H-N THE SCK ANTON TRIBUNE-TUESDAY, FEBRUARY d, 190?. Ge Sainton CnBime ie Publishing Company, ' 1 ly Co.nU a Monlli. ine MVV H, IIICIIAtin, lUltor. o. r. uV.xuui;, nunim Muuwer. New yotk tmco! ,a Suviicr-r..Nt. Me ntnt for'Foiflgn AJvctlUlnff. Ilntcied at the lVlcnicc nt Scratilun, Pa., as Second Class M.ill Matter. When apace will penult, The Tribuno la always glnd to print short letters from its friomU beat ing1 on curront topics, but Its rule is thnt thoso must be signed, for pub lication,, by the writer's real name, nnd tho condition procedont to ac ceptance Is that all contributions shall bo subject to editorial rvl3ln' Tin: rr,ATjrvroiiDn:nTisiso ""'llir"fnl(ntt!t"i(j tabic sliown tho jxiro per inch rath Insertion, spare tu bo used within one yean 1'ull DISPLAY. !. tliHii o) Inches tm Indies JUKI " anno WW Position .30 .St .W .1S5 .13 Tor cards of thank,, resolution of condolcnic, mid fclmllnr contribution In ttiu lintim- I "d ertlslnff The Tribuno makes a charge ol 0 cent a line. Hates for Claslfled Advert Islns furnished en Application. SCUANTON, FEBRUARY A, 1902. "REPUBLICAN CITY TICKET. Controllcr-r.VAN' It. MOR11IS. Election rchruary IS. If congress Is afraid to raise the sal aries of Its members It might form a union and strike. firs. Soffel. r I UK COLUMN'S of moralizing elicited Liy tlio case of Mrs. Soffel ure going' to waste. Xo good purpose Is served No change In human nature ought by them. Women are by them, will he w of two kinds always wore and always , will he One kind Is good very little lower than tho angels, when at their hist! the other kind Is mainly congen ially bad, and you can do little to ward changing them. The weak sister may be given an appearance of strength by separation from temptation; but the moment she Is left to her own re sources she falls. In Mrs. Sorrel's ease It is fair to presume that temptation Was slow in coining nnd that the weakness which succumbed to it was previously unsus pected. So much, at least, appears on tho surface. What is under the sur face tho public does not know, and we date say it is fortunate that It doesn't. But the fact remains that no amount of moralizing on her cuso will have, any influence in arresting tho way-' wardness of the next weak sister who prefers crime tinged with romance to the plainer and more prosaic al'fec--tlons, duties and pleasures of a wen ordcied home life. On! -with the war taxes, by all means, but no shirking of plain duty to Cuba. Such seems to be the practically unanimous wish of the country. Irrigation. TT1J3 srjHJKCT of fuder.il irri gation of tho arid lands, so strongly recommended by President Roosevelt to tho attention of congress!, is developing curious opposition. This is well voiced In a speech delivered in the house of representatives on January 21 by Rep resentative Sibley, copies of which ate now being circulated. It has for its text this question: "What justification can we urgo to those farmers who already bear so great a burden of taxation when we invite still further competition against them and compel them to pay their proportionate burden of the cost of inaugurating that competition'.'" Mr. Sihlcy concedes all that tho advocates of Irrigation say as to Its effectiveness In converting now useless waste land Into fertile garden spots, but that very fact makes him hostile to the proposi tion of this time. "Tim farmer who thirty years ago was or all Ameilcans tho most indepen dent sovereign has," says Mr. Slbloy, "during tho last generation witnessed a docline in tho value of his farm lands equivalent In the eastern, middle, and Houthern states to at least SO per cent, with a corresponding decline In the value of all tho products of his skill, lie labors on his farm sixteen hours n day, and hardly understands why we legislate for an eight-hour day, with four weeks' vacation and four weeks' pick leave each year with pay, for all engaged In tho government service, and yet seldom propose legislation which will lighten his burdens In life or add to tho sum of his happiness. "lie