The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-10
As TO P~artisanship.

Joined the whitewashers' club.
For several weeks" IL says.
ian investigation into the conduct of
the war has been going on. The de-
mand for such an investigation grew
out of the efforts Of the democratic
press 10 make political capital from a
few isolated cases OF suffering and
death in the hospital service. I" .
Nothing has been disclosed to indicate
any wanton disregard for the welfare
OF our soldiery. living or dead. There
were mistakes and oversights common
TO all actors in the drama of war. es-
pecially when. important functions are
delegated to inexperienced and untrain-
ed men. But incompetency on the
! part OF the administration in handling
the affairs OF the country during the
trying period OF the war has not been
shown. The democratic contention has
fallen to the ground. The horrible tales
OF woe as TO incompetent hospital SER
vice AVE been dropped"
All of which Is true with these i'm
portant exceptions: the charges OF in
toilItltutl III EIbSS ktili'IN
against Secretary Alger were brought
not only by the democratic press but
by practically all the leading republic
can papers OF the country. the excep-
lions. like the Washington Post, the
New York sun, the Philadelphia Press,
the Butte Inter Mountain. being few
and far between; so far from there be-
ing "a few isolated cases of suffering
and death in the hospital service" the
evidence OF Colonel Roosevelt and other
eyewitness revealed n state OF son-
fusion. dismay and intense suffering.
due to an utter lack of foresight in
the commissary and medical depart
ments. that is absolutely appalling and
almost without precedent in the annals
OF warfare among civilized nations.
and so far from IL being a fact that
the horrible tales of woe as to incom-
petent hospital service have beer drop
ped" these horrible tales will keep ring
ing in the ears OF Secretary Alger and
his associate incompetents in the war
department forever.
Let the Butte Inter Mountain read
again the testimony of Colonel Roose-
welt: he is a good republican; he has
never been charged with aiding and
abetting "a democratic contention" OF
any sort. Read Roosevelt's sworn ac-
count of what he saw at Santiago. How
'the wounded. after having a leg or an
arm amputated. were left lying i'm the
mud for thirty-six hours. without med
teal treatment or a drink OF water.
The surgeon fell asleep over their
work. being few In number and wor
out from ~unceasing labor. There were
not enough nurses; the supply OF med
| icines was wholly insufficient. no tents.
no blankets, no delicacies for the
wounded" Let the Inter Mountain read
Roosevelt's testimony and then say. II
It can. that nothing has been disclosed
to Indicate any wanton disregard for
the welfare OF our soldiery, living or
dead"
or II the Inter Mountain Is unwilling
to believe Theodore Roosevelt. let IL
read Richard Harding Davis descrip-
tions OF the war hat have been ap-
pearing in Scribner's; let It read George
Kennan's graphic accounts In The Out
look. and the Rev. DIR. Lyman Abbott'G
terrible arraignments of Alger and Al
gerlsm in the same publication. The
religious journals OF the country. with
out exception we believe, sustain and
emphasizes these criticisms. The Butt,
Inter Mountain should try for once &c
rise above partisanship n understand
that the charges against the war de
partment were brought not for the SAX,
Of any party but in the name OF out
ragged humanity.