The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-09
A,.&tW HErUENs AN.
@NE< AsNtRA NNES.
rho Mcn nj Montnnk Arc Nn,nR rrorc,,N
Cared FHr-.Shnftcr'N rla,n Atntcman,
m" Great D'WrWItIrs Thn, Nrsct
III" A'mN In tn" Santiago Cnm.
pNtsn fhc tSrncrat SaN Chcn,,

| tho A'mN IN the Santiago Cam.
| raisn -ah" Ernorat Saw Chcm.
! Washington, Srptnmhcr 4. Soc.
rotary Algor who r,nrocd latc last
last night from Now York, aitor his
inspection tour through Camp Wikott
at Montauk Point with President
Mckinley and scvcral othors Of tho
war department., commented tonight
upon tho conditions OF tho camp,
and stated tho rrsults Of his visit.
"l tind," hc said, "aftcr carcrul
examination Of Camp Wikotf and Il
thorough investigation Of its cont'i,
tions, that everything possible is DO
ing dono for tho mon, both sick and
woll, who arc detained thcro. THOR
camp Is an admirable onc---,tho best,
| think | cvcr SAW"
Tho sickness, suffering and doath
are not the secretary says, tho rc-
snlt Of tho situation Of tho camp it,
solf, but OF the tcrrihlc campaign
through which the troops have Just
raSS"d---a campaign that will hc
memorable in the military history of
the world. He had, the secretary
said, talked yesterday with Gen.
Shaftcr, who discussed Somc Of the
obstacles which be had to overcome
IN the Santiago campaign. Score
tary AlGer continued: "Gcn. Shat.
ter said that when he arrived in
Cuba and realized the condition that
confronted him and his men, hr
knew that the campaign must rf
necessity be on" Of days, rather than
Of weeks and mouths. He had lost |
n"Hrly all OF his lighters, and was
thus seriously handicapped in feet
ing landing off both his troops and |
the stores and supplies which the
fleet carried. The tremendous rains.
which sci in immediately after his /
arrival, rendered it next to impossible |
for e'trer the troops or supplies to
be gotten forward. He felt, how
ever, that whatever were the Difficult.
ties, he must press forward, and, if
possible end the campaign in the
brlefest time. The climatic condi.
hons we're such that to lose any time
meant the destruction of his com.
msnd by illness, and the CONSIGNMENT
tsliure OF the expedition. He took
no chances on delay, therefore, but
swept his gallant amy upon the
Spauiards with such irrrsistible dash
that victory Was won almost before
tue Spanlards themselves realized
what they had to encounter.
1T is perfectly evident now that
had Gen. Shafter waited until his
army and its supplies could have
been sent forward with ordinary de.
liberation, the expedition against
would have failed utterly. !
In a measure, it was his disregard of
military conventionuEities that On
ahled him to carry the..campaigu to a
brilliantly successful issue.
"Durlug all the time the troops
were lying in the trenches before
Santiago, despite the immense diff.
tultles experienced IN getting sup
plies to the front, the men suffered |
very little from lack Of provisions |
Oi course they did not have what |
they are now receiving ut Moutank !
Point, but they had the actual ne
cessltles Of life, Notwithstanding the |
newspaper reports to the contrary"
1T IS particularly noticeable"
coLtlnn'd Secretary Alger, earnest
~, "that the men who actually en- |
gagged IN tho Santiago campaign are
not complaining Of their treatment.
talked with scores Of thenI-I WAS
about to say hundreds-and not a
breath Of complaint did I bear
from any OF them"
Such q VISIT as President McKin.
ley made 10 the camp yesterday, the
secretary added. was alAost unique
III military annals. That he was
r"a' onnbiy well satisfied with the |
conditions as he found them was in |
Itself guarantee that they were not
far WIOuo