has seen u great government give to every citizen who would enter the lists of competition against him a farm of 180 acres of the richest land tho sun ever shown upon. He has seen under that competition his broad acres pinch and nnrrow uud tho comforts of his fireside diminish lie has seen com petition In his calling so stimulated that the low-priced surplus of products of agriculture has determined tho value of tho entire product. Ho has seen the mortgage slowly but surely eating sup his farm and has voiced no protest, or voiced that protest In such faint and feeble tones that by the time it reached the Beat of government It was drowned in the babel and din of noise of others, who loudly clamored for ad vantage. "If It were to bo announced to-mor-iow that the sovernment would give each man In tho nation a well-stocked irrdcery or a well-equipped tannery for making leather, or u factory for mak ing shoes, what a chorus of protests would arlso from every grocer, every tanner, 'and every shoemaker In Amer ica. Yet In effect this was precisely what happened to the American farmer, .You now propose to open up in ad vance of demand hundreds of millions of acres more to place In competition against tho over-burdened farmer, Give the farmer and farmer's boy some Opportunity to shave in the general prosperity now enjoyed by tho people, So long as we have, a large exportable surplus of agricultural products, let ho furmar meet, us others must, pri- linn ol SldlnB on Paper llcidlng .HI ,2".i . .'.!! .Ill .175 .135 .17 .15 .105 vntb, but not governmental, competi tion. Let Us watt until tho prtco of the products of his skill, tho fruits of his labor, ore fixed by tho demands of tho homo rather Hum n foreign nmit. Lot us .wall until the whole produut shall determine tjio prlco of tho fruits or his toll rather than that their Value ha determined by tho sur plus of tlfoso products. Let its wait until our Increased population shall so expand that these lands shall bo need ed to moot tho demand for a gioater food supply. Let u Inter generation pet form this labor mid tho burden of cost bear upon the sliuuldors of those who shall receive the blessing." In conclusion, the elocpictit member from the Twonly-Boventh district In dulged In this moving peroration: "To my mind tho present proposition for tho Immediate reclamation of theso arid lands Is tho pressing1 of tho pois oned chalice to tho lips of tho farming classes In this nation, which, If It kill them not, will at least tor another generation .leave them In cither toipor of misery. I am sure that no member of this body, no man who loves his party, his fellow-men, or his country, would willingly lnlllct Injury upon any class of citizenship, much less, upon that sturdy, industrious, honest, God fearing class who live upon American farms and have contributed their more than loyal share to our national prog ress and development." Wo ttrs-surprised that Mr. Slbloy did not possess the full courage of his logic. lie should Introduce a. bill using the treasury surplus to purchase and withdraw from cultivation enough of the land now arable to put diamonds on the man with the hoc. With an increase In population of 101 per cent, since 1890, the total now be ing 140,000; with an assessed valuation of nearly $100,000,000, and with better Claims In every way than were pos sessed by 20 other territories' at the time of. their admission Into the Union, New Mexico is after statehood with blood In her eye. Politics aside, wo should like to see her get it. Antl Now, Wireless Telephonj'. UCII has been said In the dally press about the achievements of Marconi in tho lino of wireless telegraphy; ho much, that the public Is In peril of forgetting that "there are others." In the February Issue of Hur per'a magazine Wnldon Fuwcett tells of another an American who Is achieving things of note in this newly opened field of electrical progi ess. Says Mr. Fawcett: "The very acme of achievement in the transmission of messages would sein to have been reached In the wire less