Washington sentinel., 1899-08-26
The South and the Pending War.


menting on Senator Foraker
declaration that "the war in the
Philippines is not a popular war, "
charges the Administration with
discriminating against the South
and playing politics. Ever since
the brief brush in Cuba" says the
Seminal, sit looks very much as If
military operations had been re-
garded not merely as a sectional
matter, but as a political one as
well. None but Republicans have
been put on guard, and the troops
have been sedulouslY drawn from
the North. In raising the new
regiments, instead Of correcting
what must manitestly look like
grave Discrimination the difference
is emphasized by making the re-
cruiting centres for every one OF
these regiments in the North, so
that it is practically impossible for
Southern men to be in them. The
Presidents policy is wrong in this,
and it is a policy that may come
back to plague him"
The Sentinel might have added
that 1t has been shown very pl linlv
Of late that Southern men are not
anxious to join the regiments
which are being recruited for SER
vice in the Philippines. The effort
has been made to enlist two regi-
ments in Southern States, but vol
unteers could not be obtained in
sufficient numbers to complete
these organizations. Probably the
President does not care to risk
another rebuff in that section, and,
therefore, will con6ne recruiting
hereafter to the North and West.
The lack OF enthusiasm in the
South is not due to antipathy to a
Republican Administration or to
sectional feeling. The response
to the call for troops in the war
with Spain was prompt and hearty,
and no objection was made to serV-
ing under President Mckinley S
banner, But the treatment which
the Southern troops then received
was sufficient to cool their ardor,
and as they were ignored bv the
Administration then, they are not
disposed to volunteer their services
aga unless there is pressing need
of them.
When the Administration was
making preparations to invade
Cuba last year there were thou
sands Of Southern troops available.
These men, being in measure ac-
climated, would have been more
serVceable than such regiments as
the Seventy-first New York or the
Michigan volunteers. They, were
palpably ignored, however, and
the State troops which were used
to supplement the little army oi
regulars were composed exclu-
sivelY OF Northern and Western
men. General Wheeler was gwen
a command, but he was subordin.
ate to a general to whom he could
have taught the art OF war, anc
whose knowledge of military oD
erations on large scale was ex
ceedingly limited, FitzhIgh Lee
whose services as Consul Genera
at Havana had been OF the creates
value to the Government, was side
tracked and placed in charge Of {
camp of instruction, and the Soutl
was not permitted to take an activu
part in the war, despite the itnes
and eagerness of Southern troop
to go to the front, When volun
teers were sent to the Philippine
only one Southern regiment wa
included in the list Of organization
selected for service in the Far East
The other regiments were frou
Northern and Western State:
Under these circumstances there
fore, the charge Of the Indianapo
lis Sentinel, that the Administra
tioa has waged a sectional war,
not without foundation.
When the Spanish army in Cub
surrendered and an America
army oi occupation was sent to tn
island. the best equipped man tc
the post OF Military Governor
Cuba was Fitzhugh Lee. H