The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-27
A ROOSEVELT WITH ADVICE.
LETTER FROM THE SOCIETY FOR
PROTECTION OF SOLDIERS.

Receive and File the Letter-Capt.
Howell Declares He Doesn't Need
MIR. Roosevelt to Make Up His
Mind for Hinl-PubIIshed Criticism
OF Mr.. ROoseveIt's society by n
Commissioners Calls Forth the Lett
ter.
New York, Nov 26.-When the war In
vestigating commission met to-day DR.. NJ.
r. Terry, surgeon general Of the National
Guard of the state of New York, testified
that he found the camp of the Eighth New
York Regiment at Chickamauga in a very
unsatisfactory condition.
a number OF other witnesses were ex-
amined, but nothing new was brought
out
Capt. Howell read letter addressed to
the commission by Robert Roosevelt sec
retary of the committee of the Society for
the Protection of Soldiers.
Gen. Dodge suggested that the letter be
received and filed.
Capt Howell seconded the motion, say
ing: I'VE have invited all the witnesses
10 tell us everything they know. We have
made and are making every honest effort
them. ] do not see that Mr.. Roosevelt'a
letter requires any answer. l am ready
to stand on the records of the commission.
when the commission has made a record,
but do not need Mr.. Roosevelt or any
one else to make up my mind for me-
Gen. Beaver spoke in the same lines,
and, by general consent, Gen. Dodge's sug-
gestion was adopted
The afternoon session completed tho
work of the commission in this city. The
members of the commission went TO Bos-
ton tonight and will receive attending
witnesses at the Parker House Monday
morning at o'clock. The letter written
to the commission by Mr. Roosevelt read
in part as follows:
Il have noticed in the morning press.
that one OF your members criticises the
witnesses who have testified at the re-
quest of the committee formed In this
city to project the soldiers, for the rea-
son that, while establishing the fact that
much groundess and inexcusable suffer-
ing was inflicted on the army. they do not
fix the responsibility nor show who is 40
blame. II the views OF your commission
are correctly reported, there seems to be a
/ misunderstanding between US. We sup
/ posed that all the witnesses were 60 do
| was to prove the facts and that the com-
mission would fix the responsibility; in
deed It was appointed for the express pur-
| pose Of fixing the responsibility.
THE heroic boys may forget their suf-
| ferings; may even refuse to testify to
| them but their mothers will not and their
| fathers viii not Nor will ii do to take
refuge behind the errors of the civil war.
There was then no Intentional cruelty,
such as seems to have so often prevailed
in this war The sick men were not
starved. Sick men were treated with all
possible attention and kindness. Water
was not sold to fever-racked sufferers
az 10 cents a glass; food was not sold TO
starving men at % cents for a sandwich.
and dalnties for the dying were not eaten
by the officers. But suppose matters had
been at times worse in the civil war.
| would that be any reason now that our
men should be sent with arms out of date,
! that there should be no ambulances, no
| pack trains or transportation to carry food
| to the front; not half sufficient medicines
! nor doctors; no proper hospitals; and that
men with freshly treated wounds should
| be left TO lie In the mud, on a blanket
/ II they had one--without II they had mono
nor even why mid-winter underclothing
| should be sent to Cuba and midsummer
| gauze undershrts TO Montauk?
"The uncompaining endurance of our
men has simply been heroic. They bore
| wounds, sickness, privatlons to death even,
without a word. It was only neglect,
| starvation In fact. and abuse in the hos
| pitfalls which called forth letters, and
| then only 10 their familles letters which
were sent 10 me by broken-hearted moth
| ers in pitiful appeals to try to help their
! sohs | wish your commission could have
| read them. but many OF them were
transmitted to me conAdentially, / cannot
even quote from them
1.-THE witnesses have established mon
strous lncapaeity. That they have not
| fun confidence in the power of your COM
| mission. no matter how good It's will, to
| meet all the requirements the pubuic de-
mands OF st. hut in spite OF that they
| seem to have done their share, and IL
would seem that IT only remains for You
| 10 DO your best, even II that best is not
| quite satisfactory TO yourself. II done In
good faith. It Will teach the soldiers that
! at least there Is power which was hon.
estly endevaring to do them justice.
you can direct your inquiries 10 the
first place to the food supply. Find out
! who gets the difference between the liberal
rations allowed by the government ana
the meager hardtack, bacon and green
| coffee served to the soldiers. The wit
/ nesses are the books and the rolls In the
! public departments 20 which your have full
access.
! 1--WE have furnished you the facts. shown
you brutality, cruelty, neglect, indiffer-
| ence, how men whom the government was
| under every obligation 10 protect. and es-
| pecialy because they had right to rely
| on such protection, were starved seven
| In che land of plenty; were uncared for
when sick; left without attention: when
wounded were abused, mallreated-ln some
| cases-practcaly murdered. We have
| shown you an Indifference and belittina-of
human suffering which continue even now.
| If this nation Is TO become a warlike one; +
II we are TO have army which shall
be efficient and TO be relied upon. these
crimes and blunders must be corrected and
your commission must correct them X
Is not for You 20 make the feeble excuse
that our committee. a mere voluntary as
fociation with no legal existence even,
shall shoulder this responsibility"
Union Jack over TIng-Hni