The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1901-01-01

Nv made no effort 10 assure himself o.
their truthfulness, nor to report them to
The Secretary OF War before publicly ut
tering them.
MILES NOT HONEST"
eff we are 10 believe written evidence
10 the contrary it does not appear that
General Miles was even honest in making
his dilatOry charges that the canned beer
was issued as the pretense Of an expert
ment, and that it was not part OF ire
ration On the 18th of June. 1898. ms
most confidential staff officer signed a
letter by direction OF the Major General
Commanding The army, insJructing the
Qerot commlssary at Tampa 10 fufnish
General Nuncz 1864 pounds OF canned
roast beef to be issued from the 'SuDSlst-
ence stores OF the army If We are 70
accept the reading of this letter as cor
rect. it proves that General Miles hne"
that canned fresh beef was a part OF the
rations: that he knew there was q
quantity Of it al Tampa for issue 20 the
troops and shat he so far approved OF
its use rs 20 direct that the ration ne
furnished in large quantities TO our allies
ct was never intended by the COmmis-
sary Department that canned roast beef
should be used other than as an eNleI-
| ssency or travel ration.
The article points out the legal war
rant and use here and abroad OF canned
beef and says the only fault found with
the ration was that it was unpalatable
| when served without additional cooking
and without vegetable and condiments He
| says both the court of inquiry and wal
| commission found that there was no
| foundation for the charge that canned
! beef was not a part of the ration, or that
| it had been furnished as the pretenSe OF
| experiment, or it was the pulp from boiled
| beef In the haste under which the San
| tiago expedition left Tampa, proper, pro
| vision for cooking the food OF the men
] on the transport seems to have been eli =
| er neglected or impossible, an account 81
| the lack of time. General Miles arrived
| at Tampa on June LIST, the special
| representative OF the War Department
| to overlook and assist in the preparation
| and embarkatiOn of the Santiago eXpedi-
| ton If General Miles did lot look into
| the question of food for the Santiago
| expedition he was a culpable as though
| he had failed to inspect all other lInpor-
| tant matters There was no shortage III
| vegetables. THE ration was not q perish
able article and l do not think that the
expression colossal error applied by
the court Of inquiry to this purchase, was
warranted Moreover the Navy Depart
| ment purchased annually 100000 pounds
CIR $4,000 rations of this same canned
beef Again. the War Department is row
sending to the Philippines 10000 rations
| Of canned fresh beef month"; for a fOrce
| Of something less than O,0G0
| 1T is significant to observe that the
| War Investigating Commission avs OF tht
| witnesses examined by this commission
| General Miles and DR.. DAILY are the Onl.
ores who make this charge of chenlicall.
. treated beef General Miles startling ans
| scandalous accusations appear to haze
been based entirely upon the verba
| statements of DR.. w. H. Daily, voluntee
major and surgeon, and upon single
letter from this volunteer"
The Secretary takes up the incident o
, | the Powell processed beef, of which h
says two quarters were allowed to be pu
on one of the transports at Mr.. Powell
| request and that it spoiled and wa
thrown overheard. None ever was issue
10 the troops. Mr.. Powell swore that tn
beef exhibited by him at Tampa an
eaten by Dr. Daily was treated by funiga
! ton and that neither boric or salcyli
| acid was used al all in the operation. Dr.
! | Daily made himself further ridiculous i
= | his letter to General Miles, by referrin
: | TO the taste and small of decOmpOSe
borc acid in the meat condemned by tn
board On the Panama.
y Scientific evidence was submitted
:. the effect that boric acid does not decom
pose when used as a meat preseryatlV
and that it has neither taste nor edor.
AT the time the Panama incident oe
Cured, Dr.. DAILY himself admits that HI
| observations had been in progress &c
three months. He did not communicat
his suspicious to the board which cor
demned and threw overheard the spoile
: meat, nor submit his alleged samples
that meat to the Government eXper
and chemists for examina ton, and ties
- but secretly took it home to analyze.
did bring to Washington residue elaine
= to have been taken from the Panama bl
y not proven to be refrigerated beef, Whi(
= contained traces of horic and salicyl
= | acids. The circumstances is suspicion
j. and does not reflect credit upon Gener
1r Miles Only witness