The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-11-13

soldiers share equally with all others.
can see no objection to this arran cement
nor any hostility in it to any other
i Another agency is through Mrs. Wit.
tenmeyer. Our Legislature appointed
her to this position, and she is thus act
ing under the highest State authprity.-
All goods sent through her agency 60 d.
rectly to St. Louis, and then Into the
common stock Of the Western Sanitary
Commission, which acts in perfect accord
with the U. S. Sanitary Comnissi ion, and
Mrs. Wittenmeyer is recognized agent
OF both of these organizations, and at per-
feet liberty to draw from their stores, and
OF which Iowa soldiers receive vastly
more than we contribute thereto. Do we
lose anything by this
Both these organizations are recognized
and fostered by the general Government,
aud have every facility Of transportation
to any point reached by any part of our
army, and they do their utmost to reach
every such point with sanitary supplies,
and generally succeed, when their sup
plies are distributed through the surgeonc
of the different regiments.
Can the exclusive State agency. with
out such government favor, be thus sue
cessful? 1t is utterly impossibly. Nor
can such-favor be obtained, for the gov
ernment will make no distinction between
troops from different States. They are
all regarded as parts Of the same glorious
Union army, and must fare alike in gov
eminent favors. California sent $50
900 to the Western Sanitary Commission,
and glorious old Massachusetts, as much
more. Iowa men have had equal share
In all this, and Of very much more furnish
ed in smaller sums. The resources of
the United States Commission are i'm
mense, of which Iowa men receive as
freely as any others. There is a Fair
now being held in Chicago to which Iowa
has contributed but mere fraction, but
to which the East, from its great sbund-
ance, has poured in golden stream, and
its receipts promise to be Sl00,OOd OF
the results of this wonderful Fair Iowa
soldiers will share as freely as any others
Shall we attempt to deprive them of all
this, and shut them up to the meagre
amount furnished by Iowa? No friend
OF the soldier will attemptit. In Sd nding
through Mrs. Wittenmyer to the W estern
Sanitary Commission there is no conflict
with those sending through Mr. kynett
| 10 Chicago. Each sends in bis own way
without interfering with the other There
are advantages in having the two agen-
cies, as some people prefer the on e and
some the other. and all are free to take
tneir choice. There is no ocoasio for
conflict and think but little occurs
How can the convention at Des Moines
harmonlze these two agencies Will it
have any control over them, or any power
to swallow them Mrs. WI.tenmyer is
under appointment of the Legislature,
approved by the Governor, and Mr.. Ky
nett under the appointment of the Gov
ernor. Can an irresponsible conve ntion
wipe out these authorized agencies and
establish new one that shall overshadow
all else! 1t may result in forming q
third, but see no power it can have over
either Of the existing ones.
But you say that our troops com plain
that they do not get supplies from any
source. Many men, when they say this,
have 10 mind that sanitary goods cd INSIST
of sweetmeats, delicacies, &c., and as
they get but few of these they think they
are misapplied, while the fact is, The
nerest fraction OF such things are fur
nished. not enough for the sick to take
their medicine in.
Our people furnish but a mere trihe ir
all, in proportion to the number of mer
we have in the service, and il we should
confne Iowa men to Iowa supplies they
would seldom have anything of the kind
This mus. be SO from the nature OF the
case. Our State is new. our people scat.
tered, and We have matured little else
than patriotic heroism. This We have
furnished in abundance. Let US not Gu,
ourselves off from the products Of the
material wealth of older States, that is SC
freely expended for the rolef of our suf
fering men.
You complain that the laoies of Musca
tine cannot send the 900 bushels of po
tatoes they have so nobly raised to lows
soldiers without large expense for freight
In my opinion they ought not to desire
so to do. that it is unworthy the noble
generosity Of Muscatine. They should
90 to all alike, while all alike share in the
benefactions of all others. No State il
the Union has attempted this separat,
State notion in Sanitary affairs, anc
should Iowa be SO narrow minded as t
oit, am satisfied that, while it would
} disgrace her in the eyes of all others. i
! would make no difference in their actor
towards our noble men in their suffering
in common cause. Iowa now stands a
the head for gallantry and noble, generou'
, bearing in this mighty conflict, and viii
not tarnish her fair name by any sucl
impracticable attempts to set up for her
self in this matter The proposed con
} vention will, doubt not, be composed 0
) reasonable and sensible people, and thi
scheme will not bear the test of reascl
and common sense.
{ We are all on board the same grant
old Ship Of State which is now among
the breakers, and we must all sink o