The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-04-28
BUREAU CHIEFS REPLY.
Comments on Various Portions of Gen.
Miles Report.


WASHINGTON, D. c., April ct. -
Portions of the report of Gen. Miles
were sent to the different chiefs of bu-
reaus to which the observations refer
red, and replies from several officers
have been received.
Gen. J. F. Weston, commissary gen.
eral, in making reply on the beef ques-
ton, states:
In my judgment, it is not a feasible
or economical plan, and there should
be no departure from the present syS-
tenn of supply Of frozen beef"
Gen. Weston says his office has never
received any complaint about frozen
beef, but on the contrary, uniform COM
mendations. Gen. Weston adds: "Na-
tive beef is out of the question, even
if it were possible to procure, and there
would be danger in using it besides it
being poor, stringy and tough, but the
rinderpest practically destroyed the ma
tive cattle. The experiment of bring
ing in cattle was tried and as stated
by Col. Woodruff was an absolute fail
ure. The supply of cattle on the hoOf
for the military service in the Philip
pines is not practicable, would involve
enormous expense and entail useless
loss of animal life and would serve no
useful purpose either of administration,
economy or health. At least so per
cent Of the cattle would not survive
the trip, so that the government would
not only lose half of the cargo, but
would actually pay freight on what was
lost"
Gen. Gillespie, chief of engineers,
says: THAT Manila harbor, or any
other harbor in the insuIar possessions
is not now defended or is not in pro-
cess Of defense is because congress
has not so willed it.
Gen. Crozier, chief of ordnance, says
hn rtr ha
the necessity of defending by fixed
works the principal ports of all the in
sular possessions, including the Phil
ippine islands, but that the matter
rests with congress.
Gen. O'ReiIly, surgeon general, says:
'The bad effect of the climate on the
health of the army is a simple fact.
Just as the troops serving on the
Texas border always have shown
greater sick rate and higher percentage
of deaths than those in the Rocky
mountain district or the Northern
states, so in greater degree will the
army in the Philippines always exceed
in sickness the army at home. l think
we must consider these sick rates as
part of the price of occupancy of the
islands and not expect any great i'm
munity in the future. There will be
some Improvement when the troops
are taken from the native villages and
racks. The sick report does not show
an exact index of the habits of the
men on the islands. In spite of the
undoubted pernicious effect of vino
upon some soldiers in the Philippines,
the sick rate from alcoholism has been
much smaller in the islands than in
our own country. The effect of the dis
continuance of the liquor feature of
the canteen system, in my opinion,
should be judged largely from post and
city section of the Philippines only.
Unless a young man is already a
habitual drunkard, the temptations for
him to become so are not nearly SO
great as in the cities mentioned, and
in the United States. When a per-
fectly sober soldier, however, does be-
come a steady drinker of vino, his ruin
is certain. The value of the canteen
has always been considered means by
which not the drunkard but a lover of
liquor can get a few glasses of beer at
home and every day of the month if he
so desires, instead of being attracted
to saloons, where he is tempted to