straw
berries and preserved is recognized,
and the difference between fresh meat
and that which is preserved by any
other means. whether cold or canned,
is matter which people not knowing
of any special interest on the part of
the country i'll them would be prone to
watch. My own individual opinion is
that the trouble about the beef was
not in the kind. but in the quality
Brig. Gen. Weston, commisSary gem
eral who recommended that canned
fresh beef be supplied to the Santiago
army, humorously stated that he en-
tered the army after the beef incident
p had ended and he could not discuss 1t.
That he is satisfied with the canned
beef is shown by the fact that it is be
ing supplied to the troops i'll China and
the Philippines.
During the Spanish war total of -
coo 900 cans Of fresh beef were pur-
chased 100000 cans of which were
supplied to Skaters army. The re
maindCr after the war WAS distributed
to trocps in the Philippines and Porto
Rico ana to the INDECENT poor of Cuba
and Porto Rico.
An official of the war department
said that no complaint whatever had
been received regarding the quality OF
canned beef being furnished to the
troops in the Philippines, and the on
" difference between this meat and
that furnished during the war with
Spain is stated to be that the latter
was hastily prepared in time Of wal
while the former was put UP in time
look after it.
In defence of Gen. WcSton's recon-
mendation. it is pointed out that the
topography Of the country about san
tiago did not permit the furnishing oi
Shaftcr'S army With beef Oh the hoof
and it is admitted that tho method ol
transporting refrigerated beef in the
Philippines is much better than tina
observed in cuba, with the result tina
the troops have no trouble about get
ting fresh meats. Where. in Luzon, i
is impossible to get refrigerated mea
or beef on the hoof, then canned bee
is used.
Members of the cabinet who consent
ed to privately discuss Gen. Alger'
statement approved it as straightfor
ward presentation of facts. but the.
believe, in the interest of the admins
traton, it is desirable that Gen. Mile
should not talk, and that the matte
should be considered closed.
\ machine that washes and dries 50,
dishes an hour has been invented. and
is guaranteed that plates. cups, saucer
-