The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1910-12-23
EAilFORNta CONGRESSMAN
REPLIES TO MiNNESUTAN,

81 SstIlLolnld is lne: PIVOTAL center
"bout which one of the most sensa-
'lonal contests ever seen in Wash
inston is being condncted today. Mc
l.achlan writes exclusively for the
United Press his reply to those who
have opposed the publication Of the
facts contained in the war depart.
ment's answer to his resolution, es-
pecially to Representative Tawney,
(Rep.) OF Minnesota, who is credited
with printing President Taft to OPP
pose and prevent the purposes Of
Secretary of War Dickinson and
Geo. Leonard Wood, chief of staff of
the army. The answer follows;
copyrighted 1910 by the United
Press Associations
BY Representative James McLachlan.
"The charge of Representative
Tawney that a conspiracy exists to
stampede congress to larger military
| appropriations through making
known to the American people the
| wretched condition of our military
establishments is too childish to be
taken seriously, yet carries too
dangerous impression to that people
to- be overlooked
Representative Tawney, il the
interview accredited to him is cor
rect, says that it is 'cowardly' to
make known our admitted national
| weakness either to our own people
or to the world at large. He ad-
mits that we are as fatted capon
and. would have us pose as a game
cock. In other words, he would that
we trust our national security to
bluff
':We have bluffed since the be-
ginning of our national existence
and We have been at regular inter-
walls called by war;
Our appalling pension rolls, the
great heart scars carried by thous-
ands of our people, bear witness to
the fact that they have been "Taw-
neys' in the councils of our nation
before. Alleged patriots have kept
the nation in utter ignorance of it's
helpless condition until war has
come and then placed unenduring
unframed and untutored men, armed
With obsolete weapons in the field to
uphold the national honor.
Thousands of the best of our
blood and brain and Drawn have
persisted in typhoid camps through
ignorance of the elemental sanitary
precautions. The Filipino was bet
ter armed in 1898 than our volun-
| teers.
The most wicked national cow
ardice' l can picture is demanding
our people to come to the national
defense and then sending forth an
unequipped mob to deadly camps or
against prepared enemy to be mur-
dered.
'The great Washington pleaded
against 'Tawney' in our struggle for
independence, that he be given
trained troops and after the end of
the struggle charged such men with
the prolongation Of the war. The
disgraces of the war of 1912, which
eliminated in the sacking of the ma
tional capital, are chargeable to the
| unwarranted action Of legislative
non-mObatants, who would deny our
soldiers proper equipment and de-
mand that they needlessly sacrifice
themselves for their country's honor.
1T was such as these who brought
on the war of 1861 when the federal
strength was measured by an armed
mob at Bull Run and who were re-
sponsible for over 600 uncared for
wounded still remaining on the field
at Second Bull Run seven days after
that battle was fought, though over
year in which to prepare had in
tervened since the beginning of the
war.
Il demand that our soldiers be
given square deal, that the army
be placed on basis of military or
ganization. At present it is practi-
cally unorganized. The army can be
increased in numbers, perfected in
organization and properly equipped
on the same appropriations which
are now made.
What does Mr.. Tawney know
about the needs Of the RAINY? Moth
ing. Neither his honor nor his life
will be at stake in case our SOL
diers' honor and lives are. / de-
! mand that our soldiers are given
square deal. will fight until I
know that in case of war they will
be- placed in the field complete and
organized along military lines, that
their bodies are not to be wrecked in
fever camps, poisoned with I'M
wholesome food and that in their
hands are weapons unequalled in the
worlds armies.
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