The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1898-11-18
CAMPAIGN In CUBA.
Gen. Breckenridge Continues His
Testimony Before Commission.
The AMERICAN SYSTEM CONDEMNED.
The Trouble Traced to the Want OF Prep
arati0n IN Time Of Peace-The Sol
dIers at Camp Thomas Over
wOrked-PoIIuted Water.

Washington, Nov. 16.-Gen. BreclC-
inridge continued his testimony be-
fore the war investigating commission
Yesterday. 1t dealt with the campaign
in Cuba and the transportation Of
troops to that island. He had, he said,
gone to Cuba as inspector general, ar
irving at Tampa on the 9TH Of June.
He had observed casually the prepara-
ton for the olsen barking of the
troops before the expedition left and
had concluded that they were quite
inadequate. There was no prepare
ton for landing in the face of an
enemy other than that which the navy
might furnish.
He was questioned at some length
concerning the conduct of the cam
paign in front of Santiago, and replied
that the result was what he expected
it would be. Everything there, he
said, was strained to get men on board,
and consequently there was little ef-
fort to secure equipment Asked as to
his opinion of the result of the cam
paign, he said he thought it would
have been different If Gen. Niles had
been in cOmmand-that It would have
been more satisfactorily conducted
Ex-GOv. Woodbury. suggested that the
battle in front of San Juan had been
fought and the victory won within
eight days of landing. Gen. Breekin-
ridge in reply said the victory had
been won ''when Gen. ToraPs nerve
gave out" This, he continued, had
been the war of all others when sue
cess has been won in the earliest
stages He believed that the war was
the Lords war and that this wonder
full success was due to His supervision
While he considered the result as mar
velously cOmmendable. he did not feel
that Gen. Shafter was above criticism
in the conduct Of the campaign He
could not believe the result was a mir
acle, but he ascribed the outcome to
the fact that the army was one which
was capable Of meeting all calls
Resuming his remarks Of a general
character, Gen. Breckenridge expressed
the opinion that there had not been
enough fighting to obscure other re-
suits common TO war. He thought the
evils which had been experienced were
| inevitable under our American system.
He condemned this system as most
reprehensibIe and said the volunteer
soldier must always suffer the worst
Of the consequences If the regular
| stands up under it better than the vol
unteer it is only because he has had
time to adjust himself to the unfavOr-
able conditions" He traced all the
| trouble to the want Of preparation
and mobilization in time of peace, and
that in turn, to the failure Of con-
gress to appropriate the necessary
money for reforms Replying to a
question from Mr.. Woodbury.. he said
that considering the system he
thought the government had done far
better in its conduct Of the war than
anybody had expected and just about
one-fourth as well as 1t should have
done"
Capt Robert ". Dowdy, who was
master of transportation at MOntauk
point, stated that at the beginning of
the history Of the camp the supply Of
transportation facilities was made
quate, though they were afterwards
improved. While there had been much
criticism of the railroad running to
the camp he thought 1t had answered
the demands upon 1t very satisfactory
". He said there was not q suficiency
of ambulances, but that there were
enough Of them to carry all sick sol
diers who were not able to walk. 1t
was not true that these vehicles had
] been used for purposes other than those
/ for which they were intended and the
| newspaper stories to the contrary
were made out Of whole cloth He
| describe the strike of the carpenters
at the camp and said that many Of the
men at first employed were tramps
/ and utterly worthless
DR.. William G. Weaver, Of the Ninth
| Pennsylvania vOIunt eers, was the first
/ witness before the commission at the
/ afternoon session and he proved an
/ important witness, as he gave detailed
/ information concerning the conduct Of
! a regimental hospital at Camp Thomas
/ DR.. Weaver said that typhoid had
| broken out about the 18th Of June and
/ that It had increased from that time
until the 10Th of August. There had
! been about 600 cases Of this disease In
/ the regiment and % or 80 deaths In
| summing Up the causes Of disease
\ in the camp, DR.. Weaver included
/ overwork Of the men as one
\ The first reveiIle sounded at 40
and after that time the men
/ were kept quite constantly engaged
/ with drills and other exercises until
/ els. Notwithstanding the weather was
l intensely hot He also expressed the
i opinion shat the water from Chicka-
maupa creek was polluted he con-
/ sidered the water IN this stream as
j hardly ct to battle IN, much less to
/ drink. His information was that there
were possible sources Of contamination
above the intake pipe Of the pipe line
| system The doctor admitted that he
/ had never visited the creek at the
| pumping station