The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1898-10-21

But. Mr.. Hctnly. chairman Of the Re-
publican state central committee. in an
interview published in the indianapolis
Sentinel on Aug. Is. the day following
the appearance Of Mr.. Martins inter-
view, took occasion 10 insist that war
should be and ought TO be- an issue in
the campaign In Indiana. Evidently,
Mr. Hernly believed the war issue would
be highly conducive to Republican sue
cess. and Is reported as saying:
Il read The Sentinel's interview with
PARKS Martin III which he said that the
war should not be made an issue in this
cam paign. but that the Democrats are
seady to meet 1t If the Republicans
spring N. I do not agree with MT. Mar.
tin that we who happen to be In posi-
tions OF party responsibility can make
the issues of this or of any campaign.
The people make the issues. They
know what they are vitally interested
in, and unless the stump speaker talks
of these things he will find himself
without audiences. Just now the peo-
pie want TO have the story Of the war
told them. 1t is story in which they
are vitality interested. They want it
told from the stump by the stump speak
ers. They are interested in the ques-
ton Of territorial expansion and the
thousand-and-one questions growing
out Of the war, and they want to know
what our public men think abont them.
The people Of Indiana have decreed that
the war shall be an issue in the cam
paign.
while we Republicans do not claim
the sole credit for having brought on
this war, we are all proud Of the master
ly way in which the war was conducted
by President Mckinley. and we see no
harm in saying SO from from the stump.
1.-The Republicans are forced TO make
the war question an issue, even though
they were not inclined. The Repub-
lican party was the party in power dur
ing this war crisis. 1t has many things
to explain to the people. 1t has TO ex-
plain why 1t was necessary to issue
bonds; why ii was necessary TO estab-
lish war revenue, and IL has to answer
TO the people for all the steps OF the
campaign. 1t will try TO answer to the
people of Indiana this fall"
1t will be observed that Mr.. Hern-
ly. speaking for his party, declared in
favor of making the war q campaign
issue. besides. it will be observed that
Mr.. Hernly declares that "the Repub-
licans are forced TO make the war ques-
ton an issue even though they were not
inclined" and that the Republicans
shave many things 10 explain"
Let II be understood that the war
by itself considered-that is to say the
declaration OF war and the battles Of the
war on the land and ON the seas not
and cannot be made a partisan political
issue. since all parties and all sections
favored the war.
Mr.. Hernly sounded keynote when
he said, 1.-The Republican party has
many things to explain" and 1t is
doubtless true that the people, If they
have made the issue. IL is with the un-
derstanding that Republicans shall 'ex-
plain many things about "bonds"
nor any of the land or naval battles,
since they have been explained by off.
GERS in command. What. then? The
question is answered by the appoint
ment Of a commission by the pres
ident and his instructions to that COM
mission, in which he said: There has
been, in many quarters. severe criticism
of the conduct of the war with Spain.
Charges Of criminal neglect OF the sol
diers in camp and field and hospital and
in transports. have been 50 persistent,
that. whether true or false. they have
made a deep impression upon the coun-
try"
Who made these charges which Re-
publicans must explainy Mr.. Hernly
says "the Republican party was the
party in power during this war crisis"
And the Republican party must ex-
plain. Certainly. Democrats did not
make the charges. The Democratic
party was not in power during this
war crisis" No part of the infamv
charged, and which. as Mr.. Mckinley
says. has made deep impression upon
the country" attaches to the Demo-
cratic party.
These charges have been made by SOL
diers. by officers wearing the insignia
Of generals. by correspondents Of jour
nails of the highest character for pru-
dent statements, by army chaplains,
and, to the extent they dared to talk, BY
private soldiers. This pelting storm Of
charges, growing more fierce as the
days went by, Mortified the people. Nor
was IL required for the private soldiers,
who returned alive from pestilential
camps, to talk. To see them, as Colonel
Studebaker said Of his splendid regi-
ment-the One Hundred and Fifty
seventh Indiana-"with fever in their
very bones." weak. wasted and but
shadow of their former selves, was q
speech more terribly eloquent than
Mark Anthony made over the dead body
Of Caesar.
True. they were not In the battle at
Santiago nor Manila-they were not In
war at all. Their battles were for lite
In the camps assigned them by the ad.
ministration, by McKinley's war secre-
tary. They were III American camps
within few hours travel by rail Of
Washington. they were within reach Of
telegraph and telephone. aud yet they
suffered and many died for want OF
medicines, food and care. Suffered by
criminal neglect and criminal incom-
potency. the result OF the lowest degree
OF partisan politics in making appoint
ments. Mr.. Mckinley, In his instruc-
tions to the investigating commission,
among other things. said:
II cannot impress upon you too
strongly my wish that your invsstiga-
tion shall be 20 thorough and complete
that your report when made will fix the
responsibility for any failure or fault by
reason OF neglect. incompetency or
maladministration upon the officers and