The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1898-09-09

3 Nme UllCau dutuOTlIlcS UlRuG D0
called amusing or ludicrous, but as they
will no doubt serve to ease the part,zan
conscience of many, we may enumerate
some Of these to illustrate the extremity
to which republicans are reduced for a
defense of the Administrations cul-
pability in the matter. Mark Hanna
says the regimental officers appointed by
the governors are responsible for the
condition of the men, and hence the
governors of states who appointed these
officers are to blame. This Is rather
puerlle, since neither the medical, COM
missarv nor quartermaster's depart
ments of the war are under the control
of regimental officers or state governors.
The Pioneer Press in an elaborate edi-
torial the other day lays all the blame
on certain democratic officers in the
medical and quartermaster's depart
ments who did not do their duty. Now,
this may be actually true, but what was
the matter with some other republican
officials in these departments or even
Secretary Alger or President Mckinley
seeing to it that they did their duty or
get out of the army: Surgeon General
Of the Army Sternberg blames the Red
Cross society and says: 1.-The Red Cross
association has had full authority to
send agents ard supplies to all our
camps since June 9, and If there has
been suffering for want of needed sup
plies they must share the responsibility
with the medical department of the
army for such suffering" This is pretty
cold blooded talk for q man with all the
i~nexhaustible resources Of the United
States at his back. The Red Cross
society is only a charitable institution
supplied by private subscription and car
ryiDg on relief work in the Z. S. army
IN Porto Rico, among the starving
Cubans, and elsewhere. 1t is a weak
plea to claim that the Red Cross society
should be held responsible for any sui
fering in the I. S. army. On the othe,
hand it ought to be given much credit
ter relieving much suffering that ough,
to have been done by DR.. S%ternberg's
own department. It has come to q dis.
graceful pass when the medical and
quartermaster's departments of the
United States army cannot take care oil
It's " soldiers. Any efficiency that has
been shown was by the Red Cross society
ana it could have done a great deal more
if the official snobbery Of these two de.
partments of the army had not stood il
the way.
Adjutant General Corbin says mis-.
takes have been made in the manage.
ment OF the departments and care of the
soldiers but to tell it to the world is
disgracing the service and demoralizing
army discipline. This is all true AID
there Is no excuse for it, and he gives
none.
Secretary Alger admits that "mistakee
have been made, grave Mistakes" be
might we'll have added "many graveyard
Mistakes" and the pun would 0 have
been more CHASTITY than the actual facts.
But the secretary, like Corbin, does not
want it made known to the world. 1t is
bringing American army circles into dis.
grace in the eyes of the world. He
ought to realize by this time that it
has brought his administration into dis
grace in the eyes OF bis own countrymen.
And until q full and impartial investi-
CATION is made it is difficult to tell
whether the head or tail of the admin
istration 10 most to blame, but an in.
| vestiRation there should be.