Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1898-06-09

4
dition according to best information.
Our soldiers did not expect hotel fare,
but they are entitled to food in quanti-
ty sufficient to insure their health. They
are not getting this. Instead of cool
ing foods, they get hot pork and beans
day after day. Such uniforms as they
have are of thick cloth in which they
swelter under the burning sun. Little
effort seems to be made TO get even
decent drinking water for them.
1t looks as if some OF the department
officials calculated that the men would
endure a great deal before the country
would be stirred and are playing the
full limit. Veterans of the rebellion
say they never experienced the like.
The blame is fixed by some on incom-
petent officers who secured and hold
their places by reason of political
'pulls.'
The soldiers reason if this is what
they get now what will be their lot
when they reach Cuba? They write
discouraging letters home, advising
their friends not to enlist. If another
call for troops were made this would
have great influence in lettering men
from enrolling. 1t is poor policy to
treat our soldiers as they are being
treated, unless it is absolutely neces-
sary. With our country as rich and
resourceful as it is, people are slow to
believe that it is necessary to half
starve our troops right at home before
a gun is fired. If the fault is not with
individuals, but with the machinery by
which supplies are collected and for
warded, then something ought to be
done to simplify the machine. Other
countries, even Spain herself, are not
so neglectful of the welfare of the COM
mon soldier who must fight the battles.
The war is taking a '.jingoT aspect,
not wholly approved by all our people.
SO long as the war was prosecuted d.
rectly for the relief of the Cubans-for
which it was ostensibly undertaken
scarcely word was uttered against it,
but it seems as if that object had been
completely lost sight of. Instead of
being a war of humanity and justice, it
is rapidly assuming the nature of war
for conquest, with perhaps incidental
benefits to the territory we expect to
conquer.
Having, since war was declared, as
sisted Spain in starving to death the
remnant of the Cubans by means of a
cruel blockade, we now hear scarcely a
word about the .'reconcentrados"whose
sutferings moved us to take up arms.
We are wholly absorbed in conquering
Spanish territory wherever it may be
located. and whether we have any use
for it or not.
Dewey was ordered to destroy tie
Spanish Pacific fleet wherever found.
He happened to find it in Manila har-
Dor and did the job thoroughly and
with despatch. Ii he had done the same
thing hundred miles at sea the cap
ture of the Philippines would scarcely
have been thought of. But now we are
sending thousands. of troops half way
around the world to conquer islands
that we have no use for whatever, I'M
less we can dispose of them to some
other nation, which is very doubtful. |
the task of conquering
them will be no Sunday school picnic.
They are in climate likely to prove |
deadly to our troops. The Spaniards
have large army there still and even
if this is beaten we still have the ma
lives to deal with. millions of them. who |
won't care to yield the Spanish yoke in
favor of another foreign one. They |
want to be free and if they set out to
be all the troops we can send won't be
able to prevent them in the long run.
The Philippines are likely to prove a
most lamentablc source of trouble to
Uncle Sam.
Then we are going to take Porto Ri
90. This may be advisable from mil
tary point of view, but it really has lit
lie to do with saving the poor Cubans.
We are going right about it, too. even
before we invade Cuba, lest, if we post
bone it, Spain will sue for peace first
md we shall not acquire it. Your I'm
lie Samuel here lets his Yankee dispo-
'ition shine through his coat of al
eyed humanitarian designs. He means
o make Spain foot the bills while he
axes the credit.
And, lastly, Cuba is to be invaded