The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1898-05-12
PLAIN TALK.
Gen. Sherwood Has His Ideas
About the War.
DETROIT FREE PRESS MAN
Secures an Interview In which the General
Says He Thinks That There should BE
No Nonsense But sharp, severe =
Conduct of Affairs,

COnuuCt OF AHairss
The Detroit Free Press says: General |
Isaac r. Sherwood, editor of the Amer
lean Sportsman of Cleveland, was In town |
yesterday ard was met by representa-
| tive of the Free Press who had an inter- |
esting talk with the old. soldier. TIE
latter has an enviable war record. He
was In thirty-three battles, 1873 days under
fire, and was never sick or at the rear
during four years of service He was a
private four months, lieutenant nine
months, and Immediately after the battle
of franklin, November 3O 1864, he was
made q general by President Lincoln.
He commanded the 111th Ohio Volun-
teers for three years. The only injury he
received in the war was the loss of hear
ing in his left ear caused by the explosion
of shell within two feet of him.
Immediately after the Maine was blown
up he offered his services to the governor
of Ohio, who said he would avail him
self of them in case of war, as he prefer
red experienced officers for the Ohio
troops to those who had never seen nc ctual
war service However, the call for vol
unteers came in such way that there
was no opportunity for the governor to
call upon Gen. Sherwood. The latter,
though 63 years of age, is probably the
ablest, physically of all the Ohio colonels
who proffered their services in case of
war.
Gen. Sherwood has some decided notions
about the present war, ard he is not
backward in giving his ideas expression.
"There ara several points" he said,
"in connection with this war upon which
1 have decided opinions. Now, in the
first place, know that there is no expe-
rience so valuable as the experience of
actual war. For that reason experienced
officers should be in command Of the
troops. What have we West Point forp
Why have we spent millions upon that
institution, unless 1t was to make use Of
the officers educated there2 Are they
good for anything in peaceH Certainly
not. Then what are they for If they are
not to be used in wsrY OF course, the
militi. boys want to go to the front un-
! der the command of their own officers,
but it is matter Of experience with me
that the chummy officers who sought to
be popular bv lax discipline, who were
the most popular during the first three
months, were the most unpopular after
wards, when the soldiers saw the neces-
sity of thorough discipline. Understand
that the governor of this state has ap-
pointed regular army officer of thirty
, years experience as colonel OF Michigan
regiment, and that there is some kicking
among the boys against him. But they
will have cause to thank their governor
later, If they have to meet the enemy,
which doubt, for having placed an ex-
] perienced man over them, for he will save
the lives of many OF these young men,
where another, without his experience,
might needlessly rush them to destruc-
] tion.
l "Another thing. The various states
have expended vast sums in building up
. a national guard, about 1876, 200 men in
$ the country Now what is the use of
, calling them out and sending them intn
peace camp when they are not needed,
and where they are not properly protec.
tedS There is nothing SO demoralizing
to the military spirit of a soldier as tc
shut him up in camp like kenneled dog
i If they were needed they ought to bt
sent to the front, and If not they should
3 not have been called out at all unit
I needed.
S "Gen. Fitzhugh Lee is the man whit
q should have charge of the first military
expedition to Cuba. With $4,000
soldiers he would be able to end the wal
in ninety days with the cooperation o
=, Gomez's army. During the last few
:, weeks / have been in several states an(
= talked with many men who were promi
o nent in our civil war. But there wa
= not one who could have explained to M
n why the Maine was sent down to Cuba
If the President had recognized Cubal
belligerency when he came into power
the war would have been over before nov
and without any cost to this country
s President Mckinley knew three day
after the Maine had been blown up tina
it had been the work of Spanish treach
cry. And after the board Of inquiry ha
ID made full investigation and came t
n Key West the President ordered ther
,r back again for a week, thus delaying mat
,e ters continually. The policy of the ad
"a miuistration has been to force this wa
. upon Spain. Had the President carrie
/, out the platform upon which he wa
elected, when inaugurated we would hay
had free Cuba long ago and without IL
3" volving this country in what now prom
+ ises to be an unnecessarily expensive wal
20 "The only thing left to do now is I
S. prosecute the war to successful an
spesdy finish. l have unlimited col
1dence in our navy. It's officers appear I
be thoroughly competent men, and OF
gunners are unquestionably the best
a, the world. The same patriotic spirit
1851 prevails now, but only to less
degree because the people have becon
tired of these unnecessary delays. Thel
cd is only one duty, now, however, in IL
. midst of war, and that is to uphold
!, every way the President. 1t Is enooura
ing to witness the patriotic spirit of ol
- young men. The boys of 1898 wi
'o prove just as valiant and brave as Il
~ boys Of 1851, and we shall make sho
work of Spain, both on land and Sc
when we get at it, and that ought to
noa"
en- WHEN TRAVELLING
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