El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-09-21

drill. he took better to rough food even
though he kicked harder at it. He main
tanned better spirits than his country
brother under the deadly routine and
seemed more capable of extracting
fun out OF the most unpromisin 9
8 tuations. The dude organizations
of the army seemed to be of tougher
change of the habits of life and of diet
was much greater for them than for
the country boys. Another thing
noticed was that the city boys were, as
a rule, better looked after by their OWL
officers. The city companies too,
were more cared for by the folks at
me- They got more boxes and money
and had more evidences of remem-
brance. The country soldiers were
much farther away from their officers
than the city soldiers. The officers OF
regiments made up of country boys
had less sympathy with their men.
their men more than did the officers of
the city regiments, and to care less for
their welfare. The city men seemed,
too, to be more like the regulars in
their capacity to make the best of
things. They savOred their tough
grub with better humor. L don't mean
to disparage the country boy, particu-
larly, for he was good soldier, but l
must say that he did not show as much
resisting power against disease and
against eunui as his city brother" The
secret of it is expressed in the first SEN
tence. The city boy knew how to take
care of himself. He was slert and
avoided much which the country boy
suffered. 1t is all a question of train
ing. The old campaigner who has been
through several sieges seldom sue
cumbs. 1t is the raw recruit who falls
by the wayside.
With refreshing frankness this
army surgeon confesses that the me-
dical department of the army was de-
fective and faulty as any other part of
suffering. | am not defending incom-
petence in the officers of any depart
ment. am stating the facts as
understand them. know
a heap more than did about
helping sick soldiers. l learned it,
am afraid, at some expense of pain
to the first men | had to handle. |
know that it would have been better
for my patients in the army il 1
had more experience in practice be-
fore entering the service. Too
to their trade as the soldiers to theirs.
The general unprepareGness was some
thing awful" This is another bad re-
suit of hastily assembling large army
and an argument in favor of continuing
the army in time of peace on such q
basis as to be prepared for emergencies
so as to have enough regulars in all
the departments to 'leaven' the lump
when the lump must be assembled
1t is q splendid if an expensive and
pathetic lesson.
Much of the complaint we hear
would never have been heard and never
have been uttered had the war con-
tinued. The writer from whom we
quote declares that there WAS little
complaint among the soldiers so long
as there was a chance for a fight. The
cry came when this chance vanished
and the boys not only wanted to get
back home but their relatives wanted
them home.
War means suffering and unless pre-
pared for 1T nations cannot fight.
There has been a strong aud in
telligent sentiment in this country in
favor of putting tie army on a reason
ably fair peace footing, say $50, 900
men but the demagogues and blather-
sixties in the name of economy opposed
every movement of that nature and de-
feated its accomplishment. Upon them
must rest all blame.