telephone system which has recent ly been developed by Professor A. Fred eiicl: Collins, an electrical engineer re siding In Philadelphia. Spoken words are transmitted great distances through the gtound without the use of a con necting wire, and in accotdance with a plan totally dlffetcnc from that of tho Marconi system or wireless tele graphy. '"The Collins sstem simply takes advantage of the ract that there are natural electrical eunents In evidence slightly below tho surface of the entth at any point that may be selected, and by this invention currents of this char acter are utilized to cause a How or electricity between two instalments stationed above the surface of the earth. The only underground me chanism employed consists of small zinc-wire screens, which are bulled In shallow holes, one at the sending sta tion nnd tho other at' 'the receiving station, Above these are tripods sup porting transmitting and receiving ap paratus, &uch as Is employed In ordin ary telephony, a wile affording connec tion in each case with the burled screen. When the electricity from a storage battery is turned on, sounds of all kinds may be sent tlnough the transmitter, and heaid, In many In stances, oven more dNtlntely than wete a regular overhead telephone em ployed. "The Collins invention In Its simplest form Is adapted to sending a message but one way that Is, It Is not possible to utilize a receiver us a transmitter and receivers are each equipped with an annex for performing the opposite function, so that to all intents and purposes this new telephone Is not different from the Instruments already In use." Whut tho development of this Idea will moan to the civilization of the next half century can bo readily Imagined. It will literally annihilate distance and weld together Into new communities of Interest the separated nations and peo ples of the earth. One of the best haiomoturti of the J condition qf trade In this country Is tho register of tonnago passing through tho Sault Sto Mario canal. For 1801 tho record stands 2S.10H.0C9 tons, against 20,043,073 tons in 1000, a gain of 11 per cent. Another straw Indicative or American expansion. It Is a good thing that Prince Henry did not begin to read nboiu tho United States en tho cvo.of an election. If ho could seo what tho party organs say about the candidates he probably could not ho Induced to venture on this side of tho Atlantic unuccompanlcd by a largo army. . v III addition to tho predictions of tho groundhog tho signing of the Hrst play er for the Scrantou base ball club may bo taken as one of the sure indications of tho approach of spring. According to the latest Intelligence from I'oklnt tho Empress Dowager has displayed talents In the emotional lino that would bring fame nt 10, 20 and 30 cent matinees. ... .... .. . It Is piobable that, when asked to servo on tho board of trustees of the Carnegie institute, it was Mr. Cleve land's busy day, ' Not In yeurs, says tho weather bureau, Jms the groundhog proved u true prophet, We fear Professor Mooro lajealous. Tho naval battle off Panama. does not seem to have boon characterized by loops pr bowknots. M SOME LESSONS T 111! JOl'llS'At, ol the Military Sen lea InltP tutlon, .fiiMWry ihc, contains n most In t'l'ctliis ri!lcv liy (.'olon"l lMnanl 1!. Hi it I on. nuliiir nwl'tant adlu(.int uvnoril of the Saronit Inlands, Now York Xalioml uuard, of former Secretary of War ltu"ell A. Alger's book, "The Spanl.ili-Aincilcan war," recently publMifil by Harper k llro. In the couic of It Colonel llilttcm Ktd: Tho author ilncll on Ihe fart that ol the- first appropilatlon of IJ.V,000,OJO "for National ! fiuse" In anticipation of lur no part w.vi loan able for nlTcnsho piltpoef, r.ot csen for niton. ilvo prepard'on, tinj hllo measure f mote ollecthe coast ilcfenrc ttcio pciinlntljla and Wcje pmlicd forwatd, w dlstui banco ol the Mains of peaco could ho made licfoio the declaration of war, Cbtucquently, while, durlnft tho few weel.s Immediately preceding tho outbreak of hostilities, cury annul in the