The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-25
Tho Criticism. Contlnue.


Notwithstanding the open letter of the
Secretary of War to Mr. Depew, giving
reasons for the many shortcomings of the
war department. the criticisms OF that
department continue In fact, they are be
coming more harsh The Secretary, in the
estimation of the public, has not bettered
his case by his explanation. The public
might overlook the lack of medicines,
surgeons and nurses at Santiago, but they
can see no excuse for the lack of medi-
cines and well equipped hospitals at the
camps in this country.
The death rate Ia about all the camps
has been far greater than it should have
been, ana it is greater now than it ought
20 be- In his letter to Mr.. Depew the sec
rotary said that If he could send him the
details they would "bewilder him" When
the secretary made that statement he did
not seem TO realize that the public might
interpret il to mean that the details had
bewildered the war department. If they
have not the public would like to know
why that department has so signally failed
to come up to expectations in the matter
of caring for the soldiers who are suffer-
ing from fever and other ills in the camps.
There has been no lack of money and
there is plenty OF doctors and nurses to
be had.
As far as we have noticed every I'M
prejudiced observer who has had any
thing to do with the camps say that the
means provided for caring for the sick
have been wholly inadequate. The test-
mony is that many lives could have been
saved probably if there had been good
hospitals provided, and there had been a
sufficient supply of medicines and nurses.
And it seems that sick soldiers have
been sent to other camps or have been
permitted to start for their homes when
they were not in a fit condition to travel.
Only a day or two ago a soldier on his
way home from the camp at Jacksonville
died on the train few hours after leav-
ing the camp. That soldier should not
have been permitted TO leave Jacksonville
until he was well enough to endure the
journey. To start on long journey in the
condition in which he was meant death
to him.
1t may be said that there was no hos
properly treated. If that is the case why
is there not a well equipped hospital
there? Thousands of volunteers have been
encamped there all summer and there has
been more or less sickness among them.
There has been plenty of time and plenty
of reason for the establishment of a first
class hospital there. The claim may be
made that the soldier to whom we have
called attention wanted to go home. He
was not in a condition to know what he
wanted, and if he were the medical de
partment of the army ought not to have
permitted him to go The volunteers who
gave up their business and occupations are
in the care of the government, and it is
the governments duty to see TO it. that
they are properly cared for,
There is going TO be a thorough invest-
/. cation of the charges which have been
brought against the medical department
of the army and an effort made 10 fix the
responsibility for its shortcomings. The
people have been liberal in furnishing
money for every need of the army and
they want to know why proper arrange
ments were not made for taking care of
those of the volunteers who were strick-
en- with disease.