The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-10-25
AN ANSWER TO A CRITICISM.

lion. w. D. Page, Crockett. Texas.
Austin, Texas, October II. 1898. Dear
Sir; In last Issue OF your paper YOU
strongly object TO my criticism OF the con-
duct OF the war with Spain in speech de-
livered at Wsnnsboro on the Sth instant. 1t
seems to me you certainly have not fully
considered the facts ahD ! beg to point out
specifically come OF the more important and
will thank you to publish this note:
The charges made are "a favoritism in
Apo ntunents. 90 extravaganza In expendi-
lures, CD unnecessary movement OF troops
for tho benefit OF the railway companies and
Gl cruel treatment Of soldiers, and they
Will be briefly noticed in this oriier.
i. The president and his advisors sought
to disarm criticism by the appointment OF
distinguished Confederate soldiers to high
comnarNi, such as Generals Wheeler and
Lee. This action is lighly commendatory
and has received Its just acknowledgment
but 1t should not be allowed TO cover gross
delinquencies. In the appointment Of gen.
eral and staff officers upon the proper dis
cAarge OF whose duties depended the health
and iives cf soldiers the president Apo mt
cd seventy men to important commands
who were utterly lacking In experience or
training to perform the duties of the posi-
lions ana waose appointment was solely
cue TO polit cal or personal considerations.
The proper limits of this note viii not al
low me to name all Of them, but a sufD-
Client pIea will be conveyed by recalling the
appointment OF such young men as Harrl-
son Blaine, Logan, BelnNnt, Astor and
Others. In some republican States under
the FIRST ttall for troops more regiments
vera allowed than authorized by law and
1t was done for THE purpose OF allowing the
gov rnors to appoint reglmen,al officers.
This was not only unjust to other States,
but in the salaries of THE officers was a
pure raid on the treasury. For instance, In
pennsylvania there were about fifteen rcgl-
| nents OF militia. Not one of the regiments
had the number of men required by army
regulations. In fact, tho State unier the
! call was entitled TO only about ten regi
menls 81 twelve companies, get the war
department, 1t Is believed with the express
authority of the president. for the governor
| visited WASH ngton 10 arrange it, allowed
| The fftoCn regiments 10 be mustered In
| instead Of requiring each company OF the
| ten regiments to be recruited TO the full
| quota as IN Texas anil other States. The
| policy pursued gave the governor of Penn
| sylvanda authority to nppo mt regimental
officers for FIVE more regiments than au
| th0rlsed by law and thus, besides the in
| justice TO Cther States, increased expenses
amounting to more uGan 100000 annually
| In that State
. For the fscal year emitting June 80,
1898, the total expenditures of the National
government, not includ ne the war. were
eetlmatSa by the secretary of the treasury
| at 1863 900 600. Tho secretaries of the navy
| and war officially estimated that 1928 600
600 wls sufficient for war purposes. which,
| with tho $3.50 600, 600 above nllned, would
| aggregate $69i ,000, 900 for all purposes in
oil 4 tW - aa...I. iii
| sources for the year ending June 80, 1898.
| exclusive of the war revenue law, was
| timated by the secretary of the treasury at
| $iil 100000 The est puGtci revenue from
| me special war tax bill Is $500 900 00G and
| honl IS to the sum Of $500 000, 600 have been
| Issued These three items aggregate SOIL
| O,O0O and show that S2i7 600. 900 IN bonds
aud taxes havo been levied upon the people
| in one year in excess of tle needs OF the
government. In my Judgment no greater
| economic outrage was ever perpetrat 3 upon
| a free people and 10 permit 1t to so un-
noticed and uuchallenged is 10 forget that
| eternal vigilance Is the price OF liberty.
g. Credible authority places the total ex-
peEses so far incurred in the transporta-
| tion OF troops by railroads at 500, 600, 900.
| Space and the lack Of exact figures render
II impnlctioable for me TO give the whole
| facts showing unnecessary movements OF
| troops In 0r,ler TO swell railway receipts,
but some at hand will suffice to Illustrate
the matter. Two companies OF Hhe Third
| FeNas infantry were sent in n tNnsport
from the western coast of Florida to New
| York ami thence to Fort Clark, Texas in
stead OF the cheaper ana more direct route
The brigade OF Grant going to Porto Rico
! was taken from Chlcknmauga 70 Tampa.
| Most 81 the divisions commanded by Brooke
| gong to Porto Rico went from Newport
| News white Brooke and his staff sailed
from Charleston II is 900 miles by straight
| line from the camp 10 Charleston 70 New
| Fort Nows 1856 miles alaA TO Tampa 40
miles. SIX regiments Of infantry from Ala
| hama, Louisiana and Texas were stat .oned
az Mobile, Ths ca1np was healthfui and ac-
| ceptable and the troops could have been
| loaded ON transports there or at New Or
leans for Cuba or Porto Rico. They were,
however transported By rail at enormous
| expense across the States OF Alabama,
| Georgia and Florida to Miami Florida
| This place had BEEN previously Inspected
| by army officers and condemned as a camp
ana II was, besides, not accessible to trans
| ports.
| 1, Ii Is inexplioaIhc 10 ME how any one
| can doubt that the troops have been negli-
gently ana cruelty treated TIE testimony
Of such men US Generals Sanger and
breckenridge, and Doctors Sem. seaman
and other distinguished surgeons abunlnnt-
| ly and conclusiyely prove It,, The report
| OF the medical comm ,S,sion appointed BY
| SuEetpH btneTai Sternp2fg 10 inQuire into
| the condition OF Camp Thomas at Chicka-
manga, after stating that there was much
unnecessary suffering and many deaths.
| says; 1T certainly appears that those high
| err In authority. iriSSe who were in position
to insist upon proper equipment OF this
hospital shouh have employed some means
to have furnished the comforts for
every sick man sent to the hospital That
THY did not is apparently cviiant." DR.
w. W Walker OF Schulenhurg. Texas. sur
geon at Camp wykofi New York. wrote as
toIows: This is a terrible place aud il
makes nv theart bleed 10 see so many OF
my couutrymen aud comrades dying for
want OF proper medicines and treatment.
anil the gross negligence and heartlessnes7
o. the medical stan. Right here. in 100
miles Of New York | can not get medicine
| Tor typhoid fever. or chlorinated water 10
wash cut uae bowels in typhoid fever and
dyStenry, the two pr ucipal diseases kill
ing our boys, Yesterday | was clllei TO a
| iyphetd case bleeding at the nose aud could
get no iron styphx 10 stop IT, This morn
| ing | could MAJ get a rubber cataeter TO
draw of mans urine. There is rrosS
Encouragement somewhere sni " Is cost
ing many Ives Too many politicians and
rfSh mems SONS asA anDOiutgl TO office