Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-06-09

the truth. for this affair ia turning out |
just as oticers of the regular army have |
foreseen.
Here we are 30 days after the declara
tion OF war, and not regiment is yet
equipped with uniforms suitable for
hot weather. The Cuban patriots and
other cigar makers look happy IN their
big Panama hats and loose linen trous-
era, but the United States troops sweat
night and day in thsir cowhide boots,
thick flannel shirts. and winter troua.
ers In addition to this they wear
tunic at inspeuti0ns-a piece OF torture.
Who is responsible for this2 No one
knows.
The poor men have to sleep ON the
ground in the heavy. dirty sand. Their
swunty clothing picks it up. aud their
food 10 full of it. Every Whit OF hot
air blows fine dust about, and every
horse, cart, or even passing person adds
discomfort TO men already miserable.
How little il would cost to have the
camp spTinkled once or twice day
Or at least thu government might have
provided rough boards from which the
men could have saved themselves few
feet Of flooring
We are in the habit of plying tho
ooA'NlpE VI us udTHiy lFbHlBtl.
For downright neglect. | have seen
nothing to beat tie way the American
is treated by Uncle Sam.
Who is responsible for this meannuss
which is seriously affecting the health
OF our menY
In this hot climate we yearn fnr fresh
fruit and vegetables, for anything that
will quench thirst and at the same time
cool the blood. Meat and all heating
things We try to avoid by wise in
stinct. The troops, however, are sup.
nlied with only that which is most un.
seasonable-greHsy FORK, and beans of
that brown quality that makes one
ready to spend the rest OF the day IN
watermelon patch. | found officers
with nothing hut these rations, because
the commissary had nothing else, and
they could rot afford To sand for other
things from the town. Ia it a wonder
that the MIN develop abnormal thirst,
and rush off to sutisfy this craving as
best they can-some with plain water,
some with milk-shakes, some with
beer, some with other compounds? The
result is that already the camp doctors
are busy every morning with men and
officers suffering from varying degrees
OF dysentery. We hush this up as we'll
Nd we can, but to do so altogether is
impossible. Who is responsible? No
one can tell.
The war is 80 days in swing. 1t took
less time than that for Germany to nut
half a million well trained men on the
treneh frontier in 1870, To-day we
look 10 vain for a single regiment fit to
take the held. We hear much in the
political organs of throwing 80, 600 man
infn mi IN nd col =.
here wa arc drilling recruits and wait
lug for regiments to fill UP. Tn.
strength of a regiment is nomiually
l,2OO men. AS matter OF fact, the
average number is less than GOO Who
ia responsible? Every day raw recruits
are dumrSl down here out of an incom-
ing trains and they arc taken out into
this deep sand, and made to move their
legs up anu down until exhausted ma
ture cries out for rest. Drill serneants
and reurnit5 soon lose their taste for
calisthenics in the roasting pine har-
rens Of TAMPA. The ordinary man asks
why were not these recruits licked into
shape up 10 the cool North, and sent
down properly clothed anil armed.
Who is respunsible? If the invasion
should take place to- morrow, half tho
men would DO in civilian dress, raw re.
cruits who had probably never before
had gun in their hands.
Tampa is a seaport town, and there
fore one might have expected that our
superheated troops would have been Sc
located az to enjoy a salt water bath
at leaet once a day. One or two fegi
ments nsar Port Tampa have managed
to locate near the beach, but the bulk
OF the troops are SO far from the water
n hn IptN o., =. r.
OF any benefit they might otherwise
derive from swim. In parenthesis,
let me explain that the fine d lsty sane
OF Tampa ia impIegnated with charcoa
dust, owing. no doubt to the nine bar
rens of this neighborhood having beer
burned over. Thus our men in cam
perspire streaks OF black down thei
faces and uecke. This government pro
yides them no bath houses not even
trough at which they may take bath
by instruments So far the weather ha
been oppressively hot and dry. 1t viii
be miracle If disease does not breal
out when the rains begin.
These matters are obvious even to tn
layman. Tney are not necessitatsd b,
the present state of war. While INCL
Sans boys are parching for fresh foo;
and vegetables, train loads are leayinl
Florida filed with succulent fruit 10
Northern markets.
The great ueed ut present, to prey en-
needless suffering amongst our men. i
a proper organization Of the commits
sary department and staff generally
The army is numbered up with ciyiliaI
stall oiicers whose duty it is to see tina
our men are properly located and take
caro- OF. The colonies and captains q
the Individual regiments are nowerles
in this matter; they can but obey th
orders OF their supporters on the staff
In European armies staff otlicers ar
selected from the most highly educate
OF the army. They have to pass snecia
examinations in order to test their IN
n1sa for variety of special duties a
tho most important kind; and of nj
important duties, the German Office
regards the care OF the mems health a
the moet important. When a Germa
regiment marches to war the staff off
Ger goes ahead to lay out prone
camping ground, to provide wood an
water, and in other respects to make tb
regiment about to arrive as comfnrtabl
RS possible. When the weary men mr.
rive they have nut to cook their suppe
and curl up to Sleep
inc United States troops who arriy
IN Tampa are dumped out at raiIwa,
sinlng like 30 many emigrants. N,
atatf'ollicer prepares anything in adj
vance for them. Regiments 60 off i,
my direction that suits them, IookinI
ior the neareat place where they ma,
cook their pork and heas.
am no pessimist. | have hear
camping with regulars, living thei