The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1898-07-20

iAg inquiry whether cavalry will be ac-
cepted In the next call for troops. The
adjutant general says that there may
be twenty cavalry regiments ultimately
organized. but they will be drilled as
infantrymen at first. The government
has discovered that there is in this
country a scarcity Of heavy horses ca
pable OF doing superior service in the
cavalry or artillery arms of the mill
tary service. Efforts are now being
made in Kentucky. Wyoming, and 9TH
er states TO secure $4,000 horses Of stall
wart build. They are surprisingly
scarce.
Congress Had Plenty to DO.
The congress which but recently ad-
journed was the first congress which
has been required to legislate for war
with any European power since that OF
1872. Called in special session to enact
a revenue law TO prevent a treasury
deficit, il found itself confronted be-
fore the end Of the first regular session
with a constantly growing treasury de-
felt, an impending war, a seacoast
poorly fortified. navy without proper
armament, ammunition. or sufficient
sailors, and IN army insufficient 10 man
the necessary defensive works, let alone
undertaking an offensive war on for
eign soil. This summary of the things
that congress found ii necessary to
provide for In some way. shows that no
congress since the closing days Of the
war with the southern confederacy has
been called upon to meet graver is
sues.
Under the pressure Of these necessi-
ties our seacoast defenses have been put
In somewhat improved condition, the
navy has been equipped and armed to
the point of terrible effectiveness
against the Spanish naval power, an
army of nearly 100000 men has been
called into existence, a revenue bill
which is expected TO add $3.50 900 900
annually TO the country's revenues has
been passed, a bond issue of 500, 900 900
has been authorized. and an important
increase of the navy, including three
new battleships. four monitors, sixteen
torpedo boat destroyers, twelve torpedo
boats and one gunboat, has been pro-
vided for.
Nearly $9OO,OOO,OOO.
The appropriations made reached
nearly $500, 600, 000 of which $3.50 600 900
was for purely war purposes. Outside
of war legislation congress passed a
general bankruptcy law, annexed Ha-
wall, made an appropriation to pay the
long deferred Boring sea awards, ex-
tended the territorial laws of Alaska
and adopted other legislation of an i'm
portant nature.
The thing ii neglected to do was to
pass a bill reforming the currency of
the country; but this was an impossi-
bility, because of the predominance Of
the silver interest in the senate, and
it is not worth while to blame congress
for not doing the impossible. The peo-
pie must change the complexion of the
senate before there can be any cur
rency legislation and this they are
likely to do before the next congress
enters upon its first regular session.
Party Lines Ignored.
Considering the conflict between the
two branches upon financial questions,
congress has met the issues with which
the country was confronted, with a
unanimty that is TO be commended
On most war legislation party lines
have been ignored, and one of the
achievements of the session just closed
has been the obliteration of the sec
tionalism that has existed ever since
the close of the war of the rebellion.
The present war with Spain is sustained
by the representatives Of both the
north and south, and the men who op-
posed each other thirty-five years ago
are marching together to fight a COM
mon enemy under the flag of a reunited
country.
Conditions may arise that will re-
quire congress to meet again before De-
cember but the president can call an
extra session if this shall be found nee
essary. 1t was hardly necessary for
congress to sit during two of the hot
test months in the year to meet a con-
tingency that may not arise, and there
will be little criticism of its action in
adjourning when it did.
A study Of the hospital reports Of the
regular troops in camp at Tampa for
the month before their embarkation
helps to account for their wonderful
endurance in Cuba. In 10,121 officers
and men, there were 1924 admissions
to sick report during the month, and
the total loss of time did not average
more than one-half a day in the month
for each man.
Only Six Cases of Alcoholism.
Leaving out vaccination, slight
wounds, sprains boils and minor surgi-
cal affections, there is very little left
but some 500 cases of simple diarrhoea,
easily accounted for and generally Of
short duration. Then thousand men
at home in June would hardly escape
so well. And what is particularly not
able is that the report shows but six
cases Of alcoholism during the month
In the whole command.
Or. Raymond, who makes the report,
says that under his personal observa-
ton at Tampa during the six weeks,
there came but two OF three cases of
drunkenness. and none Of deep intoxi-
cation. 1t would be hard to find town
of 10000 adult male inhabitants with
such a record, or with daily average
sick list of only two-tenths OF / per
cent. There can be no doubt that the
temperance of the army contributes
much to it's splendid physical condition.
There lie sOrpa ground for haliauipo