Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-02
REMEMBER 1T.

Indignation over the mismanagement
OF the war, negligence in providing pro-
perly for the sick and wounded soldiers,
and the disgraceful conditions which,
owing TO official redtapeism and incompe
tency obtain I'm most of the camps in this
country. Is growing. The storm centre.
however. seems 10 be I'm New York just
at present, though the radius of distur-
bance is rapidly extending. and with vio-
lent manifestations. into New England
and the West
Infamous" declares the New York
Herald, is the only word to describe the
treatment that has been inflicted upon
our patriotic soldiers and under which.
despite the indignant outbursts Of a hor-
ror-strickcn people, thousands Of them
are stll suffering to-day. Then the
Herald goes on TO say that had the SOL
diers come back 10 us reduced 20 their
heartrending state by wounds inflicted by
a foreign foe, there would be "a thrill Of
pride TO assuage our grief-a feeling Of
exultation in what they had endured for
the nag." But it adds:
"Whon the American people think Of
those gone down 10 death and these
others tortured and physically wrecked
many who had never left our own kindly
soll-uselessly, needlessly. the victims of
1ob-and-rob politicians and contractors
and OF criminally incompetent and heart
lessly Indifferent officials, there come
sob in the throat, a suggestive clutching
OF the fingers, and a light in the eyes
that bode IN FOR the guilty ones when
the responsibility shall be fixed
And the frlehtfm record. continues the
Herald. IS that Of n government sup
piled with a war fund of hundreds OF
millions to be dispensed at the mere nod
or its Chief Magistrate
The New York Times, after depicting
the condition Of several Of the camps
and hospitals and painting in narrowing
colors the appearance Of some of the
men who have returned from Santiago,
has this TO say, its attack being directed
more especially against Secretary-of-War
Alger:
"They Ohe people, know his work down
10 the minutest details. They know that
the filth and pestilence of the camps,
the lack OF food and medicine and the
commonest supplies the fasting and
hardships that waste the body and de-
str6y the reason. the deaths of hundreds
OF men who served IN the war and ought
now 10 be with their kindred. are due
10 neglect, incompetence. and want Of
system"
The Times IS foremost among the
papers that have been waglng q fast and
furious fight on Aleer; whose friends
claim that he is being made sqape-
goat. No doubt this is the case to a de-
gree. but none the less It is not TO be
ques toned that he IS woefully incompetent
and culpable. and that his position rem
ders him the head ana front Of the offend
Ing.
Hence, the New York Evening Post
touches the crux OF the situation when,
in an article of the same general tone
az that which runs through the articles
in tho Herald and the Times it says that
"Alger Is responsible for Algerlsm but
Mckinley Is responsible for Alger"
And who Is responsible for Mckinley?
The Republican party.
Reducing the matter TO It's last analysis,
the Republican party is responsible for
the mismanagement OF the war and the |
train Of horrors that has followed the |
war That party was in control while |
hostillties were in progress and has been |
In control ever since hostiities ceased |
All during this time rs responsible rep. /
fcscntatyes have had charge of the purse
Of tho nation. and constituted the con- !
tracing authority In these same re.
sponsible representatives has rested The
sole power TO correct abuse. Therefore
as we have said before the Indictment
Is against i.epublieanism. Lot the people
remember this at the polls in November
Let the Democratic leaders remember II
70 the end Of arousng the masses 70 |