The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-26
ALGER AT CAMP CUBA LIBRE.
SECRETARY AND PARTY PLEASED
WITH THE CAMPS CONDITION.


the MOOn-A Luncheon rendered
the Party-Secretnry AIger Highly
Compliments Gen. Lee, and De-
cIares His Camp to BE in Better
Condition Than Any Other in the
Country.
Jacksonville, Fla. Sept. 25.-secretary
Alger and party consisting of Gen. Stern
berg, surgeon general; Gen. Ludington,
quartermaster general, and others spent
to-day in Jacksonville visiting the camp
of the Seventh Army Corps.
The distinguished party was met at the
station by Gen. Lee and a committee of
citizens.
Gen. Alger proceeded at once to the
camp of the First division, and during the
day inspected the three division hospitals,
going through every ward. He shook
hands and spoke encouragingly to the
sick men, and in one instance a discharge
was asked for by a sick man. His name
was taken, and the secretary said that 1t
would be attended to- The regiments of
the three divisions were reviewed, that of
the Third division being after dark, with
only the light of the moon behind a hazy
sky
AT the conclusion of his labors, Secretary
Alger said, in response to a question: Il
am highly delighted with all that 1 have
seen, and am very agreeably surprised at
the conditions that I find existing In
Camp Cuba Libre."
As Jacksonville has been considered to
have the best and healthiest camp in the
country, his statement means much
A luncheon was rendered to the secre-
tary and party at noon, and in response
TO a toast drunk standing, he said: II
have visited Jacksonville once or twice
before, but never with the same interest
as to-day. 1 have listened with pleasure,
but with no surprise, to the resolutions
that have been read as to how the citizens
of Jacksonville have got along with Gen.
Lee. Any one can get along with him
that will let him have his own way. 1
know him pretty well, and you have been
sagacious in making him believe that he
was running things here. I am glad to
hear that the soldiers have been orderly
here, and, of course, that has been due
10 Gen Lee. Qaughter.)
1h ne health of this camp has been bet
ter than that of any other in the coun-
try. Twenty-Five per cent of that has
been due to the city of Jacksonville, and
the other 70 per cent. has been due to Gen.
Lee; Tor, of course, the subordinate off
GERS don't count applause and continued
laughter) Sickness is largely the fault of
commanders-division regmental and
company commanders. Gen. Lee is not
looking very well, and 1 have granted
MN a short leave of absence
The OrganiZing and eouinr1ino of On
army Of $4,000 men, carrying on a war
N Two continents, all in the space of three
months, has been a stupendous undertake
ing. The Secretary of War has been ably
and untiringly assisted in this undertaking
by the surgeon general, and by the quar-
termaster's department. They have been
Crluclzed, but not to the degree that the
secretary of War has been, yet I know
that the work they have accomplished has
peen little short of miraculous. When this
war began the clothing that the men have
worn was on the backs of animals. There
was no ammunition, no transportation
there was nothing behind the war depart
ment but great, rich nation, burning
with patriotism. Almost in a night an
army was organized and equipped that has
paraiyzed the nation with which we had to
deal and has awakened the admiration OF
the world. l have no apology TO make for
what has been done. / am willing to let
speak for itself.
United States Senator Morgan said to
me, before he left for the Hawaiian Is
lands The world has never seen nor will
II see again, the mobilization of such an
army and the accomplishing with it, what
mas been done with this one in so short a
Lcriod'
1t matters not what may become of me;
! may be buried in oblivion or in the grave
put The unbiased historian win give the
World the impartial record of what has
been accomplished, and the record viii
stand forever as a monument to the great
ness OF this nation and of its boundless re-
sources. We are a great nation. We don't
nave 10 depend on any other on earth, and
our resources are such thar we can be in
dependent of all. We should have a stand
ms army great enough for our needs at all
uines We should have great navy, that
We may take our place among the leading
progressive nations of the world.
When this war began / issued an order
mat the North and the South should be
bilgaded together They have been united
ana they have proven that the sectional
Hnes Of the North and the South no long
er exist, and thank God that have lived
70 see the day when we have a reunited
country
Il thank you, Gen. Lee, for the welcome
ana the hospitality of to-day, and I hope
LOT the continued perity of this city
ana thls nation" Great and continued ap-
U.ausc.)
surgeon General Sternberg accorded an
lL'ervlew, and said that he did not think
mat ne should be held responsible for the
4A'stdkes of all the officers under him, and
Eet he had been criticised for all that had
Happened. He said that every requisition |
,hal had come to his office for supplies had
peen promptly filled, and he did not know
VI pht one item that had ever been cut
from a requisition, and thar was for chew
lNs gum. His department had been ready
20 meet every demand and if the supplies |
wanted had not been asked for it was not |
his fau!t
regarding female nurses, he said that
mas position had been misunderstood. He |
""d been in favor of them from the start |
ana aid not know how It would be posi- |
"ie 10 set along without them.
As 20 the hospitals here, he was highly |
tedsed, ne said, and found the sick being |
wei cared for. In contrast to other |
camps the purity OF the water supply was
uuquestIonab.e. He had made inquiries at |
J hLtiJfn. and had n0t ri Gin