The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-08-30
FOSTER THE STATE GUARD
THEY DESERVE WE'LL Al II1f
HANDS OF THE STATE.
POLITICAL APPOINTMENTS A CURSE
Many a Soldiers Life Has Been Sacrificed 10
Inexperience and Incompetence The
Hospital Management Especially
Bad. Boys Anxious to be
Mustered Out.
(Staff Correspondence.)

'Nldh
The war with Spain is rich i'll lessons
to Il Young and vigorous nation Ike inc
United States.
The first lesson to be learned IS the ne
ccsSity for Il standing array of reSpccia-
bic proportions. With the growth of the
nation and the recent expansion of IT'S
territory. one hundred thousand men
would hardly be too many.
Here also, is ii lesson for the States OF
the Union, especially North Carolina.
Let her be more liberal with her State
GUARD in future. so that when called INTO
active service it Will not have to wait
four months for proper equipment.
The fact of our lack of preparation
for such Il long period was Of course
charged against the War Department, but
the fault. dear Rrutus, was III ourselves.
1t lies primarily with the people and
their representatives IN the Legs AZURE
and in the Governors Mansion. The un-
popularity of appropriations for the State
guard in North Carolina are proVerblal.
The military companies of the State find
it almost impossible to obtain Il far
hearing until a riot breaks out and par
simony for Il day yields to fear.
The people Of North Carolina had no
reason TO be proud Of the condition ID
which they sent their volunteers to the
front. Their mobilize appearance was by
10 means crcditable. especially when
contrasted with the troops from other
States. With one eXception-Nirglnla-
North Carolina'S regiment was the worst
equipped in Camp Cuba Iibrc. On It's ar
rival there. Wisconsin's Governor did
not declare he would not even pay the
price Of Il telegram for the troops" lie
sent his men there we'll equipped and
with State money in their pockets. The
New Jersey men were so we'll fitted out,
in point of equipment, that the day
they were mustered i'll they were pre-
pared to 90 to the front. and wen up to
this time they have not had to call on
the general government for anything ex-
cept equipment for recruits.
They did not kick-our boys. They
knew Colonel Armtield was doing all III
his power for them. They knew, too,
where to place the responsibility, and the
iron of ingratitude on the part of Gov
ernor Russell and the State adminiStra-
ton sank deep down into their souls.
And it will be Il mighty bad day for the
Republican party when these men-both
the First and Second reconnaissance
mustered out of the service and get back
to North Carolina to take Il hand in her
politics.
Nor is this lack of preparation ard en-
enlargement the only crime incident to
this war, for which the Republican par
ty will have sooner or later to answer at
the polls. The people will not soon for
get how our gallant boys from other
States were sent to Santiago 10 oppose
their Springfield rifles to Spanish Maui
sers; how the volunteers were compelled
to advance fully half Il mile under a
deadly fire before they could reach a
position from which their rifles could
throw lead into the en-nly'S lines. 1t
was during this advance before Santiago
that we suffered such fearful slaughter.
Leading just such Il charge Lieutenant
Ship fell. Upon whose head will be his
blood and the blood of Il thousand 9TH
erS like him!
Then after it was all over, and the
wounded were taken from the tield-who
is responsible for the suffering and neg
lect they experienced? Any intelligent
person who read Skaters telegram ask
ing for forty surgeons and medical sup
llips can answer. Why was the army
short ON surgeons when there We're doz-
ems of them hanging around camps in
the United States doing nothing? 1t
might also he i'll order to inquire why
young contract surgeons. fresh from
civil life and medical schools were sent
to the front instead of experienced men
OF all departments in the volunteer
service the medical department has beer
the worst managed. Gross incompetence
has been exceeded only by the crimina
neglect on the part Of many of the adj
miniStration'S appointeCS. Reader Of
this paper are already familiar witt
the acknowledgement Of The hospital NJ
jacksonville. Politics has tainted the
xrI,ln GJs4nJ1 nnnI,,nfnnt NAV, 40 =;
charge.
Sometime ago this paper told how tn,
officials in charge Of the Division hospi
tai at Jacksonville had refused to al
low women nurses. but chose insteat
absolutely inexperienced and too Otter
worthless men from the various regi
mentS. 1t went further and said tina
this was wrong: that women made tn,
best nurses and that if they were EN-
ployed the evils complained of at tn
hospital would to Il great extent b
rCmcdicd.
Since then General Lee has seen tn
force of this argument. and this wee
he has ordered fifty trained womel
nurses to Jacksonville. In addition t
this an officer has been sent North t
enlist 100 trained women nurses frol
the large Northern cities. IIad this bee
done at first and nincompoop polite:
surgeons left at homo. the mortality \
Jacksonville would have been niue
less.
There will. I believe, be material !
the war records to damn the whole +,
publican party in the eyes of the peoDl,
The political jobbery that has come +
light. not only at Jacksonville. but i;
$500, ,,,L;,ll. oI1 nyn, =, @
has reached the proportions of treaso,
Not only has cold and cunning thicve1
been going on while the armies WEI
%marshalling and the soldiers winni1
bonors for Il nation. but the generosi1
of a people has been traded upon to pr