The times., 1898-09-02
TIE Politicians Take Hold,

The editorial columns OF the New
York Tribune, after painful closure.
are OPEN. at last. to comments on the
army scandal. There is striking lack
of harmony, however. between the Trl-
bune's comments and the statements In
its news columns. Editorialiy, it un-
dertakes to lessen the force of the facts
its reporters recite by holding success
sive Congresses to blame. All would
have been avoided If. in the past quar-
ter of a century, Congress had squan-
dered hundreds OF millions on an un-
necessary large standing army and
had, during all that time. prepared FOR
war.
AS to the scandals themselves, the
Tribune is generous in assuming that
defects and errors are unavoidable;
but it is not equally generous in ad-
mitting that where so many instances
of inefficiency and neglect come to the
notice of the newspapers, some exag-
gerations are unavoidable and blame
less. 1t is more inclined to excuse the
offenses of Republican officials than of
the newspapers. Still, with pretense
of judicial fairness. it is forced to say:
| 1t would be idle to attempt TO ignore the
| widely expressed discomfort and. indeed, the
| occurrence OF many regrettable things. Errors
/ have been committed which seem 10 go beyohd
the effects OF mingled inexperience and red tape
/ The public, of course, demlnds that some one
! shall be held responsible and shall be punished
and. striking at the mark that comes hTst 20
1 hand concentrates displeasure upon the Secretary
| of War and two or three of his heads OF bureaus.
Full and fair investigation will, and II alone
can, in due time, clear the air ard reveal the
real facts in the case. Mere clamor and RANDOM
charges viii do more harm than good
The reporters of the Tribune discov-
cred weeks ago that the vessels used
! for bringing the soldiers home from
! Cuba were in a disgraceful state, ana
that all the returned men showed the
effects of insufficient food. The SOL
diers recited details, which the Tribune
printed, that proved not merely errors.
| but positive neglect on the part OF
somebody in authority.
Nobody blamed the Secretary of
War. His attention was called to
these and other horrors. due TO the in
efficiency or criminal negligence OF his
agents. 1t was urged and assumed
that he would instantly make in
ouiries. locate the blame. punish the
guilty, and stop the scandals. He die
not. He said, instead, that the evils
were unavoidable, that no inquiry was
necessary, and that the outrages
would not be repeated.
They have been repeated almost daily
ever since. The Tribune, in its loca
columns, in the same issue containing
its editorial comments. recites on its
own authority that the Aileghany
which arrived the day before, was "the
very worst yet" and that fourteen sol
diers died on the voyage. because OF
the condition if the vessel which had
been used as a cattle ship, and was un-
fit 10 carry we'll men, let alone sick
ones"
Since the Secretary of War vas il
formed weeks ago of the inefficiency
and negligence and indifference of the
officials who are guilty of these crimes
and since they are under his control
rule, and authority. will the Tribune
deny that the people have right to
blame Gen. Alger?
There is only too much reason to be-
lieve that the Republican politicians
who are more sensitive to public op.n-
ion than the President appears to be
have undertaken the task of white
washing this whole business. The faci
that the Tribune has withheld COM
ment until now. and makes ii apollo
getic when it comes, confirms the re-
port of the Republican scheme That
/ scheme will fail and the Administra-
ton will be it's victim. II is unfor-
tunate. for the President has done well
since he was induced to respond to tbs
public demand for action.