The evening times., 1898-11-03
Why Ohenses Continue.

That the newspaper references 10 the
maladministration of the War Depart
ment in the recent confiict-so marked
by blunders and neglect as to have in
sured the success of an enemy less
weak than Spain-should weary some
readers, and especially the friends and
beneficiaries of Secretary Alger, is
matter of course. But the imperative
need of the agitation until the evils
shall have been reformed is frequently
shown. That men who were incompe-
tent and Indifferent when the lives of
our soldiers were in their care at the
most critical time in the campaign.
should become any less mischievous
when they are defended and sustained
by the head OF the department, is an
idea that is contrary to all experience.
Ii was predicted with absolute conf
dence when the first revelations of in
efficiency shocked the country. that the
abuses would continue until the offend
ers, high and low, should be removed
from their trust and properly punished.
There could be no hope of Improvement
as long as they should be shielded by
the Administration and whitewashed by
those who were appointed under the
pretense of an investigation.
The first of the transport horrors
called from the Secretary of War an
apologetic letter in which the sufferings
of wounded and sick soldiers were
charged TO the unavoidable conditions
in the medical, quartermaster, commits
sary and transportation branches and
a distinct affirmation that they could
not be repeated. Reasonable people
maintained that they must be repeated
again and again and as often as sol
dieIs were shipped on boats. until the
incompetent and the neglectful subordi-
mates Of the Secretary should be dis
placed by some of the thousands of ex-
perienced men whose services had been
freely offered and rejected in the interest
Of the wards OF influential politicians.
There was, of course, q long succession
of horror ships from Cuba to the North,
almost the only exception being the
comfortable and we'll -provisioned trans
port in which General Shafter and his
staff returned The only reply to the
criticisms of the amazed and indignant
people was that by dwelling on these
painful matters we lost sight of the
glory. Of our victory.
Three weeks ago-so long after the
severe pressure of active war was re
moved-General Wood. at Santiago.
stopped the transport Minnewaska as
she was on the point of leaving with
an excessive number of soldiers and
officers, many Of them gravely i'll. The
fortunate circumstance that General
Wood is himself a physician was the
salvation of the passengers. He found
that the overcrowding was the least
serious feature; that there was d most
of medicines and of food. besides
means of protecting the sick from in
clement weather. He issued an order
that was notable for its savage candor
making regulations for the prevention
OF anything of the kind in the future
But the attitude of the Washington au-
thorities toward the offenders made
this Intellectual The same incompe-
tents who had been responsible for the
llISt anu ali Subsequent OHeHSeS, We're
not to be cured by mere order So
there is no surprise on reading in the
news this morning that General Wood
has again saved many lives by refusing
to allow the steamer Port Victor to
leave with sick officers and soldiers for
whose proper care no provision had
been made. This time he will call a
court-martial to deal with Secretary
Alger's protected underlinSs.
As long as there are soldiers in camps
and in hospitals, as long as sick men
are removed from one post to another.
these criminal blunders will continue if
the political wards Of the. War Depart
ment are not swept out of offices of
grave responsibility; and this will not
be done until the Administration has
practical evidence of the indig ignation of |
a patient people.