The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-11-28

loou was not sold to starving men at 20
cents tor a sandwich, and daintles for tne
gaag were nos eaten by she onlcsrs.
nue suppose matters had peen ohou,
s shat times worse In the ClVil war, woaiu
mat be any reason now tna5 our men
should be sent with arms out or date,
Ghae there should be no ambuiances, no
PACK trains or transportation TO carry
1000 to the front; nor nall sufhcient
medicines nor doctors, nor proper hos
wounds should be left to lie In the mud
on blanket--if they had one, without
II they had none; nor even why mid
winter underolothing should be sent to
Cuba and midsummer gauze undershirts
to Montauk. The accomplishing endu-
rance m Of our men has simply been heroic.
they bore wounds. sickness, privations
to death even, without word 1t was
only neglect starvation in fact and
abuse in the hospitals which called
forth letters, and then only sent home to
their families, letters which were sent
TO me by broken hearted mothers in pitt
full appeals to try to help their sons,
Il wish your commission could have
read them, but as many of them were
transmitted to me confidentially l cannot
even quote from them.
The witnesses have established mon.
strous incapaoity. That they have not
full confidence in the power OF your
to meet all the requirements the pupho
demands of 1t, is only echoing your own
doubts, but in spite of that, they seem 20
have done their share and it would seem
that 1t only remains for you to 90 yonr
best even If that best is not quite satis-
factory to yourselves, II done In good
faith it will teach the soldiers that at
least there is a power which has honestly
endeayored to do them Justice
You can direct your inquiries in the
first place to the food supply. Find out
who gets the difference between the lib
eral rauions allowed by the government
and meagre hard tack. bacon and green
coffee served to the soldiers. The wit
nesses are the books and the rolls in the
public department. to which you have
full access.
aWe have furnished you the facts,
shown you brutality, cruelty, neglect, In
difference; how men whom the govern
ment was under every obligation TO pro.
teet were starved even in the land OF
plenty; were uncared for when sick; left
without attention when wounded; were
abused, maltreated-in some cases prac-
tically murdered We have shown you an
indifference and belittling OF human
sufferings which continue even now. II
this nation is to become warlike one, II
we are to have an army which shall be
efficient and to be relied upon, these
crimes and plumbers must be corrected
and your commission must correct them.
1t is not for you to make the feeble ex-
ouse that our committee, mere volun-
tary association, with no legal existence
even, should shoulder this responsible
ty."
STAND ON THEIR RECORD.
Gen. Dodge suggested that the letter be
received and filed Capt. Howell second
ed the motion. He said:
'sWe have invited all the witnesses to
tell us everything they know. We have
made and are making every honest effort
to get witnesses and to get the truth
from them. | do not see that Mr.. Roose-
velt needs any answer. am ready to
stand on the record of the commission
when the commission has made record.
but | do nut need Mr.. Roosevelt OF any
one else to make up my mind for me-
Gen. Beaver spoke on the same lines
and by general consent Gen. Dodge's sug-
gestion was adopted.
There was no further witnesses in at.
tendance and the commission took re-
cess expressing itself ready to re-convene
at any time up to s O'Clock should any
witnesses present themselves.
The afternoon session compile ted the
work of the commission in this city. The
members Of the commission will go to
Boston tonight by the midnight train.
Gen. Dodge asks that the Boston papers
announce that the commission will rs
ceive all intending witnesses at the PARK
er House, Monday morning at O'Clock.
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