The Portland daily press., 1898-09-08

there before we are through. 10 give the
Philippines back to Spain would open
the way for all nations to rush in after
the spoils, and serious trouble would
ensue.
Col r. G. Carter of Washington re-
tired United States army officer, was next
introduced, and he made an interesting
informal address, filled with personal
"reminiscences and running comment on
the conduct of the late war he mas
long had personal acquaintance WIN
Cen ShSSter, Gen. Lawton, Gen. Corpin
and Gen. Gribben, with all OF wno'n he
had served when the held ofnces peio"
their present rank. He descrlpeo 'noii
personal appearance, traced 'neir oaiooi
through the ranks to- the POSITIONS tney
now occuny and highly complimented
their service.
Col Carter took occasion to crltlcise the
national ouard system and its working
during the last six months. He said he
believed there were two reasons why our
troops at home were SO. demorallzed.
First. Congress was to blame for not en-
larping our regular army and improving
our military system by taking it out of
noIitics. With political secretary of war,
a political assistant secretary and
political adjutant general, the best SER
vice cannot be expected. These officers,
at the out break of the war, were besieged
by applicants for appointments, who had
sought the assistance of their friends in
Congress. The secretary's chief duties
under such conditions, were the dispens-
ing of favors at the opportuning OF po-
liticians. AS rule the officers in Wash
ington have been antagonisttc. to the
generals of the army. Gen. Grant found
it necessary to Withdraw his headquarters
from Washington, and so did Sherman,
Sheridan and Schofield. Gen. Miles Is
now having trouble the same as they did.
The second reason Col. Carter gave for
the prevalence of sickness in the home
camps was that the volunteer national
guardsmen and their officers were mex
perienoed in the conduct OF big camps.
"The national guard system is all
wrong" said he. ''The national guards
men are drilled too much and pay too lit
tie attention to the care Of their camps.
In the regular army we endeavor to
make individual soldiers Of the men. We
compel them to keep their quarters clean.
The officers daily inspect their camps,
their tents and their mess.
ST was at the depot when the Maine
hospital train from Chickamauga came
in. I went through that train, and I
must say it's condition was deplorable. l
talked with some of the nonvalesoents
about their rations. They said their beans
were hard, the rice smoked, the soups
thin and tasteless.
i" So you went outside to the suffers
tents and the canteen and filled up on
pies. cakes, doughnuts and green water
melon, didn't you?' I asked Of the boys,
!" Yes, he replied, that's just what we
did, and sometimes We got hold of little
moonshine whiskey.'
els 1t any wonder that, in their uuac.
climated condition, the eating of such
stuff caused them to be sickp
81 asked one of the men if his captain
the quarters and find out II the boys
were sick or we'll. He replied that there
were periods of ten days that his captain
did not come around to inspect the quar-
ters Now in the regular army every cap.
tain is compelled to make personal in
spectlon every day and if he fails to do so
he is seriously negleoting his duty. The
officers Of the national guard, though IN
telligent men and good officers, are inex-
perienced in the handling of so many
men in camp.
"Unless conditions are changed, the
same troubles experienced in this war
will be encountered whenever an attempt
is made again to mobilize large body
of troops
Capt. II. N. Fairbanks of Bangor asked
Col. Carter what his opinion was of the
present controversy between Gen. Miles
and Secretary Alger.
Col. Carters reply was, in substance,
that there had long been strained feel
ing between Gen. Corbin and Gen. Miles;
that Gen. Shafter and Gen. Corbin are
especial pets of Secretary Alger, and there
has been an effort on his part to push
Thorn ahead and keep Gen. Miles in the
background. This tendency was OBJ
served and commented on in the very first
of the war. 1t is doubtful If Gen. Miles
would have seen Cuban service had not
President Mckinley come to the conolu.
sion that it was time to send somebody
to Santiago to assist Gen. Shafter, whose
physical disabilities incapacitated him
for service at the head of his command.
Brief addresses were made by Gen. Sell
den Conner, Capt. John ". Deering, Maj.
Burrage, Maj. VIM. II. Spencer of Water
vile. DR.. SWEET of Bangor, and Capt. q.
N. Fairbanks of Bangor, all of whom
alluded to the recent war, complimented
the heroism displayed and expressed re-
greet at the prevalence of sickness in the
volunteer camps.
Gen. Conner said he has great confi-
dence in the national guard. but he be-
lieyed it's condition would be improved
by a closer relationship with the regular
,,,y He also advocated division of