Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1898-09-08

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AS much as everyone must depiore the
| amount Of sickness among our victorious
| troops. it is a fact, nevertheless, that the
percentage Of deaths from disease for the
| number Of men enrolled is far less than
it was in the civil war. The records Of
the Union army show a mortality list Of
| IL per cent of the entire force, or $4,000
| In all. Of these 93,443 were killed in
battle or died subsequently Of wounds;
| 1876, 216 died of disease, the cause Of death
| in the remaining cases being for the most
| part unknown. The hospital records show
that 6,O49,64S cases were treated during
| the civil war, the mortality list being as
| follows:
| Gunshot winds 80, $40 Remtnt. fever. $50
| Diarrhea ...... 81, 127 Intrmtnt. fver 4, lo4
| Dysentery -. 5,576 Inflammation of
| Typhoid 49,. .29,336 lungs .....19,9 zl
| Typho-malarial Smallpox go. 1'ooa
! fever ..... $3.50 Measles ...... 5,177
During the war 1885, 45 men were dis
charged for disability, classified as fol-
lows: Gunshot wounds, 81, 200; consump.
ton. 2O,9O5; diarrhoea, 16,4S7; debility.
15.O4O; rheumatism, 1868; heart dis
| ease, 1O,797. The heavy mortality which
must have resulted in these cases is not
| included in the mortality records of the
| war. The army which fought the civil
| war had no such climatic conditions to
contend with as our present army had in
Cuba. Neither did the armies of the civil
| war have to be transported In troopshlps,
hastily gathered and fitteG up in an emer-
gency. A crowded ship in the temperate
climate of the North Atlantic is not a
sanitary habitation by any means, and in
Cuban waters it is a prolific breeder Of
pestilential diseases.
Before Congress has proceeded far with
it's investigation Of the War Department
and the part 1t played In the conduct of
the war the unpleasant fact will be re-
vealed that Congress itself is the pri-
mary source Of the trouble and of the
inability of the war Office to properly crap
pie with the war situation as found dur
ing the last FIVE or six months. Congress
is not wholly to blame because the War
Department is not up to date and because
many of the officials are so welded to old
style red tape methods and to old-time
regulations that they cannot break away,
but it is largely responsible. 1t will have
to take much of the blame upon itself for
conditions which at the present time are
found to be intolerable. If Congress will
take this lesson to itself and liberallze
the methods in vogue and the spirit in
control Of the War and Navy Depart
ments the agitation will not have been in
vain.
Admiral Schley has a happy gift of re-
Wondering names and faces and incidents
connected with casual meetings with peo-
pie years ago. He has surprised many
people since his return by greeting them
cordially and recalling little things that
happened at some previous meeting, which
they did not dream he had remembered
or which perhaps they themselves had
forgotten Admiral Schley has lived
many years of his life in Washington and
at one time or another has met thousands
of it's citizens. Everybody knew him by
sight, but until the last few days nobody
had any idea of the number Of people he
knew by name.
Plans for the investigation of the man
agement Of the war are developing in the
War Department. Before leaving on his
vacation, President Mckinley had a con-
versation with Secretary Alger concern
ing the question Of determining response
bility for Encouragement, and 1t is the in
tention to appoint board of inquiry. This
will be composed of a representative from
each department of the line and staff of
the army and will be presided over by
either the judge advocate general or the
inspector general. Before such a beard
every officer from Gen. Miles down will
appear for examination.
In defense of the bureaucrats Of the
War Department and of the officers of
the regular army it is urged that they
have been educated to a strict construc-
tioA of the rules and regulations of the
department and Of the army and trained
to fear to take unusual responsibilities,
particularly where money is involved.
'"The President and Mrs. Mckinley
were as happy as two. children going to y
picnic" said White House attache, re-
calling the scene Of their vacation leave
taking.
Camp Wikof does not seem to lack in
spections anyway. There is a new one
every day Or two
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