Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1898-12-23
THE Defect in American Patriotism.

Editors Union Signal:-Past expe-
rience has prepared us to expect that
war time will be utilized by unscrupu-
lous men in making private fortunes
out OF government contracts. The
shocking condition of the army camps
especially the state Of the men at san
tiago, has probably been largely caused
by fraud on the part Of such contrac-
tors added to still grosser fraud and
Encouragement in the commissary de-
partment of the army itself. Early IN
the war the press reported the arrest
of acommissary officer for selling to his
private advantage the government sup
niles. The man admitted his guilt. but
asserted in excuse that "they all do IT,.
The published statement that I'M
broken packages of army goods are
freely on sale in the vicinity OF the
camps would, if fact, prove there was
some truth in the mans charge. From
such straws one may Judge how the
wind of public opinion blows. Plain
w stated the common thought is: Pa
triotism only relates to fighting; it does
not relate to manufacturing or buying
and selling.
The most unscupulous Of these men
would Indignantly repel the accusation
of being a traitor The flag floats over
his house, he wears it in his button
hole and reioices in every success OF
the American troops. Nevertheless
stripped of verbal DISCUSSES the fact re-
mains, he who cheats the government
gives aid and comfort to its enemies
and is actually traitor
Our soldiers suffered more from tho
attacks of General Fever than from
any Spanish general, and to contribute
to the surrender of our men to this
deadly foe, differs, not in principle
from being traitorously concerned IN
the capitulation of the troops to a hui
man foe.
II an enriched army contractor re-
ceived social ostracism instead of the
court paid to wealth, his position as
a traitor would be better marked.
Money should no more be the object
of the contractor or army officer who
feeds and clothes the army taan OF the
soldier who fights in it. Both have
right to a proper income, but our
soldiers do not fight for their pay and
would be Justly depised If they did SO.
"Mercenaries" applied to troops is uni
versally a term of contempt, but in the
commissary department men are ex-
pected to be mercenary. The concep-
ton of patriotism is radically deficient
which has such different standard for
soldier and merchant, for one for fight
ing and one for buying and selling.
Ruskin has very plainly and forcibly
stated the fact that buying and selling
is really a business in which loyalty
to death is required. His words have
a greater force with regard to the
emergencies of war than in the peace
full days of which he wrote. He says
in the chapter on 1.-THE Roots OF
Honor:
Five great Intellectual professions
relating to daily necessities of life
have hitherto existed-three exist nee
essarily in every civilized nation.
1.-THE soldiers profession is to de-
fend it.
1.-THE pastors. to teach it.
1.-THE physicians, to keep 1t In
nealth.
"The wage earner's, to enforce JUS
tice in it.
"The merchants to provide for 1t.
"And the duty Of all these men Is,
on due occasion, to die for It,"
The American people, although in
dignant at the mismanagement Of the
commissary department, have not
formed as high an ideal Of patriotism
as this. When they do raise the stand
ard of duty as high for their mer-
chants as for their soldiers, the coun-
try will be able to cleanse itself alike
from the stains of municipal corruption
and Of scandals in war management.