The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-06-12
WAR DEPARTMENT BLUNDERS
Houston Post Bureau.
sun building, 1871 r st-e,..

This war Is doing whole lot OF good Ter
this country and 1t will be worth every
dollar spent and every life lost, II we but
profit by its teachings and do some things
differently In the future.
Besides cementing the North and South
and eternally smashing the old oloody-
shirt cry Of the republicans that ised TO
do such excellent service in political cam
psigns, 1t has taught us that we have reen
in splendid state of unreadiness and un-
preparedness for any kind OF q war.
Lucky for us has 1t been that we aye
flgbting a bankrupt and decadent nl.ion.
II 1t had been otherwise. Mr.. President
Mckinley would long ago have been dec
Ing towards the Rocky mountains and he
Nations capital would now be in the haals
Of the invading foe. II England had called
Clevelands bluff" anent Venezuela s'v-
eral years ago. our entire coast line from
Portland Maine. to Galveston would have
been a blackened ruin in less time than
this war has been In existence.
1t is all right to yell about our pl.r,0.-
ism and TO believe we can whip any ia
ton on the great round globe. ami he.tve
, we can. IL they will give us plenty Of .iL,e
to prepare and then fight us just as we
want them to: but that is just what they
won't do. and it were better 10 do some
thinking on this subject and less yelling
and boasting.
| Not only has this conflict developed the
| fact that we were wholly unprepared for
| war of any kind. but it has developed that
q political pull with the administration
in power Is more potent in obtaining posi-
| tons OF command in the army than fitness
| for such commend. AS an Irish friend OF
mine remarked the other day, Influence is
| very influential with this administration.
The criticisms of Mr.. Paultney Bigelow
| In IIarpers Weekly and in the New York
! Herald anent the appointments of ncom-
petents and the general rawness aud in
| competence of men in high positions who
| have had charge of the movements and
mobilization Of our army since war was
| declared, are creating great interest / ere
| and causing widespread comment. All a.s
| charges may not be true, but enough of It
| Is true to cause the people to begin 10
| think Of the results that will follow placing
such men in command of our troops and
making them responsible for the lives Ct
our men.
| There are other very warm criticisms
| eoni'iS 10 inc surface mere oh Tue h'''n''S
"uupleu oS inc au'iiiii's''a''on III "a ht
mo eles, tne pIo,isions "a .hu So a.ise
had half nnaerstood how The nrovi t,ors :. +
that bill were TO be carried out 1t would
never have passed the bill,
:, muS "pp,UoUuu Ds ,nv a Us ,,as 80
| fair onnnrt,,nity TO tnst lis efficacy. at least
AS lar as the process of organza ion is
concerned.
ne uIs p'o'lue' III "uu.''ol' W d ,oi"n
$500 men. for The Organization into ten
regiments 10000 enlisted volunteers, "plg-
sessing immunity iiom diseases inciaeht 10
| 'ropIcai ciihates' the olnoers thereol 10 pc
appointed by the, president by ana Nitn
ihe adVlce ana consent OF the sena q
immunity from diseases incident 20
| tropical climates was the preTeqd sit3
qualification OF every man OF the ten 1.si-
mehts. when the bill was pendins oeioie
congress- It's ADVOCATES representing ihe
auhiihlsWatlon anu particularly the wa
department. dwelt win grave emphasis
upon the importance OF TINS pe,uiiar IN
muhe proposition.
|
When democrats ana others in sympathy
with promoting the effectiveness OF the
vo,untcors of tho army ohfsctea IN th, f,a .
-, -,
'u'o Vi tns p'i ""'oh p'"'eo me "pp''"l-
ment OF all oihcers In the hands OF the
president the war measure advocates were
rcaay ,4,h =, o,s,or :, v,s ,hot ,,s,.o
| 49, ~
were 'inuiuhes scattered All over 'ns eouh-
try, and in the formation of companies
battallons and regiments If the onpo ~
or, 80 ,,o,r o,ea,., -, ,o,,
" 49, W. wv " ''N r
erhors OF the states or 10 eier'io1 10y the
men themselves. confusion and inev table
DELAY would result This statement So. med
rc,so,ala o,orrh rb.n nron a..,,ranoo.
'ea'"haoie eioasn' ine"' upon assurances
In making appointments the pregtoea a,
would respect the wishes Of the immurt
,,,..., themselves, Tue olli was pc
ago, yet unless tho mrthod NJ ~. exoc,,.
ton of the law is materially changed &c