Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1898-09-10
IN CHICAGO.
SOLDIERS TREATED IKE SLAVES
AND SAiLORS LIKE KIN0S.

The discrimination shown by our gov.
ernment In dealing with its soldiers ana
sailors Is shameful.
Following an old medieval custom the
sailors who fought behind ramparts Of
steel three or four feet thick who only
lost two men during the whole war. and
who are free from the dangers Of fevers
and contagiOn because they are on the
water all the time. get all kinds of head
money. prize money. etc.
The poor soldier who left u comfort.
able home. who had to sleep ON the
ground. drink poor water. got no food.
no medicine. no treatment worthy of
u dog. no defense against bullets hut
his skin. ana be dumped home with his
constitution destroyed. gets SI3 per
month-when the government gets
around To II.
How different with the sailors.
Al least $l,OOO,OOO In prize money will
be- distributed among American sailors
as result Of the war with Spain.
More than one-half OF this sum will
he paid In accordance with that section
Of law providing for the payment of u
bounty for persons on board vessels Of
war sunk In action. The rest will be-
turned Into the treasury for dlstribu-
tIon by the courts which shall pass
upon vessels Of the enemy captured by
American men.of.war.
Although not u penny of prize money
has yet been turned into the treasury,
Judge Advocate General Lemly and his
chief clerk. Mr.. Hanna, are engaged In
considering the various claims for prize
money which have been filed by officers
and men and In passing upon the varl
Gus questions which have arisen In con
nection with such claims.
From the official report OF Admiral
MonteJo. commanding the spanish feet
sunk at Manila. there were 1875 per
sons on board the ships under his com
mand.
The Spanish feet was Of inferior
force to the American squadron. and
Rear Admiral Dewey's men will there
fore get only 500 for each person.
II IL estimated that the aggregate
amount due the Asiatic fleet rs result
of the destruction Of the Spanish force
amounts to $1S7.J0. which congress
will he asked to appropriate during thu
coming season.
One.twentieth of this sum belongs Il
Rear Admiral Dewey as commandment
chief. and he will therefore be $0,37'
richer than he was before the war.
Rear Admiral Sampson. who WASH
ut the battle of Santiago at all. ha
realized a snug little fortune rs a re
suit Of the war. As commandment
chief Of the North Atlantic fleet he vii
get One-twentieth of every prize takel
In North Atlantic waters and One-twen
tleth of the head money allowed for tn
vessels destroyed off Santiago and II
Cuban ports. II Is estimated that III
will finally receive about $4,000 as hi
share Of prize money.
In determining the amount OF heat
money due officers and men 1t will b.
necessary for the department to decid
whether vessel destroyed was inferio
or superior tn her antagonist. II tn
latter the American ship will be on
titled TO 800 for each person on boar
the enemy's vessels. OF course thi
will swell the amount Of prize none.
due the rear admiral.
II Is estimated that, including tn
Mercedes. sunk by the Massachusett
AT the mouth of the harbor at Santiago
there were 2.492 persons on board tn
Spanish fleet destroyed by Rear Ad
mlral SIMPSONS command, which wa
superior 10 the enemy, and the amour
OF head money due the fleet will con
seauently aggregate s2i9,20
Besides these ships, Spanish men-of
war were sunk at ManzanillO, Nipc am
other points along the Cuban coast, III
destruction of each of which mean
prize money for the officers and mel
participating In the work.
Legal officials OF the department vii
be required 10 determine whether mer
chant vessels carrying guns in thei
hold, Ike the Santo Domingo. whlcl
was sunk by the Eagle, come withiI
the meaning OF the section providing
for the payment Of bounties for person
ON board. The result Of these question