The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-07-06
THE ONLY WEAK PLACE.

The army and navy have shown thai
the country can confidently rely upon
them. At no point have they failed q
win glory and to merit the admiration OF
the civilized world. They have silenced
those who have moderated their ability
and have shown that this country is
second to no power in the world.
Since war was declared we have been
wanting nowhere except in the proper
equipment of the brave men who risked
and gave up their lives for their country
Money. more than could be spent, has
clogged the Treasury. There has been
no reason why Il single company was
not fully and properly equipped within
ten days after war was declared.
Weeks before war was on Congress
voted fifty million dollars to be used by
the President. When there was crit
cism of the long delay, we were told that
it was in order to have our troops in
eadiness TO win a quick victory rs soon
as hOstilities were commenced. For
two months there have been 100000 sol
diers anxious to go to the front, but
through delay that is criminal. some of
them are still unprovided with proper
equipment. The sufferings among the
North Carolina volunteers have been
greater than will ever be known, and
for The last fifty days it has all been
unnecessary and inexcusable. If the vol
unteers had not been the bravest of
men. they would have mutinied ut the
cruel hardships which ignorance Ind in
difference have compelled them to under
go in sight of their homes.
But these Inconvenience and suffer
ings have not sacrificed life. We publish
to-day editorials from the New York
Journal and the Washington Post which
contain an Indictment of the men whose
duty it is to supply our troops with
rifles and ammunition, for negligence,
more awful in its consequences than we
had supposed could exist in a VIGOROUSLY
incompetent administration. The
Journal virtually tells us that if the
American soldiers had used smokeless
powder ut Santiago much of the loss of
life would have been averted. Why
was it not supplied? If there is a good
reason. it ought to be given, not only in
Justice to the responsible officials, but
for the comfort of the families of the
men who fell in that terrible engage
ment. If they feel that their loved ones
were sa crified because some one had blum
dered. it will add to their crushing
grief.
The Washington Post. in defense
of the government for not hurrying
troops to Cuba. gives as the reason that
we have only 81 900 effective rifles. This
reason would apply only to the excess of
81 900 men, but the question arises, why
have not the proper officials supplied the
men with modern rifles? Are there no
factories abroad from which they could
be purchased. if they cannot be made in
America? We bought war ships
abroad, could we not buy rifles?
The Journal and the Post state facts
that are undisputed. Who is responsible
for this criminal negligence?
A ball arranged for the night of July
4th at West Point was declared Off
whom tho ppwc came that Iiailtpno ut
Niche. son of Colonel Peter Niche, had
been killed at Santiago. He was full
back on the West Point eleven as our
own Worth Bagley was on the An
napolis eleven. New York and North
Carolina are as il there had never been
a civil war.