The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-06-21
Ollie Messerwer.
THE SECRETARY OF WAR ON
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE

Secretary Of War Alger is proud OF
his success. He says an army or TO-
900 men was raised in forty-eight days.
This is his great work he brags Oh 70
make a conquering force. with no ois-
position to rob him of really well earn
ad laurels. the thought will arise, what
,bout nreparing the 125, 900 for active
war? How many of these men are
armed with the best improved mod
ern guns? How many are properly
clothed. How many are properly fed
and cared for? The two North Caro-
lima regiments have been made to suf-
fer and are even now not properly
clothed or armed after six weeks or
longer. If other regiments from other
States are in the same bad fix then the
brag is too high as to raising an army
fit for service in forty-eight days. Inc
statement is too highly colored ana
needs toning down. Alger boasts that
twelve miles of freight cars oearlns
rations have been loaded in less tnan
a month, that thousands Of guns nave
been made in that time, that the ar
senals run day n night, that millions
of cartridges have been made, a oe-
fences have been erected and all in q
short space Of time. This is probably
all true. But the fact remains of insult
fciency, Of poor arming, of suffering
among soldiers, Of short pay, OF their
unpreparedness when war was contem-
plated and then declared. Mr.. BigeloW
saws that not a regiment in the south
was prepared to move a week ago.
This country has been caught KNAPP
ping. Every arsenal hould be all the
time we'll supplied with the best mod
ern guns and all requisite munitions or
war. When war came verythlng had
to be extemporized. 1t was Ike the
South was when it entered upon the
great war to fight five times it's num-
bers.
The Denver (Co1orado) Post got out
a good cartoon recently. Alger is at
his desk, writing letters containing ap-
pointments to Deer Jones' or Deer
Smith of Brigadier G~eneralship or Adj
jutant Generalship or something else.
Uncle sam mas cllcISu dlu q AAo SAP
upon the back of Ayers neck and says
sternly-"Stop that, and get down to
business" A Washington Special to
the Post appears underneath. In 1t
we find this: IAN army officer who is
an admirer and supporter Of Miles said
to me today: "Alger starts in to fit
out a regiment of soldiers as he would
q saWmill."
Miles complained of the conditions
at Tampa, and said the fault was with
"Alger's staff" The Secretary bristl-
ed up and replied:
eff it is true that hundreds of freight
cars loaded with supplies are congested
on the tracks at Tampa and hat the
movements of the army are retarded
in consequence of equipments not being
distributed, why don't you utilize some
of the rs, 900 men you AVE at your dis
posal and straighten things OUT"
There is no question raised as to the
condition being bad. That is accepted,
but the complaint and contention are
Who is responsible?
Since writing the last line looking in
to the Charleston News and Courier
We DnO South CdIOllud SOlulCIS oI
Chickamauga, on the 14th of June
actually drilling in bare skins-a most
novel uniform, and very discreditable
to the Secretary of war and all con-
cerned. The special begins:
Unexpectedly, and against the pro-
tests of the officers, the South Caro-
lima regiment was ordered out for
brigade drill his afternoon. The regi-
ment had not before drilled as a whole
but what was more cared for was that
the n~akedness of the soldiers should
be exposed. A request to be excused
was of no avail, and so the men went
in to do the best possible. The regi-
ment is only partially equipped and
missing supplies are slow in coming.
The rear men in the regiment today
had such rents in their trousers as to
show their n~akedness, but the men had
to be hauled out for brigade drill to
expose their condition. The cOmpan-
ion regiments, the 18th and 18th Penn
s%ylvania, were fully equipped, and the
brigade made a splendid show. The
South Carolina looked ragged, but
the spirit of the men was fine, and al
together everything vas very we'll
done"
Alas! for the soldiers of the Caro-
mas. The Yankees seem to have
spite against the two States that lost
so heavily in the great war.
THE WAR TAX MEASURE A.