The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-11-03
SHOWED EFFECTS OF BAD FOOD.
Hong Kong Paper Comments on Appear
ance of Funston's Men.

L
ance of Funstons Men.
From the Hong Kong Telegraph.
Probably no better example of the
effects of the Philippine campaign on
the American troops exists than Cen
eral Frederick Funston and his men,
who arrived recently on the Tartar.
They may have been fine looking
lot of fellows when they first left the
United States for service in the Phil
lppines, but they cannot be so class
ed now. Here and there man is to
be met who looks as though matters
had agreed with him. but the greater
proportion are thin and attenuated
and show evident signs of the raw
ages of the Philippine climate. The men
state, too, that they are returning
about SO per cent short of their orig
inal complement, SO in all probability
we only see the pick of them here, 1t
being case of the survival of the
fttest. If what the men state with
regard to the commissariat arrange
ments is true-and we have no reason
to doubt their story-then bad and UNI
suitable food is probably as much TO
blame as the effects of the Philippine
climate for this state of affairs. Who
can wonder at the men being anxious
to return home? No doubt they are
as ready and willing to fight as our
own troops when occasion requires,
but when the authorities lack the
knowledge or the will to make things
as easy as possible for the men it is
only natural that they should grow
Disguised and not be anxious to vol
unteer for further period of service.
Somebody must be responsible for
this state of affairs and whoever the
responsible person or persons may be
the fact should be brought home to
them and they should be made to an
fnr hat na01pct
There has been a great cutlery in the
United States of late over the conduct
of the Philippine campaign. 1t is said
that affairs have been grossly mis-
managed and that the truth has been
carefully withheld from the American
people. No better proof of mismanage-
ment as regards the care Of the sol
diers could be produced than the land
ing of the Tartar's troops in their pres
ent condition at an American port
would give. But this cannot be done.
The voyage across the Pacific will pull
the men together and their friends will
have no opportunity of seeing them as
we have had to-day, fresh from Ma
Mia. If only those who are against
this useless slaughter and sacrifice. of
both Americans and Filipinos could
see these men now they would not re-
quire more patent proof of the truth
of their assertions that mismanage-
ment has been at the root of it all.
Many of the soldiers who have borne
the heat and burden of the day in the
deadly jungles and swamps of Luzon
are heavy losers. Their businesses in
the states have languished through
their long absence and it may be years
before their utmost endeavors will en-
:: biz tftm to- place 1l:eir frances in as
satisfactory position as they were
when the call to arms first rang out
through the states. Others could have
earned a great deal more at home than
in the trenches in Luzon or in the jun
giles of Negroes and Cebu, and they are
naturally much ANNOYED that they
should have been forcibly held in the
Philippines instead of being sent home,
as they should have been, as soon as
Uncle Sam had got through with his
business with the Spaniards.
1t is also said that General Otis en-
deavored to coerce many of the men
into joining the skeleton (ominous
word thatD regiments which he is en-
deavoring to form out of the ranks of
the volunteers who may be willing to
take the $500 offered and Sign on for
two or three years.
1t certainly appears that there has
been gross mismanagement, and If
these boys" carry out their intention
to put up a fight in the courts they
will have with them the sympathy and
good wishes of their countrymen both
at home and abroad.