Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-09-07
THE ALeER wHIrEwAsH.


Gen. II. Y. Boyntcn has reported +
Alger, as TO conditions in the hos
pitals at Camp Thomas, Chicka
mauga. This camp being under hi
command IL is natural that the re
port should be whitewash, and it is
Nevertheless a little reading between
the lines disclcses the fact that The
charges which forced the socalled "in
yestigation" were undoubtedly true
Speaking Of the hospital at Crawford
Springs, he says that the funds have
enabled Major Carter, who has charge,
ito buy all that has been needed 10
the way of canned and potted goods
soups, clam juice, sago, matted milk,
eggs, koumiss, jellies, preserves,
ginger, oil, champaign and claret."
He forgets to enumerate oysters, pate
de fol gras and several other things,
the enumeration OF which would
make a mans mouth water; and
he also forgets to state that any of
these delicacies have ever been
bought end fed to any Of the sick
soldiers.
At the Sternberg hospital: "Three
hundred gallons OF milk are purchased
daily, and $50 gallons furnished by
the Red Cross society,"" Why should
1t be necessary for the Red Cross to
furnish one-third Of the milk needed I?
"All money necessary for the pur.
chase Of delicacies OF every kind suit
able to the sick has been furnished" !"
Well, we all knew that the govern
ment was able to buy those things,
but what good did that do the sick
soldiers? There is no evidence that
they were allowed TO have anything
OF the kind. In fact, In the field
hospital the evidence proves the CON
trary, for: "None OF the 60 cents al
lowed per man for delicacies has
been used, as 1t was not needed"
The sick boys didn't "need" any
delicacies; see? Bacon and hardtack
were plentiful and needed to be eaten
before the worms finished them.
In another hospital: "For q time
the hospital was a week behind In
obtaining medical supplies" OF
course this was nobody's fault. "As
in other hospitals, the force OF at
tendants here, both officers and men,
have worked with great persistence,
and still oyer 25 per cent Of the hos
pital corps has fallen sick from its
exhaustive labors.
This statement, that more than one
fourth the force OF attendants, were
on the sick list from over.work, is
made OF all the hospitals, and 1t is
put forward as proof that the
sick soldiers have received all neened |
attention. As a matter of fact, 1t
proves the reverse; that the force has
been wofully insufficient.
General Boynton explains "that
the conditions set forth 10 this report
are mainly present conditions" He
does not youch in any way for the
past.
He also, lis constrained to believe
that there has been no neglect on
the part OF either the medical or
luartermaster departments to furnish
such supplies as have reached the
camp" But he gives no assurance
that supplies haye been reaching
the camp 10 sufficient quantity.
And II should be remembered that
this Is the best showing that could be
made by one OF Alger's pets, as TO
hospitals for the condition OF
which he was himself responsible,
ees
The old saying, "When In peace
prepare for war" is illustrated by the
fact that although the war with Spain
Is over the Navy Department will
open bids for the construction of a
ioZen torpedo boats and OF sixteen
'destroyers" OF the most improved
rider. The torpedo boats will be
- ) c,1