Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-12-06

beep whipped, and Spain had agreed
to listen to such terms of peace as we
saw fit 10 offer the American SOL
diers quartered about Santiago began
to fear a terrible outbreak Of disease.
The generals realized that within a
short time yellow fever might set in,
aud they joined in the famous round
robin to the war department demand
ing immediate transportation to Amer
ican. Notwithstanding the obvious
necessities of the occasion, that round
robin constituted insubordination-
muliny. The name of Joe Wheeler,
however, does not appear among the
signatures, which included the name
of every other commanding officer
from Roosevelt up to Shafter. There
fore, Joe Wheeler is not only level,
headed man but he is a soldier.
Out in the Philippines, some months
ago, General Wheeler was in command
of the American force which was de-
Tending town against the Fllipinos'
After several shots had been fired, the
Filipinos were driven off, and upon in.
quiry, General Wheeler learned that
the only casualty sustained within the
town was by Filipino woman on the
outskirts. She had been shot through
the arm and q bullet furrowed her
cheek. The attack had been made at
early dawn, and it was now about the
middle of the long, hot day, when
white men are not disposed 10 move
about much in such climate. General
Wheeler ordered his horse and started
out to see what he could do for the
woman. He found her lying in the
portico of the residence of the village
doctor. A rag had been twisted SO
tightly around her arm as to stop the
circulation; there was clotted blood
on her cheek, and the boiling sun was
beaming down on her face. The
doctor was enjoying his ease inside.
General Wheeler raised a racket, and
when the doctor learned what the
trouble was, he came crawling on bis
hands and knees to the generals feet
After giving the doctor lecture for
his brutality, and after getting the per-
mission of the woman and her husband
the general sent for his Chinese litter
bearers and had the poor creature
taken to the army hospital and placed
under the care of the most skilled
American surgeons, who gave her
every care and attention. The Filipi'
nos of the town and surrounding coun-
try were astonished at the idea that a
great American general should be 80
considerate of a poor native woman
who would not be received even into
the house of a native doctor. The
effect of such an incident on the peo-
pie may be better imagined than de-
scribed.
From the facts related, and they are
all incontestible facts, General Wheel
er is not only possessed of unlimited
common sen7e; but he is an ideal SOL
dier, and above all a literal "Good
Samaritan" We do not believe much
in flesh and blood heroes. The Good
Book tells us to put no trust in earthly
princes, the presumption being that
they are liable to deceive US. In that
Joe Wheeler is of flesh and blood,
therefore, we cannot trust him implic-
ity. He, too, is liable 10 change. But
while we do not believe in heroes, we
admire high, heroic actions. We ad-
mire two such actions more than one,
and three more than two. Joe Wheel
er has long list of them to his cred
it, and we do not recall anything that
is very badly against him. Therefore,
in our estimation, he is pretty nearly
a hero, and while we would not advise
his worship as such, we do not hesitate
to recommend the emulation of such
actions as we have just pointed out. =
Joe Wheeler is not receiving the
treatment he deserves. We have
heard many people express regret at
the fact that the old general has not
been placed in the highest command in
the Philippines. Others have express
ed themselves as believing that unfair
means were being used to prevent him
from distinguishing himself. We, too,
have felt that Wheeler is the ablest
soldier in the American army. We
believe it firmly. AS to whether he
has been Disseminated against, we do
not know. We do know, however,
that he has made no complaint. No
matter how this may be, it is not from
the administration or from the military
authorities in the Philippines that Gen
eral Wheeler is suffering the present
injustice. His most implacable ene-
mics are certain southern newspapers.
Why these newspapers should be
so bitter toward the old general is
something which we cannot fully un-
derstand but can only account for on
presumption. Joe Wheeler is Dem,
-oarat auaru inch 8 Demncrat=and