The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-08
MAY PARADE IN NEW YORK
THE PRESIDENTS ANSWER TO A RE-
QUEST FOR A GRAND REVIEW.
Son of Gen. Wheeler and Lieut.. kirk
patrick Drowned at MOntauk
POint-Camp News.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 7.-Secretary Alger
is now putting his affairs in shape to admit
of his absence from Washington on tour
of inspection of the army camps through
out the country. He will leave tomorrow
morning, going first to Camp Meade, Penn
| sylvania, and thence to Detroit. Now that
the active war operations have closed, the
| secretary feels free to express certain
views entertained by the President and
| himself respecting the plans of the treat
ment of the soldiers and touching the per-
sons on whom responsibilities should be
placed for some of the matters of COM
plant.
| In this connection he says: 1.-THE regi-
ments that have been ordered mustered out
! will be mustered out. The regiments that
have been designated by the President to
remain in the service will have to remain.
AS soon as we have mustered out 100000,
more or less, we shall reorganize the army
| every brigade, division and corps-and put
| them into comfortable camps until such of
| them as are needed are withdrawn for
| service in Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philip
| pines. In these camps, with experience of
| the past to guide us, sanitary conditions
| will be strictly enforced The men compos-
| ing the army will be treated as soldiers.
| They will be shown every possible consid-
| Grafton and their health will be preserved.
| The officers commanding regiments and
companies will be held strictly accountable
| for the sanitary conditions of the camps.
| They are the ones who should be held re-
| sponsible. During the war many of these
officers disregarded the specific instructions
that had been given looking to the proper
care of their men. Now it is time for them
to take this work upon themselves, and
with the knowledge that they are to remain
| in service they will be expected to devote
| their best energies to the work. Where
| men are incompetent to discharge these
duties they must give way to competent
men, for again wish to make it clear that
these company and regimental officers are
| to be held to account for the welfare of
| their men.
NOW a word as to the feeding Of the
troops. The army ration is all that is nee
essary for a soldier 1 hope that there will
be less food given to the men from outside
sources. The dainties gratified the taste of
the men, but they of no real help, and
only tend to breed dissatisfaction where
they do not actually destroy the health of
the men. The army ration to-day, as it
has been and will be in the future, is
sound. healthy diet The principal difficult
ty we have had TO contend with is the reck-
lessness of youth. In the vigor of sound
health the young who went to make
up our army could not be induced to take
proper care of themselves. They think
that nothing can harm them; that they can
violate any and all of the laws of health
with impunity.
When regiment is designated to be
mustered out no further appeals will be
allowed to influence the department to
change it's programme. That order is GO
ing to be strictly observed until the Presi-
dent decides that he can make a further
reduction in the army. When such reduc-
ton is made there will be no discrimina-
ton in releasing the troops. 1t is not posi-
BILE to maintain the exact ratio, because to
do so would be to divide regiments, but the
purpose would treat all States fairly and
near alike as possible.
The great complaint of the soldiers is
Inconsistencies, and d great deal of this has
been caused by the inconsiderate publica-
lions in the sensational newspapers. Some
OF it is also chargeable to the fact that the
men entered the army with the expectation
that their services would be very short
Every experienced officer knows that
great many died of Inconsistencies. Follow
ing the depression that ensues upon home
homesick soldier fails an easy victim. and
it is impossible to check their course. Now
TO my mind the American people should try
to brace these men up, to encourage them
and cause them TO remember that they are
soldiers and are expected to meet a sol
diers duties. The people OF this country
should not be given the impression that they
have sent into the army a lot of boys unfit
to Withstand the unavoidable Vicissitudes
of camp life. Some of the complaints that
have been published are calculated to make
the American army appear in q poor light
to the eyes OF the American people and also
to those OF the nations of the world
The secretary gave an earnest assurance
Of his purpose TO carry out strictly the de-
cison he had announced to hold field OIL
GERS responsible for the condition of their
men. In the case of Private Hugh Parrot,
who was reported TO have persisted in his
tent at Montauk lacking medical attend
ance, to which Representative Grosvenor
had directed the attention of the War De-
partnent the secretary several days ago
called upon the commanding officer at Camp
Wikofr for a report on the subject, and to-
day he sent peremptory order TO General
Shafter to create court of inquiry to in
vestigate the case. or, if the facts war
ranted it, TO shorten the proceedings by or
dering court-martial at once for the Off
Ger responsible for Parrotts lack of atten-
ton.