Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-05-15
Men SLOW TO ENLIST
Willing to Fight at Home,
But Not Abroad.
BATTERY DID NOT LEAVE
Whlto Caps After Madam Gussle. Bought
Land In Her Own Namo. Coning
OratorIcal Events. Other
... Local News.

For the first time in the history Of
Elizabeth City county the patriotic
spirit of the people appears to have
dropped before the line of normal ac-
tiVlty This Is particularly noticeable
among the younger element of the
population. those who saw service in
the held during the war between the
states showing a much more marked
disposition to take up arms against
the naughty Castilians. Just why it
is that now, when there is u call from
the head of the nation to face a foe
common to us all. the young men of
Elizabeth City county should fail to
SHOW themselves the sons Of those Vir-
ginia patriots whose fervent spirit
stirred the valor of the people in other
years, is for the most part conjecture
But the fact remains that after three
weeks of Industrious effort upon the
part of Captain Hope, the Peninsula
Guards are unable to muster but fifty
seven men sworn in as soldiers of the
government and pledged to follow the
stars and stripes wherever the for
tunes of war may carry them.
Had the call of the President for
volunteers limited the field Of action to
the United States there is not the
slightest reason to doubt that Captain
Hope would be able this morning to
march to the front at the head of two
hundred as brave young men as ever
leVeled muskets at u foe. But the
thought of a long campaign under
tropical skies, at a season when the
rain is poured out in torrents and
burning fevers dig more graves than
Spanish bullets make necessary, has
caused hundreds who-were the hard
ships of war to be encountered con-
fined to the peris of the battlefield.
would promptly enroll their names-to
hesitate. This fear. however, is not
we'll founded. The truth is that even
though it may rain in Cuba, as it is
almost certain to do from midsummer
until the return of the fall and winter
seasons. soldiers who go to the island
will be about as we'll protected from
disease as if they We're fighting in the
extreme Southern section of this coun-
try.
For the benefit of those whose dread
of the tropical climate has deferred
them from enlisting in the service, it
may not be amiSS to remark that the
government has made ample provision
for caring for the sick. The men will
be abundantly supplied with food and
clothing suited to the climatic condi-
lions of the island, and, in view of the
fact that camp life will be confined to
the high and healthful country toward
the interior a sOjOurn of a month or
two in Cuba would be more likely to
prove beneficial than harmful. There
are scores of hale and hearty young
men in this country who work hard
every day. year in and year out. in the
midst of conditions more dangerous
as disease breeding agencies than
those with which as soldiers they
would meet in the highlands of Cuba.
Those who fall Ill will be promptly
transferred to a hospital ship and, IL
need be, returned to the continent.
1t is ardently hoped that the PENN
sula Guards. in which not only the
people of the town but of the county
feel Il commendable pride. will not
much longer be short Of the quota
designated by the State authorities.
Their pride in the organization, which,
under the able direction of Captain
Hope. has become one Of the best
drilled companies in the common
wealth, is touched by the thought that
after three weeks effort to secure 81
men the roster still lacks 81 names.
This feeling was intensified last even;
gin by the announcement In the Tele-
gram that Captain Marye, with 90
men. will leave Newport News this af
ternoon to Join the Virginia troops now
at Richmond.