The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-08-01
COMPLAINTS FROM VoLUN-
TIERS.

From all parts of the country come
| complaints from volunteers. Thus, the
Baltimore American says that Mary
land has in the field and afloat over
$500 troops, and the only ones who have
seen anything like war are the few
hundred on the Dixie, and even they
have yet to be in a real battle; that
| these men did not enlist to wade
through Florida sands, to go fishing at
Old Point, or TO sleep on the Dale, but
to march forth to fight for the flag. So
far, all they have to fight have been
sand fleas. mosquitoes and the pangs OF
hunger, continues the American. If
there was large pay for these hardships
there might be some recompense, but
practically every man who went sac
rificed his material welfare. 1t was
case of service for the country, of real
patriotism and OF absolute loyalty.
All such complaints are unreason-
able. The men who volunteered did so
for the purpose of serving their coun-
try, but ii seems that some of them,
those who are complaining Of the mo-
notony and disagreeableness of camp
life. overlook the fact that the authori-
ties of the general government and not
they are to determine in what the ser
vice shall consist. Even at Ell Caney
and San Juan there were some soldiers
held in reserve, all were not in the line
of fire. The volunteers who have re-
manned in the camp at home have SIM
ply been held in reserve.
The American says that only few
hundred of Mary1and's troops have seen
anything like war and that even they
have yet to be in a real battle. This
is a cause for thanking Providence and
not for complaint. Go into the home
from which a dear husband or a be-
loved son has gone to war, and ask
those who remain if they feel to COM
plain because that husband or son has
not been in battle. There will be no
complaints there. Only a day or so
ago we heard a gentleman who has a
son enlisted. but who will probably not
go to the front because the command to
which he belongs has been assigned to
other duty in this country, say that he
and his wife were very glad that their
son was not to go to the front, there to
meet death, possibly, at the hands of
fever if not of an enemy in the field.
He said they were glad that that ne
cessity had not arisen. they they were
perfectly willing that their son should
render up his young life for his country
did his country need it. That Gas the
proper spirit in which to regard the
matter
Would not the American people have
been glad had Spain obeyed President
McKinley's ultimatum and withdrawn
from Cuba, thus avoiding a war? War
was resorted to as the only means of
bringing about that condition of affairs
in Cuba that is so essential to the peace
and welfare of its own people, and
which the interests of humanity and
civilization dictated should be brought
about If the American people would
have rejoiced could a condition of peace
and prosperity, of freedom and indie
pendence for Cuba have beer brought
about without any appeal to arms,
should they not rejoice that it has not
been necessary to send many of the
volunteers, the flower of the youth of
the land, into battle! The flonotony,
the WEAKNESS. the humdrum and the
drudgery of camp life of which the vol
unteers now complain will soon wear
away. but should they go forth to bat
tie and fall, their death would be, 10
friends and country, a, source of grief
and sorrow forever.
And these volunteers who are now
fretting in peaceful camps and longing
for the excitement and glory of battle,
are as patriotic and have given as
much proof of their devotion to country
as those who fought the Spaniards
around Santiago. The glory of Abra-
hams faith and obedience is not lessen
ed because the ram in the thicket was
sacrificed and Isaac was saved.