Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1898-09-01
War in the Tropics.

The people Of the United States are
in the way 10 learn what war is, to grasp
Gen. Sherman's idea Of it and 70 realize
that not even our civil war taught us
what war means when II involves hot
weather campaigns conducted in the
tropics.
The politicians who were so eager to
involve this nation nOlens volens In
armed conflict with Spain, and are now
talking with glib irreverence about the
hand Of providence leading US on to per-
manent occupation Of and responsible
ty for tropical possessions, are pitiable
spectacie--if they were not also seek
ing to exert further wickedly irres-
pons BILE influence. The war to free
Cuba lad TO come, and it Is grieVOus,
but the Forakers and the Chambers are
at this moment outraging every instinct
OF the home. They are not even con-
tent with present evils. The people
will not forget the tenor OF the earlier
lingo phillipics. A holiday expedition
OF a few days was to see the fall OF Hav-
ana and the full-born springing to its
high place among the nations OF the
earth of the Cuban republic The pity
OF such folly is to be seen in all its re-
pellant blackness as we read tod the
letter written from Santiago by Rev,
Dr. Henry G. McCOok, who went there
TO re present the National Relief Asso-
citation. The light which the present
throws upon the past is of great value
in illuminating the full meaning Of
present deliverance by the expansion
lists
That Santiago is malarial pest hole
can no longer be disguised, That few
er and more deaths by fever than from
the bullets of an opposing army, are to
be expected in tropical campaigns is at
last made plain to all. We are gaining
this knowledge through anguish UNI
speakable in the homes of the United
States. Hitherto the talk has been of
the danger to our troops from yellow
fever, and the approach of that scOurge
was to be guarded against by the use of
boiled water, our men were not to be
permitted to sleep upon the damp earth,
and the army was to be better supplied
with medical stores and service than
any which hal ever invaded hot cOun-
try. The satire OF these memories!
Not one ounce of boiled water has been
drank In Cuba, and our exhausted, hard
pushed and famished soldiers have
stood uB TO their waists in the trenches
before Santiago. And get-HeaVen
save us!-there are Senators and relig.
ious teachers who pirate OF the national
obligation to murder more of the flower
of our youth ia the far distant easti
The story of all tropical campaigns has
SHOWN that while there Is possibility
of fighting yellow fever, malarial fever
cannot be overcome and must be endur-
ed Il Is the same in Porto Rico IS in
Cuba. The same tragedy Of death must
b.. enacted there, and the loaded trans.
poFts of the sick and the dying are
bringing q realiZ alton OF this into the
homes OF the republic, If malarial poi
son is disabling soldiers by regiments
in Cuba and Porto Rico, so it must be in
the PHILIPPINES. That chapter of the
full story Is yet To come, but come 1t
will.
Are we quite ready to subdue and
hold more Of the outlying islands of the
globe than we have now become respOn-
sibls for? The proof that comes from
Santiago does not make for the sfiirma-
tive. How wildly imperialistic Is the
report made by Inspector General
Breckenridge of the utter, the AFFECT,
the damnable failures at Santiago in
the Quartermaster's, the cOmmisRary
and the med cal departments. Did we
undertake too large a task with insult
ticlent preparation? Surely. As Is not
that imperative reason why we should
let the Western Hemisphere suffice as a
field Of operations? We shall find there
quite as much az the United States can
do we'll.
How brilliant the fOrethOught with
which we have entered upon = mission
of worldwide conquest such as the bold
and thOughtless projected for US! In
actual military Operat ons we discover
that our staff service" Is incompetent
to take charge OF an invading army o.
some 5000 men in the region Of Santi
AgO-and that WAS TO be ono OF the leas
of our military sxpedlti Ons to Cuba, lei
alone the other islands of the sea. OuI
camps Just under the nose OF the Wa
Department, have been filled with tJ
phOid fever; regiments have gone hun
CRY right 1t home; the transport serves
has been an abomination; the vOlun
teers entered battle with smoking pow
der; the men st the front were withOu
artillery or food, the wounded have sui
iered inhumanities indsscribable thai
move TO profOundest pity. Insatiat'
FOrakePa, will not this suffice? Mus
we condemn our soldiers 70 death from
fever, year after year, for all future, ii
thu distant Philippines?
The American fathers and mother
will have much to say about this prOpO
sihOn.-Springheld, Mass, Republican