Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-08-29
AIrer i'm Camn WIkon.

The scenes which Secretary Alger
found in Camp Wikoff, which in the
worst could have but family depicted
the actual conditions in the field in
Santiago, must haunt him to the end
of his DAYS. The soldiers on Long
Island knew that the chief of the de-
partment of war was among them,
but they did not have the greetings
generally bestowed upon such an Off
cial. A special saws: The men as
a rule showed no enthusiasm over the
appearance of the secretary of war, as
is usually the case when an official of
his rank visits camp, and if he eX-
pected any outburst of acclaim he
was disappointed. At the camp of
the 18th regular infantry the band
was turned out to salute him, but
there was nothing spontaneous about
that. 1t was the order of Col. Smith,
the commanding officer, which
brought that about. The men in the
company streets looked at him with in
terest, as the head of the department
which had starved them so systemat-
ically, and one private in Massachu-
sets regiment said: I'd like to have
him where / could ask him questions
and make him answer, and I'd ask
him how he would like to have one
hard tack for each meal for three
DAYS. That's what | had at Santi-
ago >
The New York Journal has the fol-
lowing unbiased editorial comment
anent the situation:
The Journal, though democratic in
politics, has stoutly and heartily sup
ported President Mckinley throughout
the war. There was much to applaud
in the conduct of that war. In the
same spirit with which the journal
upheld the president we now wish to
call his attention to the mismanage-
ment and incompetency evident in the
camps where the soldiers of the nation
are quartered. There is no longer a
doubt that there is mismanagement
and that there is incompetenCy, and
that because of them the very men
the country most delights to honor
are suffering. At MOntauk Point,
within a few hours of New York City,
in touch with all the comforts and
delicacies of life, sick heroes from
Santiago are forced to sleep on the
soaked ground without proper clothes
or covering, and to stand guard duty
when they are fainting from the de-
bilitating effects of fever. Some per-
son or persons are responsible for such
heartrending conditions. That person
or those persons deserve the severest
punishment. But the suffering at
Montauk is not the only fearful tale.
eat Camp Thomas, Chickamauga, 600
1eaths have been reported since. the
camp was established, and 90 since
Aug. l; and there are 1924 sick men
in the hospitals. These men have not
been battling in a tropical, fever
stricken land. They have been right
in the United States all the time. and
certainly healthy location for their
camp was the least that should have
been provided for them. Before Camp
Alger was broken up $50 men had died
there. That is more than the Span
iards killed at Santiago. and Camp
Alger is just outside of Washington.
The president almost could hear the
funeral from the White House. Fer
nandina and Tampa and other camps
have also sent up their pitiful tales of
neglect, sickness, suffering and death.
The report of Surgeon General Ter
~ regarding the condition of the New
York troops in the several camps
showed such a dreadful condition of
affairs that Gov. Black did not dare to
publish it. When it is necessary to
suppress such reports for fear the
people will be aroused to n dangerous
pitch. it can be put down as certain
that something is shamefully wrong"