The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1898-09-09
REPLIES TO CRITICS.
Gen. Wheeler Talks About Hard
ships at Santiago and in Camp.
Hs says Soldiers Are Not Complaining
They Were Glad 60 co 20 CGba-EH-
Pectsd Hardships and We're
Anxious to Face Them.

Camp Wikoff, L L. Sept. S.-MeS
Gen. Joseph Wheeler gave the follow
ing to the Associated press yesterdays
The following is 5 sample Of the letters We
are constantly receiving regarding TIE solaieEs
II camp;
In regard 20 my stspsOu- We feel very IN
easy about him on account Of the newspaper -
ports Of the priTation and suffering inflicted On
the private soldferE Although he Eas never
uttered 6 complaint since he has been IN the
army, We hear from other sources OF TIE crue4
and horrible treatment Inflicted On Our soi-
diers under the pretense Of humanity for cur
ueirhbors and the whole country s. in = state
Of terrible excitement I should not De sur
prised II the feeling should lead to q reFoiu-
ton Of some kind, for assure you near On
all sides the most violent and bitter denUneia-
tiOns Of the war department and the sdminis-
tration- Il is indeed great pity that the glory
OF our triumphs should be dimmed By such .
shameful thing as the III treatment ana star
walton OF our own brave soldiers, while the
Spanish prisoners have the best treatment tnae
the country can AFFORD ~
It viii be seen that this letter says that not =
/ word Of complaint has been received from this
soldier and. so far as my Investigation goes, no
complaint has been made By any Of the brave
soldiers that have added glory TO our arms 10
| the Cuban campaign A great many anxious
| fathers, mothers. brothers or sisters arrlEs
here from all parts OF the United States 70 look
after their relatives who. they say, the papers
] tell them are suffering and many OF them have
heard that their relatives are In q condition OF
starvation Most Of these people are little able
D 70 e1pend the money for such . journey ana
/ they are surprised when the come here to ma
l their relatives surrounded with everything %
/ eat which can be procured By money ana y
I sick IN the hospital they Ire gratined and sur
I prised to ind that they are given every POSSE
I bic care
/ In reply TO a direct request that I give tbs
/ exact facts as see them viii state every
/ Ohicer and soldier who went 70 Cuba regarded
that he was given great and special privilege
/ in being permitted TO engage in that campaign
/ They knew they were 70 encounter yellow
\ fever and other diseases as well as the tOrrid
/ heat Of the country, and they were proud ana
I glad 70 60 50 They knew that il was impOsst-
I bic for them to have the advantages Of wagon
| transportation which usually accompanies an
! army, and yet Oficers and men were glad 20 GO
/ 70 carry their blankets and their rzttOns On
/ their backs and to be subjected, without any
shelter, TO the sun and rains BY day ana the
heavy dews By night They certainly knew
/ that the Spaniards had spent years IA erecting
defenses. and il was their pleasure 70 assauls
and their duty 70 capture the Spanish works
They were more than glad to incur the hard
ships and these dangers They went there ana
did their duty; each man seeming 70 feel that
American honor and prestige were to be meas
ured BY his conduct TIE brave men who won
the victories did not complain o. the neglect Of
the government, but, the contrary. they
/ seemed graf eful TO the president and secretary
/ Of war for giving them the opportunity to in
| cur these dangers and hardshipS They reals
| fzsd that in the hurried organization o. an eL.
petition Dy q government which had no one
. | with any experience in such matters It was
/ impossible 70 have everything arranged to per-
/ lection; and they viii testify that. under the
/ circumstances the conditions we're much more
perfect than anyone would have reason 20 exc
/ peot and that the president and secretary Of
war and Others who planned and dispatched
| these expeditions deserve high commenda-
ton
When the expedition sailed for Cuba. tt
went there escorted BY large feet Of war
ships At that time it was regarded as in
/ possible for a merchant ship to san On tha
/ ocean safely from any American port 20 SAM
tiagO. but as soon as the Spanish meet vas oe-
| stroyed. 50 that Il was possible for unarE1ed
| ships 10 sail safely 70 Santiago, the generous
people OF the United States subscribed money
/ without limit and dispatched ship after sbiE
loaded with luxuries and delicacies for the
Santiago army. and everything that could DC
accomplished for their comfort was done %
the president and secretary Of war
There IS no doubt that there have been indi-
vfdual cases OF unnecessary suffering and pos
sfbly neglect among the soldiers, not only 10
. / Cuba. but since their arrival at this place
Nearly 20 600 men were brought from . yellow
fever district to the United States It would
have been criminal 20 have landed them and
allowed them 20 20 prOmiscuOusiy among the
e people It has been stated by physicians that
, II Il had been Gone, yellow fever would have
spread through many Of our states
To avoid such a catastrophe, Q point which =
more thoroughly Isolated from the people than
7 any other locality which could be found wa
= selected BY these wise means the countFy
G has been saved from scOurge Of this fearful
; disease Every one viii realize that 70 Land
4 1900 men and put them on bare fields without
q any buildings whatever could not be done with
t out some hardships Over SOD very sick meE
. have been received in the general hospital. and
! as many more sick have been received In tn
camps ana yet only about 90 deaths have 90
q CURED in these hospitals
d Tents had 70 Be erected ana hospitals con
4 structsd and preparations 20 supply those -
\ I 600 men with wholesome water. tooos meQt
cfnes. PHYSICIANS, nurses. cooks, hospital furnt
g ture. wagons. ambulsnces and the other needi
essential to caring for Il, 900 men, fully half d
= whom are very sick or In q feeble pDysiea
. condition In addition 70 this most Of tn
: bedding and much Of the clothing Was left Il
= Santiago 70 prevent yellow fever i1fectioa
o All Of these deficiencies have had e Be sup
!. piled We have but one line Of railroad =
e bring these supplies and sometimes there aaF'
been delays