country nnd every pilvala establishment capable of tutliln? cut gun, tar llafjos, powder, ammunition, etc., wa? woiltln? up to full (up icily nlidit and O.iy for coast de fence, the War depaitnirnt could not punh.ve or1 conli.tct for imy of the material to Booh, to bo needed tor the new army. There were no stocks of I0.WC supplies on hand, and no in c.roae could bo made, ectpl for tha Moiyrtiy need! of tho army on a peace basis; po that, luuler tho piesldcHt'd Interpretation cts the term "national defense" there could be added to the oidln.ir supply, nothing In the wiy of equip ment, clolhltiff, tentajfe, lnrn"s.s, comtnNsuy stores, medical and hospital mppllc, camp furni ture, etc. "Dlliiloty and cuidgiii? legislation had borne Its fruit." Within n few dry after the enactment of the acts of April 02d and 20th, 10S, Increasing the military forces, tho War depaitincnt was ciiRased tn the ntrmiltanroui prepaiallon of three laigo armies lui operation in foreign countries Fcpar atcd from the United States by distanrcs raiislns front ICO to 7,000 mllcn, and, from each other, by half the clrcunireience of the caith. All of the details of organization of the tlSS.'JSj solun tccr, at well as the increase In tho regular army to about 01,000, are intcmtlngly dealt with. In refcirlnir to the transportation to the southern camps or mobilisation, the author eayn: "Our soldiers did not tiuvel during the war with Spain is they did during the CiWl war. In all conltacts with the railroads, It wins expressly stipulated that In the day conches, each roldlcr fchould have an entire feat for lfimsclf and Ids equipment, and for oer 21 hours of travel, the (loops vhould occupy sleeping cars Pullman's or tomlsts' tlnce men to a section. Pew rotornra of tho Civil war can recall has ins tm oiled, din ing the skties, in any but bo-, cattle or lint cars. Ilicn the horses and mules, in the war with Spain, were liculy all shipped in patent palace stock car." With empty military storehouse, the supply departments sot to woik cqulpplm? piaotlcally 230,000 men. Jinny of tho articles required wele of special injiiiiiicluu-, not to bo had in optn Jmrlcet. Conervw had repeatedly denied ie qucsU to equip the arsenals with special lesrnc machinery for their manufacture, to meet an emergency, so that specially designed appar atus for tho nr-oinl9 had to be manufactured nnd intalled, before work could be commenced on these nrticles of equipment. Notwithstanding tho fact that there were but u7 officers or tho quarter tnastct'g depaitincnt, which lequires specialized knowledge and i.vpeiience, by August thcio had bwu manuf.ictuied nr purchiscd and issued 010,- aw blanket!), ."OO.T.J Moines, 0.'3,20.J trousers, 470,703 campaign hats, 15J,1C,7 camas Held uni forms, 72,:io;i shoe, rfiS.im leggins, G2J.211 flan nel chills, 1,237,002 underbills, 1,210,Cj2 drawon, S,M3 a.cs, 4.SS3 tiumpeU, U1,3H camp kettles, &CC2 mcs-i pan", Ul.tSO various kinds ot tents, 372,379 -.belter tent halve, 10,G1S hoises, 2i),lS2 mule?, "(5,170 wagon', 25,012 sets of single liar new, anil other ailiclc!. or cury kind in like piopoition. "The iiiiival of the volunteers from their sev en! states at tho camps of instiuction quickly demonstrated the fact that so far ns equipment was concerned these militiamen were little better than lecrulls. Not a slnglu icglment was fully ready for the field. They w'eto deficient in regi mental equipment of every kind. No less than 100,000 Spiingtleld rilles and caibines were issued to voluntceis who had been supposed to bo well iiimcd, Veiy inwy mrtved In camps without uniform'!, aecoutiemciits, lilies or anything, in fait, necc5saiy for netiie tcniee, ccccpt lint ciilhu-i.um which is xho mvarhble characteriitlc ot the Aiueik.in oluntcer." , The author states that on the hut of April tin- output or thi; ltock Isdauil urachal amounted to seventy sets of infantiy i.jiilpniont per d.oin. When the protocol was signed, on the 12tli of August, It was turning out dally S.O00 roninleto infantry iquipinents and 230 cavaliy