Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1898-10-14

WILLIAM E. CURTIS, the we'll known
Chicago Record correspondent, has this
to say of the beginning of the army in
xestigation: CAS- the first witness before
the army investigating committee Gen.
Wheeler gives the key which will prob
ably be followed by all the army officers
who come after him. He attributes the
sufferings and sickness of the volunteers
to their inexperience, but qualities the
remark by adding that the western
troops were much better able to take
care of themselves than the volunteers
from the eastern states. All the reports
from Porto Rico agree that the greater
part of the sickness among the volunteers
there is due directly to their own i'm
prudence and neglect of sanitary precau-
lions. The Associated Press dispatches
state that the ratio Of sick among the
regulars is much less than among the
volunteers, as has been the case every
where, for that are well under
stood. A dispatch from Ponce says the
number of sick among the regulars is
only 10 Per cent, while among some of
the volunteer regiments it runs up to 81
and 40 per cent. This difference will al
ways continue so long as the volunteers
lack the discipline and experience of the
regular army. A striking contrast can
be furnished by the 18th regular infantry,
which is now at Fort Sheridan, and a
regiment of Massachusetts volunteers
which was brigaded with it and tented
beside it near Santiago. The 4th infantry
suffered as little as any regiment from
disease, because its officers knew how to
take care of the men and the men knew
how to. take care Of themselves. The
Massachusetts, volunteers probably suf-
fered more than any other regiment in
the service because the contrary was the
case. Discipline was lax, ordinary sani-
tary regulations were neglected, their
rations were improperly drawn and poor
ly cooked, and every man seemed to do
as he pleased. A stream ran through
the camps of both regiments. Before it
reached them the water was used for all
sorts of purposes by soldiers and Cuban
refugees. The soldiers of the 4th infan-
try never touched it, but brought their
drinking water several miles. The Mas
sachusetts regiment not only drank it
but used it for cooking, bathing and
everything else, swallowing the germs of
fever with every mouthful, and now the
good people of Massachusetts, are de-
nouncing the secretary of wal because
80 many soldiers died.
The Wells County News has good
words for all of the republican candi-
dates, but it's heart is especially warm
toward its county candidate, L. L.Walton,
for railroad commissioner, of whom it
gays: MI. Walton has proven himself
true to his oath of Office, true to his
party and its platform, true to the people
land has labored diligently with the
other members of the board together with
Attorney General. Cowan to secure a re-
duction Of freight rates in this state. So
thoroughly was he recognized over the
state as a splendidoficial and competent
man that his nomination was conceded
in the state convention. readily. Mr..
Walton is a staunch farmer and has
brought it through the hardships Of
pioneer life on Wells county prairies
since 49, He is n of the people, can't
be bought, bluded nor ~buncoed-and
that is the kind Of stuff we want-especi-
ally for railroad commissioner,