The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-09-09

cF gave an OrOcF Tor uppiieS IOr the
sick and convalescent in camp. The
New York Tribune says that the sup
plies so ordered were on their way
when they were stopped by order of
Commissary General Eagan upon the
ground that the requisition was in one
way or other irregular. We confess
we are unable to discover in General
Eagan's statement the exact degree or
extent Of the irregularity; but we have
no doubt that the red-tape Brahmins
Of the var department chuckled a SUI
perior chuckle when they came 20 pass
upon General Wheeier's raQuisition."
General Wheeler was indeed a hero,
but he was a southern "-ebel" and had
fit" the yankees, and what was more
had licked them. So red-tape took re-
venge en- the sick and convalescing SOL
diers. Since the fighting stopped
American soldiers have died by the
hundreds. Three or four times more
have died from disease, from neglect,
from starvation than were actually
killed by the Spaniards by land and
sea.
OF course Secretary Alger is a great
failure and fraud. The whole country
knows that. He is a sick man, bur not
half SO sick as are the Americans Of
him. The New York Times plainly
says:
W repeat that we are sick and
tired of Secretary Alge~. So is the ar
my of the United States. So are the
people of the United States. Every
body IS sick n tired of him. except
ing, apparently, the president of the
United States. who could be rid of him
n day."
From day to day in the var depart
ment, in the commissariat, in perhaps
other departments serious mis-
takes, great plumbers were perpetrated.
The Times asserts as of positive and
general knowledge that 'huge blum
ders attaining the proportion of crimes
have been committed in the war de-
partment." This is a very serious
statement, but perhaps not overdrawn.
The army and navy were all right.
Splendid service and courage marked
them. But Mckinley & Co. were the
dead-heads, the blunderers, the hum
bugs. Pa~rtisanship filled the depart
ments. Men were placed ahead of 9TH
ers, not because Of ability or expert
ence, but from pure favoritism Samp-
son and Shafter are examples in point.
The Norfolk Virginian-Pilot draws a
vigorous picture, true, no doubt, in
coloring, Of the head Of the govern
ment. We make an extract:
From the m of the soldiers
enlistment of volunteering, until he
landed on the coast in Cuba, the gov-
eminent failed him at every step: in
food-in it's quantity, quality and va
riety; in clothing-in it's adaptedness,
quality and quantity; in medicine,-in-
feriOr or bogus, improperly sent, in
time, place or sort; and so in every
thing, even to this moment, when the
war is over, when the sick and wound
ed at Montauk Camp lack mattresses,
cots, medicines, food, clothing, nurses,
doctors, room, and even air and light!
Thou art tie man, William Mckinley;
and if the dying hero curse you in his
agony, your fellow-citiZens at home
will remember that, and ratify it! You
have been tried in the scales, and
found wanting. You ave placed par
tizanry and political pulls above pa
triOtism and ability; o have brutal
ly sacrificed our heroes to party pulls
and pu1Iers; and in nothing relating to
the war have you done we'll yourself,
or prevented evil from others,-your
Underlings, ~scavengerS of party, camp
and field alike; truckers in past, pro-
motion and honor; while valor and
self-sacrifce, cOnuuering the Spanish
foe, were themselves Overthrown by
attacks in the rear from your mud
machines at Washington"