equipments. The daily output of tho Springfield armory was increased, dining tho taim- peiiod, from 120 to S0o Ki.ig-Jorgcn5en llfle. Time wcie so mai-y more applicants than commission in die army to bo filled, that for eveiy man appointed, huiuheils were uccojilly disappointed, After icferring to the misunder standing and misrepresentation as to methods of making appointment for the lunteer army, the author sajsi 'I doubt whether I w.u moie vili fied and slandeicil in any other connection. Yet theio were not a dozen commissions Usucd dur ing the SpanUh-Ameilean war In which I had any personal intc-u-t. The appointments weid made by the governor. ot tho states and In- the picsident. " Nearly one-fifth nf tho officers of the icguhir army were given soluiitecr commit, slons cio.iliug ,i scaicity of leghiicntal offiecis in the expanded uvular service, which greatly einbaiiasied that aimy. The s.vstem nnd data re lating to appointments U uiveu nt length. Tho suigeoii3iud assistant suigeoiis of volunteer tcgl ments were appointed by the governor of slates. Only P3 surgeons who appointed fiom civil life, which with 010 contract surgeons, weio nude upon the recommendation of the suigcon-geneial, after asurauce ot the candidate's professional qualification. "Not a volunteer officer commt-.-slowed by tho preiident v&n eoutl-inailialcd dur ing the war. Of tho S7 payniuleis commis sioned, s0 were appointed from civil life. Not n doll.li wad defaulted and all accounts have been closed. In all the expenditures ol cicrv kind, tggiesating upwards of XX.(MYnm nn 'chatgo lui been made of jobs or favoiItiMii." Tho War Investigation commUsion, after tho ex amination of many camps and numerous wit nees, staled that "tho joung civilians who ie ccived start nnd other appointments, in the main discharged their duties in a highly commendable manner." A chapter Is devoted to the "Hound Uobiu" Incident mid the sickness picvaillnj In the foices mound Santiago, after the fall of (hat place, with tho romimmicatlom between the War dt putment and blisfter. Tho writer points out tint befoio the Hnlpt on August 4th of tha fconilled "Hound llobln" us only n-i June I'Jtli am) icpeated on July end, )u t.ahlc dispatches, tho Mar depat uncut had made Known its In. icnuon to Niaftir to bring the tioops back to tho Tilled Mates and that on July 2sth ho had cabled Flutter, announcing tha selection of Jlon. tank Point fur the iceuperatioii of his command, ns eoou iii it ioii'd be moved. 1'ollovvlng tho lct of tho "Hound Uobbln,' as cabled and a eo. incident diipatcli from Sluftci, which modeiate.1 tie cpresloin in the "llound Itobbln," describ ing the tlliiatton, tho author quotes aji cndoihc mint of aciicr.il I-ivvtnn en that docunifnt. .It. plorlng tho nundatoiy language used as liupolltfo uiki uiiiieie-oary, ami epiessnig tho opinion that ninth of thii fatal lllncs U due to homesickness and oilier. depiesolng Inlluoncra. The entlro army was piiliri'il hack befora ths receipt of the MlJiuid Itoubin,' although, n a matter of. pululo polity, that ciiimu.tanco was not mada public! so it was generally bcllovitt that tho ''Hound Itobbln", was nuiionslblo for lhi return of the 5th coips and the telettlon of Jlontauk Point, when, as a matter ol ficr, It had nothing to do wllh cither. While making nu crlllchmi on the Hound Hobblu" It.clf, as tho outcome uf an iiiiltalliii to a conference by fieueial Shifter to Ids olllccis, the author criticises severely the genclc3 tlnough width Uicse claiming utterances wera given to thti world. "The publication of tlio Hound llobin' at that timo was onj of the most unfoituiiato and tcgrettoblo Incidents uf tho war, Tho Information this startling paper inaJe known not only Wought terror and anguUli to half tho communities and neighborhoods in do land, but It letuinod to Cuba iu duo time, to spread ehmoralliatton among our troops. It did more thou this, it Ihuntened, and might liavo accomplished even, tho Interruption cf tho pmcq ncijotlatlons between the t'nltod Statos and Spain." Tho author treatj In detail tho ilIQcuU ties in lauding and forvvauling of troorvs uud tuppliw, and quote tlie tctitimony of Oenoral I.udlow beforo the War Investigation Coimnbiion as follows: "Tlw campaign was u lace between tlio phyiiMl vigor ot the men and tlio Cuban nu u La! fever that lay in wait for tliem, and If llcncrat Shatter Ud waited to do all those things (comliuctlng loadj, docks etc.), the army would have ! it "U Is Melt I forq !"