The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1898-09-12
The Pingree Incident.


| To very great extent, the Grand
| Army of the Republic stands for the re-
| publican party, and it's enthusiasm in
! this matter has been gladly utilized by
| the politicians The Pingree incident
| therefore, (the details of which are
embodied in the dispatches elseWhere)
takes upon itself the hue and color Of
| real interest.
To a certain degree, it was humor-
| Gus incident Mr. Pingree was hot for
| eulOgizing Alger but his audience Of
| Grand Army men and republican specta-
| tors, having in mind the sngularly in
| dependent nature of the man, suspected
| that he was about to criticiSe the saint
ed republican who holds the keys of the
war department. Consequently, when
| Pngree mentioned the name of Alger
! he was greeted by such storm of roarS
| and boots, and yells, and Kisses that, af-
| ter making several vain attempts to
make himself heard, he was forced to
| seat himself All that he had been
| able to say, after mentioning various
| cases of abuse and bad management,
| was, "If Secretary Alger"-
| He was not permitted to complete the
| sentence, and finally retired disguised
| from the stage. When quiet was re-
| stored. the chairman read the sentence
| which Pingree had been unable to fin
| fsh: "If Secretary Algcr had been given
| full power. such things would never
| have happened"
| This set the audience wild with en-
| thusasm. 1t fairly hoWlcd with de-
| light, and called for Pingroo until it
| was hOarsc; but Pngree had been IN
| suited He refused to play in that yard
| any more on that occasion. lie hao
gone.
Now as we have said. this incident
| has humorous aspect; but 1t mas ltS
| serious side. too, and this consists in the
| fact that Alger, the subordinate Of the
| president, is, in the eyes Of the Kissing
| hooting and yelling republicans, the real
hero Of the war; the hero, because he
| has in him the stuff of which heroes are
| made. together with all the trimmings
| OF the millionaire; the martyr, because
| there has been a studied effort on lhe
| part Of some who have the ear or the
| public TO hold him responsible for every
| thing. when. in fact his hands have
| been completely tied.
| This is serious. because it demon
| strates q purpose on the part or certain
elements in the republican party 10 hold
| fh, president responsible for the hOrTi-
| BILE condition of affairs attendant on tho
| Cuban campaign, and to be found in the
| MANAGEMENT of the volunteer camps.
| The abuses and mism2nagement WhIch
| have prevailed have shocked the whole
! country. In country tecming with
! wealth and abundance on every side
| thousands of soldiers have died from eX~
| haustion because they could not secure
the food and treatment necessary to
| their convalescencc from disease.
The Grand Army and its republican
! friends have demonstrated in this Pm
| gree incident that the responsibility IS
| to be placed on the shoulders Of the re
| publican president, and the president
| himself permits it by refusing to order
| an Investigation. believing that the vic
| tories gained will be an adequate pOul-
| tice and sedative for the public sansibu-
| ity
As a matter of fact, however, the nor
! r0rs OF the Cuban campaign, the horrors
! Of our camps Of mobilization, will keep
fresh. They will keep fresh by compare
| son with the prudence, sagacity, fore
sight and tact that have marked the
progress of the Philippine campaign
which embarked from san tH2ncI&%O
The contrast IS most remarkable. and
shows the wide and yawning gulf that
lies between imbccility and genuine
ability. 1t is impossible to forget the
scenes at Tampa, and the utter neglect
Of all important affairs in the embarka-
ton of our troops at Tampa and their
landing at Santiago. General Miles
disav0ws all responsibility in language
that cannot be mistaken. The whole
matter was taken completely out Of his
hands and he was left stranded between
an empty commission and pack OF
greedy, pothouse politicians
On the other hand it is impossible
TO forget the diligent and careful prepar-
atoms that were made in the case OF
the expeditions to the Philippines, which
We're embarked under the direction OF
General Merritt. 1t has long been
known that General Merritt is the most
ACCOMPLISHED soldier in the American
army. but nothing has ever demonstrated
il more completely than the mastery ar
rangemcnts which he made for the com
n1otn comfort of the expeditions that
sailed from San Francisco. These ar
rangcmentS were made with an eye not
only to the long and trying voyage in
tropical seas, but Of their comfort al
fer they arrived. No detail was over
looked, nothing was forgotten, and so
complete was General Merritts victory
over circumstances that have Well-nlgh
DESTROYED the regulations of those re-
sn0Dsible for the horrors OF the Cuban
camDaign. that the correspondent of Inc
London Times, who sailed with one OF
the expeditions, takes up column or
more in which to express his aStonish-
ment at the ease with which the most
overwhelming obstacles to prompt prep
aration were overcome.
This seems to be a republican affair,
but presently the whole country VIII
take it up, and when that time comes
the politicians who managed the Cuban
campaign will find themselves in very
hot water. indeed, OF course, if the
Grand Army of the Republic and other
republicans desire to put Mr.. Mckln-
lev forward as a victim democrats can
have no objection
Conditions have been so notorious and
shocking that no one can blame Miles
for washing his hands of them in pub
lie. The republican newspapers OF the