Probably General Miles was mistaken in his charges concerning embalmed beef, and possibly the canned beef was not so bad as it tasted; but there can be no excuse for a Secretary of War who did not consider it his business to investigate the question of proper rations for an army in the tropics simply because Congress had, years before, fixed a ration for use within the United States.

There was no excuse for sending many of the men clad in heavy army woolens.

There was no excuse for not providing a sufficient number of surgeons and abundant hospital service.

There was little excuse for the appointment of General Shafter, which was made in part for political reasons.

There was no excuse for keeping at the head of the army administration General Nelson A.Miles, with whom, whatever his abilities, the Secretary of War was unable to work.
The navy did not escape controversy.