The herald., 1898-09-26
MARRIED AND DIsCoLoRED

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MARRIED AND DIsCoLoRED
Omitting certain things, the historian
will be able to present a magnificent
picture Of the war with spain-oae that
will challenge the admiration OF future
generations, and present the qualities
Of the American people In the most brill
liant coiors.
1t will be a picture Of universal patrl-
otism and unexcelle6 zeal In the cause
of the country. Congress promptly and
with great unanimity voted all the men
arrd money the government required.
the young men Of the nation volunteered
with great enthusiasm and quickly filled
the quotas of the several states. The
benevolent organization of the Red Cross
was formed as promptly as the young
men volunteered. Its ramifications ex-
tended to every part Of the country, and
the first women of the land became
nurses for the sick and wounded They
went to the camps ana to the hospitals,
at home and In the eremy's country;
endured fatigue and deprivations and
exposed themselves to disease In an In
salubrious climate. The people every
where gave Of their means without
stint to relieve suffering and to restore
to health. Patriotism, benevolence and
self-abnegation were never more gener-
ally and vividly displayed.
The army and navy bore hardships
and deprivations with fortitude. and
faced danger with courage never ex-
celled. There was not q defeat, and
some of the victories eclipse any that
had hitherto been achieved In any age
or country.
1t is humiliating that a picture so
brilliant, when the whole truth Is told,
must be marred and discolored by In
competency and neglect Of official du-
ty. It Is matter of everlasting dishonpr
that brave and patriotic men were sub
jected to suffering and death through
the fault Of officials high and low. To
put 1t mildly, there was general blunder-
Ing In the selection of camps at home,
where there is much room, and where
have avoided a great amount of sickness
and might have saved the lives of a
large number of men. In land Of the
greatest plenty there was grievous de-
f1ciency in food supply for the troops,
and not infreQuently what was furnished
was defective In quality. The soldiers
were not fitted out with such clothing
as was needed In the summer Of trop-
ical cline. Transportation was man
aged without system, and without refer
ence to- the comfort Of men, sick or
we'll. Medical supplies were wanting
when most needed. Though there were
plenty of surgeons who bore commits
sions, they were scarce when and where
their services were most required
Incomptency, ME glect and mismanage-
ment were principally in one depart
ment, and that where there should have
been the utmost competency, vigilance
and system. 1t is urged that the de-
partment had 80 much to do that 1t
could not do everything well. The coun-
try did not expect there would be no mis-
takes, nor did it suppose that there
could have been so many. But mis-
takes in certain respects seem to have
been the rule rather than the exception.
There is dispositions to make scape-
goats of subordinates In the quarter
master, con1nissary and medical bu-
reaus.
The primal mistake was in appoint
ing SO many incompetents from political
considerations. 1t Is we'll known prin-
ciple that a stream cannot rise above
its source, and there is another rule
that the water Of the stream will be of
the quality that issues from the fountain
head. There was no discipline enforced
by the head of the war department be-
cause politics, instead of war, had too
much to do with the proceedings. This
was the first and greatest blun6er of
all.