The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1898-09-29
PLEADED FOR SOLDIERS
And Thereby Disappointed the Ad-
ministration.
HE GOT SOME SATISFACTION
But Had to Go with the Assurance That
It Would All Come In the Regular
Channels Some Soldiers VIII
Die White the Red Tape
Is Being Unwound.

Is Being Unwound.
Washington, September .-(5peoial.)
Colonel william Jennings Bryan has
surprised and disappointed the officials of
the administration by resolutely refusing
to fall into the diplomatic net spread for
him on his mission to Washington. This
morning he dep rted for Jacksonville to
resume command of his regiment, the
Third Nebraska. He did not re. igu, as
was hoped by the administration, and
will gain his point, thong his applica-
tiun for the discharge of certain individual
Nebraska soldiers must pass through the
regular military channels before IL is
acted upon.
In his visit of two days to the capital
Colonel Bryan saw President McKiuley
twice and visited tie higher officials of
the war department much oftener. 1t
was suggested to him most diploma
tioally in all of these interviews that the
best course for him to pursue was to re-
sign. But Colonel Bryan did not come
to Washington to resign. He stood out
for the discharge of men in his regiment
who should have been permitted to go
home weeks ago. A question that could
have been settled at noon was hedged
about with SO many petty annoyances
that he was forced to spend another day
in the city.
The war department informed Colonel
Bryan Saturday afternoon that the
applications he had made for the dis
charge Of men whose business Interests
required their presence in their Nebraska
homes must be presented through regular
military channels. In this way the object
of Colonel Bryan's trip was negatived,
but in the end he will succeed. since
General Lee will approve the recon-
mendation and forward his approval at
once to the war department.
What apnonyed the administration
more than anything else was Colonel
Bryan's persistency. He has not fallen a
victim to the Spanish "mansna" habit
which has become so popular in Washing.
ton, He had notion that simple re-
quest that sick and emaoiated soldiers be
sent to their homes before death claimed
them ought to be acted upon at once.
Each day in one of tie camps made in
fectious by the maladministration of the
wbippersnappers that the President
appointed tooce, brought the soldiers of
Colonel Bryan's regiment nearer to the
grave and the big hearted commander of
the Nebraska regiment could not stand
1t. He knew that the administration
papers would try to make his visit appear
in false light, but the health and
comfort of the sick were at stake, and he
resolved upon any personal sacrifice to
accomplish his end. The President
politely told him he ought to resign.
That weuld have left no champion at
hand for the cause of the sick soldiers,
and Colonel Bryan is not the man to
desert his pest when there is work to be
done for humanity. He stayed right
there. He was promised that the matter
would be looked into, but ne would not
be content. He makes up his mind with
out the aid Of lackey, and he thought 80
big man as the President Of the United
States ought to be able to do the same.
So he stayed and every little VIII lie sent
W ord of inquiry to the war department
as to what had been done for his sick
soldiers He was finally given to under
stand that they would be discharged, but
that 1t would have to go through the
regular channels. More red tape, but
Colonel Bryan had to stand 1t and went
back with the assurances that his mission
had not failed entirely. Now he can only
hope that the regular channel of the wal
department has been somewhat changed.
The regular channel for discharge here
tofore has been through the narrow por,
tails of death.