- ft-. FROM THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR render Inslend of allcr, ami we rouid not liavo takeli Santiago ns wo did," Neither the neces sities nor conditions permitted a cnmpilgu lalil down" by tactlrj and military precept. The problems Were new. Tho regular aimy was as fcinbled together for tlio first time slnco 1505. New wcapouj, rcsiilttng in new tactics, wero quanfltlcs not determinable in advance of cx pciicme. Tlnoughout tlio entllo campaign not ft complaint was received by tho War department fiom any officer or man of the Icgular aimy. "Cencial bin ton and Dcncral Wood, both good types of tho Atneileac ifgular soldier, have tcstl Red that they have enduted, on moio ocoislons than one, gtciler hardships iu Indian cuinpilgils than the Ktnll.igo campaign entailed." In S3 d.ijs the Spanish fleet had been driven out of Santiago harbor, after several severe engagements with nn enemy gtcatly superior In force, on lta own ground, well Intrenched; 21,000 prisonous over 1,000,000 rations and n hrrso part of Cuban territory captured, without tint loJ of n prisoner, gun or flag; while, besides our own forces, In spite of difficult communications, there were fed CtXK) Cubans nnd 20,000 hclplcis men, women and children thrutt Into our keeping by tlio fortunes of war. Tho author says! 'Highly nlt.o nowrpaper corespondents accom. panlcd tlencial Wiafler's expedition, or about stx to a regiment of low men. Not (lvo per cent of theso representatives of the picm had "over seen a battle, nnd very few, If any were; experienced war correspondents. The hardships ot war were entirely new to them, and a largo portion of tho reports In t,ho dally presj should have been read.ut the time with this understanding. Jinny of the accounts criticising the condition of that campaign were absolutely without foundation In fact." The Phllliplno campaign, our relations with Agulnaldo and tho Tagalog rebellion are treated in three chapters, In addition to the consider ation of the Philippine operations from a politi cal and military standpoint, tho author cm- phasl;c3 the ctllelcney, under hard service con ditions, of the American forces. In speaking of the capture of Manila, ho says that "the landing was nude during the season of tho highest tem perature and the clothing and supply conditions wile about the same as nt Sintiago." That once, when the sutf was ummtally heavy, the troops ashore were without food 21 hours. The watchful lgll of the flooded trenches resulted In tho""de3tructlon of many pairs of shoes and COO men of General Jferrltt't! army marched into Afnnlla baiefoot. "Conceive tho remarks of the jellow prc'J, had this Incident, so common in war, occiiired nt Santiago, instead of at Manila! Vet theio wcic no complaints from those stuidy heroes." A lengthy chapter follows, headed "The Miles r.igau Contron'r'," containing -the author's views and position on tho subject. He says in closing: 'Had I consciously permitted a ration of food which I believed to be bad,, to bo served to a silditr on duty In the field under tho flag of this lepublic, I should not dare to hope or ask to bo forgiven." ' One of the most Intciesting chapters in this book is that on "Camps and Disease." It is maintained that no national camp occupied dur ing the sunicr of ISOi, w.13 in itself unhealthy, and that the peicentnge of sicknevs was smaller than among our troops in 3S01, tho British forces In South Africa, and relatively leas than in any war of modem times. Yet much was prevent able, being due to camp pollution, the causa being ignorance or neglect on the patt of olllcers, coupled