The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-09-05
BEST EVER SEEN.
Alger Again Vindicates Himself
and His Work.
Says Camp Wikoff is An Ideal
Institution.
ALL DUE TO SANTIAGO.
Cuban Campaign Apparently
Held Responsible
For All the Suffering, Sickness
and Death.
ALL DUE TO SANTIAGO.

washington, Sept. 5-Secretary Algers
who returned late Saturday night from
New York after his inspection tour
through Camp wikoff at Montauk
Point, with President Mckinley and
several of the bureau officials of the
war department, commented upon the
conditions of the camp and stated the
results of his visit. The secretary said:
IeeI certain, after a careful exam
NATION of Camp Wikoff and thorough
investigation of it's conditions that
everything possible is being done for
the men, both sick and we'll, who are
detained there. The camp is an admir-
able one-the best, I think ever saw.
The site is ideal. 1t is beautiful with
out being picturesque, and is certainly
as healthful camp location as could
be found in the eastern country.
While the conditions are as good as
could reasonably be expected in the
circumstances better than ever
knew them to be in camp shade of
gloom is cast over the encampment by
the physical condition of the men. Sick
ness, suffering and death mar what
would otherwise be a magnificent mill
tary picture. These conditions how
ever, are not the result of the situa-
| ton of the camp itself, but of the ter
rible campaign through which the troops
have just passed. That campaign at
Santiago will be memorable in the mil
itary history of the world. 1t was
wonderful, both in its conduct and in
| the results accomplished.
| the campaign was inaugurated that
such a success could be achieved in so
short a time. It was a tremendous I'M
| dertaling to begin a campaign in a
| tropical country during the rainy sea-
son against a position naturally so
strong and SO well defended as was
| Santiago. That success was achieved
so soon and with a loss comparatively
so small is due to the energy and abili-
| ty of General Shafter and his command
| ing officers and to the dash, bravery
| and splendid fighting qualities of the
men of General Skaters corps.
Il talked yesterday with General
| Shafter,' continued the secretary, land
| he discussed some of the obstacles
| which had to be overcome in the San
| tiago campaign Just now he by the
| way, is suffering from the effects of the
| campaign himself. While 1 chatted
| with him his face was flushed with
| fever and he was really a sick man.
| Upon his arrival at Montauk Point he
| went into the detention camp with the
other soldiers, and, like a true soldier
| he is, he asked nothing better for him
| self than was being received by the
| men whom he commands. The time of
! his detention expired today and he ex-
| pected, upon leaving the detention
| camp, to assume command of Camp
| Wikof.
! Il have not heard whether he took
! command today or not. He said that
| when he arrived in Cuba and realized
| the condition that confronted him and
| his men, he knew that the campaign
| must of necessity be one of days rather
than of weeks and months. He had
| lost nearly all of his lighters and was
| thus seriously handicapped in effecting
| landing of both his troops and the
! stores and supplies which the fleet
| carried The tremendous rains which
! set in Immediately after his arrival rem
! dered it next to impossible for either
! the troops or supplies to be gotten for
ward. He felt, however, that whatever
/ were the difficulties, he must press for
ward and if possible, end the campaign
| in the briefest time. The climatic con-
! ditions were such that to lose any time
meant the destruction of his command
by illness and the consequent failure
! of the expedition. He took no chances
! on delays, therefore, but swept his
/ gallant army upon the Spaniards with
| such irresistible dash that victory was
won almost before the Spaniards them
| selves realized what they had to en-
! eft is perfectly evident now that, had
! General Shafter waited until his army
| and it's supplies could have been sent
| forward, with ordinary elaboration, the
! expedition against Santiago would have
failed utterly. In a measure it was his
| disregard for military conventiOnalities
! that enabled him to carry the cam
! paign to a brilliantly successful issue.
| During all the time the troops were
| lying in the trenches before Santiago,
! despite the immense difficulties expert
! enced in getting supplies to the front,
| the men suffered very little from lack
b
! have what they are now receiving
| at Montauk Point, but they had the
| actual necessaries of life nOtwithStand-
: ing the newspaper reports to the con-
trary Doubtless there were individual
| cases of suffering because of the scar
| city of the supplies at the front, but,
| as a rule, the men had all that soldiers
| of the Union army had at times during
| times in the civil war. While the fed
! eraI forces were lying in the trenches
! before Petersburg they suffered at
~ 1~ir7 nj e n9-
good food, but like the heroes before
| Santiago, they endured without COM
| plants.
| 1T is particularly notable" continued
| Secretary Alger earnestly, that the
! men who were actually engaged in the
| Santiago campaign are not complaining
| of their treatment. talked with scores
| of them-I was about saying hundreds
and not a breath of complaint did I
| hear from any of them. They suffered,
| they are suffering yet, but they endured
and are enduring their trials like Spar
! tans There may be individual cases of
| complaints It would indeed be strange
| If there were not; but as a body the
! army of Gen. Shafter is not only salts
! fed with the situation but immeasura-
| bly, proud of it's marvellous achieve
J ments.
THE president was particularly So
| licitous about the condition of the men
| who are i'll. He went to Camp Wfkoff
| to ascertain for himself whether the
men in the ranks needed anything that
! they were not getting. His orders were
that they should want for nothing, but
| he desired personally to know whether
| those orders were being carried out.
| After several hours of patient investiga-
| ton and careful examination, he left
| camp satisfied that the men were being
| as well cared for as they could be in a
| field hospital. He took no official word
| for anything.
He had gone to the camp to see for
| himself and his conviction as to the
| CONDITIONS was reached only after he