The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1898-09-30
le.er-That Whitewash
BIot-horse Doctor huidekoper-
Political Pointers.
trrom our Regular Correspondent


WASHINGTON, DC, Sept. p, '9s.
Why should the investigation OF
the war department be made a star
chamber affair? That is the ques-
ton asked on every side since it
was announced that MIR. Mckin-
ley's commission would, until FUR
Their notice, conduct the investlga-
ton behind the locked doors OF
room in the war department. Sc
cret investigations have never been
popular with the American people.
This was recognized by those who
stated that these doors would be
closed. "until further notice" 1t
is expected that public opinion Will
ldemard that those doors be thrown
open, and the testimony in this IN
yestigation be publicly taken, and
that expectation will almost certain
lly be realized. Let the commission
make its consideration OF the testi-
mony as secret as its members de-
sire. but let the testimony be taken
In public. Otherwise the public
will out the whole affair down as
farcical. Ii may be only a co in
lcidence. but ii is a significant one
tnat the chairman of Mckinley's
commission isnamed Dodge, Gen.
lG. NJ. Dodge, of Iowa. The other
members, secured after much trou-
BILE and many absolute refusals to
serve. are, Col. j. A. Sexton, OF
lII.; Capt. Z. p. Howell, of Ga. J;
Mai. Gen. J, NJ. Wilson, U. ). A.;
Hon. C. DENLY, Of Ind; Ex-Gov.
Woodbury., Of VT; Ex-Gov. Bea-
yer. of Pa. Gen. A. ID. McCook,
Iof New York, and DR.. p. 5. Con-
mel, Of Ohio.
Giving officers honorable dis
charges, who have been openly ac-
cused by Generals in the army OF
Iincompetency and acknowledgement,
lis not good way to convince the
country that the War department.
Ieither wishes to find the guilty or
intends to punish them when found.
A case in point is that OF 1t, Col.
Rush +. Huidekoper, the horse
doctor who was chief surgeon at
camp Thomas, Chickamauga Park,
and against whom many charges
were made, including one from a
Brigadier General, made directly to
Secretary Alger. Instead OF hav-
ling Huidekoper court martlaled, SO
that he could have been either vim
dicated or convicted, orders were
Issued that his resignation should
be accepted and that he be given an
honorable discharge. Mr.. Mckin-
LEV heard of that order and counter
manded it, and directed that Huid-
ekoper be ordered to Washington
to testify before the investigating
commission. Mr.. Mckinley i:
finding out much more about things
than he knew before the talk about
Investigation began; and it is be
llieyed that he intends making it no
for some OF the guilty parties. Ii
TACT, his personal friends are teliint
him that he must do so for sell
preservation.
Representative Cochran, OF Mo.
who is in Washington trying t.
Induce the administration to or
der more Missouri Volunteers mus
tered out of service, said Of the re
: publicans asking endorsement o
: their conduct of the war: "Th
{ republicans will be fortunate, in
deed, if they can divert public at
tention from the bond issue, tn
E neglect and acknowledgement whicl
81 has characterized the conduct OF tn
) authorities in actual charge OF tn
prosecution Of the war. How ca
they expect to gain any advantag
! by raising war issues, it is d.fficul
! to understand. The troops in tn
field are composed o. men of a
J parties. They did their duty nobly
! and have added to the glory an
II reputation of American arms, b
: deeds Of unparalleled heroism. 5
a much for the soldiers in the fielC
Now if the authorities at Washing
!. ton can afford to go to the countr
i for appreciation Of an administri
4 ltion, which failed to provide oil
brave soldiers with the ration
% tents, medicines, and competel
4 surgeons and attendants, during Il
i struggle, and hinge the result
. the Fall elections upon this issu
N the democrats can afford to meet
a | think, however, that the war wi
!. cut very little figure. Parties wi
divide on old lines, and the issu
of 1896 will be fought over again.
Much interest is felt in Washin
!. ton in that affidavit made by Tede
m Roosevelt, that he was not res
!. dent of New York, but OF Washin
n ton. 1t is not believed that Z
/. MAKING public of this affidavit