The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-10-29
The Real Culprit.

From the Philadelphia Ledger, Rep
When the work of the War Investiga-
ton Committee opened it did not promise
to be very interesting, but as it progresses
it deyelopes in directions that are, to
say the least, instructive. The request
for the committee made by the Secretary
of War was notable, because it is one of
the few instances where his actions and the
peoples wishes have conceded. There
was, to be sure, one thing they desired
more, but this it seems they could not get
by either demand or supplication.
Whether General Alger could be retired
by the logic of an investigation remained
to be proved, and they were willing to
make the experiment. But logic works
awry when the premises are unexpected,
and it turns out that the facts to be
proved were not what had been expected.
1t had been supposed that the case
would stand ''The Army vs. the War De-
partment. The first knowledge that it
was to be "War Department VS.. the
Army came slowly, not because the turn
around lacked either promptness or frank
ness, but because the people were slow in
comprehension. For one thing, the case
was opened by the defence, and this was
unexpected. The people had thought
that there were abuses; that some one
would say so, and then some one else
would offer explanation or excuse. But
nothing of this kind happened. The first
revelation was that there were no abuses;
the second granted few, but made it
plain that neither the War Department
nor the witness were responsible for them
The people in their simplicity pondered
over all this, and asked, ''Who, then?''
To this the reply is frank and ready:
Firstly, the volunteer officer; secondly, the
enlisted man; thirdly, any kind of SOL
der except the kind who were being ex-
amined
Take, for instance, Camp Alger. This
has not been in good repute as an ideal
camp; it has been credited with all kinds
of abuses and suffering. But General
Graham explains it all and fixes the re-
sponsibility. In the first place, the water
supply? Well, the General says, that
wasn't bad; he has been through cam
paigns where it was worse. There was
no running water, but it had springs
enough, so long as there were not too
many men to drink from them. This
could also be said of the Desert of Sahara.
When the troops increased the water di-
minished, and it was evident that wells
were needed After quite long time
these were dug, and they were very good,
indeed. They were properly cased, and
10 surface drainage was allowed But in
the meantime the men had to go long
way to fetch water, and the General kind
ly admits that undoubtedly there was some
inconvenience in this. He then goes on
to say that it is his impression = that
there were complaints of sickness caused
by the water famine, which lasted from
the 20th of May to the 18th Of June,
with varying intensity Yet all this would
not have mattered had not the soldiers
persisted in sometimes drinking from the
streams running through the camp, and in
eating the delicacies sent from home. If
to all this is added the fact that the sinks ell
bowed the kitchens in the friendly way COM
mon in camps, then the General claims
that it is rather creditable that in Camp
Alger only sixty-fve men died from dis
ease. He doubtless is right, but whether
the people will consider that it was necessary
that sixty-fve men should die of disease
in camp is another question.
If the investigation continues much
longer, we shall see every witness turned
into plaintiff, who will urge his own in
nocence, uphold the conduct Of all heads
of Departments, and put all the response
bilities on the subordinates. Thus the
charge will pass from General to Colonel,
from Colonel to Captain, from Captain to
Corporal, until the case will stand "The
War Department VS. the Private Soldier,
and it will be from him we shall ask why
he lay out in the broiling sun day after
day, in front of Tampa; why he liked to
sleep in the rain, without blanket or tent;
why, when suffering from typhoid fever,
he would have nothing but pork and beans
to eat; why he did not take ice when his
temperature vas over hundred, and why
he came home-being the lucky one who
lived to do so-pale and haggard, tired
and hungry. 1t is inconceivable that he
should have done all this, but by the aid
of a few more witnesses this will be easily
established.