Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1898-09-29
Who Decline and Who Accent.

OiluluS anu WIZ dio accepting dppolAt-
ments on President McKinley's per
sonally conducted" commission, to in
vestigate the conduct of the war, con- !
firms our belief that the investigation !
is intended by the president to be a
pronounced whitewash. Among those
who have declined, are President Gil
man, of the Johns Hopkins University,
Ex-Lieutentant-Gene j. M. Scofield,
of the United States Army, Ex-Lieuten-
ant-General John b. Gordon, of the
Confederate Army, Ex-Secretary of War
high position in the confidence of the
country. Among those who have ac-
cepted are Colonel Saxtop, commander
in chief of the Grand Army of the Re
public, body while in session last week
Kissed and hooted Governor Pingree,
the republican governor of Michigan,
because they thought he was about to
attack Secretary Of War Ayers man
agement of the war; General Dodd, the
''mY dear Dodd" of Secretary Alger S
famous letter, and others, many OF
| whom are similar men. But even if the
commission were a model one, the Cir
cumstances under which it is appointed
would cloud its title tOpublic confidence.
Under a republican form of government
no official can appoint his own commits
sion to investigate himself, and that is
what Mr.. Mckinley is doing.
| Mr.. Alger, an astute Michigan lun-
| herman, and third class politician who
| has made two OF three unsuccessful
| dashes at the presidential nomination
of his party, is plainly to be used as a
scapegoat for the administration. His
chief weakness, in his place, has arisen
because he has mistaken war for politics,
and has withheld his hand from calling
army officers nearest to the War De-
partment to account for shortcomings,
for fear of their influence. His employer,
| Mckinley, has withheld his hand from
| him for the same reason; for Alger can
easily control the Michigan delegation
| to the National Republican Convention.
| Naturally political lumberman would
think the army officers knew their bust
ness better than he did, and alter TAX
ing care of his political friends-includ-
ing his son, for whom he got a staff ap-
pointment-he let the high army officers
go it alone.
How these officers went it alone, the
secretary is now learning on tour he is
making. AT Lexington, KY, General
Sanger said to him: ''Your chief cook
and bottle-washer down there (Chicka.
mauga), l refer to DR.. Huidekoper, was
nothing but the rankast sort of veterin-
airy surgeon. He knows nothing what
ever of diSinfectants." At the same
place Brigadier- General Wiley Said to
him: "These men cannot stand off and
say that it was somebody else's fault.
1t was the fault of Quartermaster- G en-
eral Ludington. who is standing right
here" And again Gen. Wiley, address
ing SUPERINTENDENT Stenberg, said:
'Requisitions for surgical instruments.
and medicines, were not honored The
same fever thermometer had to be
passed from one regiment to another.
These things were responsible for the
terrible state of affairs" These same
things have been said by the private
soldiers for months; they were not new,
except in their being said by several
officers. Yet, notwithstanding this,
when he arrived at Chattanooga on his
tour, Secretary Alger said: "That some
mistakes have occurred, l will admit;
but that the medical department, the
commlssary department, and the quar-
termaster's department, have done their
full duty, l affirm. = = We re-
ceived only good reports at Washington
from commanding officers, and it was
supposed that the outside reports were
exaggerated" Is it strange that men
steer clear OF Mr.. McKinley's investi-
jected Oh the future his line of defense :?
| The fearful death rate of American SOL
diers, after the war is ended, is to be ig-
nored, or is It to be shown that they
brought OIL their own death by ignoring
the provisions made by three depart
ments, that the government affirms
have ''done their full duty" For the
voice of Mr.. Alger, with Mckinley at
his back, is the voice of the government.
Well, the administration, with COM
mission chosen by itself, may flourish
| like a green bay tree freshly white
washed, but when Congress comes to in
vestigate, not only the leaves, but the
bark as well, will have to fly.