The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-18
THE RIGHT WORD.

At the reunion of the survivors of one of
Wednesday. veteran denounced the efforts
of newspapers and demagogues to destroy
the confidence of the people in the admins
tration of the war as 'treasonable.' This
WILL at first thought, seem harsh classifi-
cation of such conduct, but reflection will
force a conclusion that it is not TOO severe
In the first place, these assaults upon the
efficiency and faithfulness of the War Dr.
partment go much further than the secre-
tary of war. The heads of the different
branches of the same were not named by
President Mckinley. On the contrary, all of
them have been in the army for years and
hold their positions through gradual promo
ton. DR.. Sternberg was surgeon general
when Mr. Mckinley became President. I'm
less removed by sentence of court-martial
he will hold the position until the retiring
age. General Flagler has been chief of ord
nance some years. General Corbin was NOM
mated for adjutant general by President
Mckinley from the highest officers in rank
of the Acknowledgement in the service. All
ficers in the United States army will con-
tinue in the service after the war; They
will command divisions, regiments, have
charge of hospitals and feed and clothe the
army. A general charge of inefficiency, or
worse, of the heartless neglect of men, well
or SICK falls upon them. Are these the
men under whom 1 am to serve if 1 enlist?"
xrrIaA l,t.,I~ e re
they believe these stories which sensational
and partisan papers are telling they will
not enlist The regular army will never be
more in need of recruits than during the
next six months. Indeed, there is every rea-
son to fear that If these false reports and
the unreliable stories of few men who
have been in the service are believed, an
army could not be recruited to defend the
country against invasion. The New York
World the leader in such publications, says
an army could not be recruited until there is
change in the War Department, which
means much more than the secretary.
Again: The administration needs the serv-
ices of the regiments now retained The
war may not be at an end. 1t will not be If
lHe peace commissioners cannot agree upon
terms. Troops, in the event of peace, will
be needed five six months to secure the
fruits of our splendid victory. Most of these
regiments would like to be mustered out
but the appeals come chiefly from the homes
of the men, whose relatives are excited over
the stories of neglect by surgeons and other
officers. Some of these regiments are re-
ported on the verge of INSTRUMENTATION.
More of them will be in that condition if
newspapers and demagogues continue to re-
late fictitious horrors. Hundreds will de-
sert, to be apprehended and punished. In a
short time all people of average intelligence
will learn how false and wicked the great
part of these stories are, and they will
have no influence. But if they should not
If people at home and the men in the army
should be convinced that they are true by
the continued reiteration of them, three
fourths of the volunteers would be in a
condition Of INSTRUMENTATION.
If the reiteration of such falsehoods by
newspapers has such an infiuence-and it
cannot be doubted that it has and will con-
tinue to exert such Unreasonable"
is about the best ready-made word that can
be found in the dictionary to describe such
conduct.