with inexperience on tho pait of the men. The precautious taken by the War deparl mens aio shown. The Chickaninuga camp site had been one of our camp sites for n much laigcr army, for n much longer period and wllh much less supplies, duiing the Civil war. An account of the investigation of the conditions at this camp is given, of a board of surgeons, one fiom the regular army and two from the volunteer. Among other things, the report shows that .0 per cent, of the volunteer regiments brought ty phoid fever to Camp ThomaJi with them. There came under the observation of the tjphoid-fever board 4I.S0J men of tho 1st and "d Army corps at Chlckamauga, among which there had de veloped 4003 cases of lecognized typhoid feur and 3302 crises, regarded as tj'Wioid from their subsequent history. Of tliee 93CU caws, then were 7HJ deaths, a late-lower than the death i.itia from this disease In the largo hospitals in Coiton, Philadelphia, Haltlnicre and New York. The author quotes at length a rpeoeh of General Hojnton, In permanent charge of Chic!: aniauga I'm!:, delivered at a reunion of Civil war veterans, in September, 1000. in which tho spciker draws comparisons in detail, betvvein conditions during tho Civil war and the war with Spiln, showing tho great supetioilly duiing the latter in quantity and quality of supplies and stores and hospital accommodations and deal- nient, tiaunortatlon, etc. Among other things, ho snys: "To sum up this subject the War Derailment thcd 014 eland lid Pullmans, 1301 tourist Pull mans ami 8,2S3 first cla.s day coaches all pto vided with ice water by the bariel, for the trans portation of tho Cainp Thomas troops alone. And tho yellow journals Insisted that the depart ment was ciowding the soldiers Into cattle cars and insisted upon it until the country believed it. You remember wheie you bivouacked iu the Dyer Held, at the1 close of the first day's light, nfter tw cut v oen bouts' inarching and fighting" without a ineal; bivouacked without flics when a while frost was settling down nnd with only n few crackers and sciaps of bacon and poll;, which could not be cooked because the enemy's lines weic too close to admit of fires. Well, in the dajs which tiled tho sou's of the sensational journals in the Spanish war, just back of wheie jou bivouacked, tlio coinmls caiy department had n bakery, witlt a capacity of (10,000 clghteen-ounce loaves, and every soldier nnd civilian cmploio in that army got :t leaf of it cveiy day, if ho wanted it, and It was as good bread us I ever care to see on my ovvn mble." He goe3 on to say that fresh meat was Issued seven dajs out of ten, ai good as over came In rcfiigerator ears lo the cities ami towns of the North, eveiy quaiter cairjlng u tag of government inspection, 5,100,000 pounds issued without the loss ol i lwund, cccpt wheie it fell into tho hands of regiments whoc men did not (now- how to care for it in hot weather, nor their ofllecis how to tell them. Ho speaks of the bacon as the smuc ns bought In first-class family groceili'.", nnd of the high quality and quantities of flesh vegetables, "Tho War do paitmont was keeping house with 274,000 board ers." Ho lefcrs to ilia liospllnls as superior to any of tho Civil war, ovcrciovvded nt times and at times a lack of nurses. "And everything did not move as smoothly as n church fair, but no lack of supplies or attention bejond what was Inseparable from tho i.ipld organization of ii pient camp," Ho note that thirteen tegi ments and ten batteiies of ii'gulais drank the water, as well as the lugo pari; foue, without u single case of fever developing nmongt them. Tho regulars nevir lost u iii.ui fiom miy camp disease whatever. "When the tioopj moved from Camp Thomas, iheio wero medical stores enougli left behind to fit out Ilfty icgluiciits with full flihl supplies for netivo campaigning." After stating that ll,o woik of tho War department and the Mali corps, in piomptly mobilizing a quai ter of a million men, was creditable in the high est degree, General P.OJ iitou goes on to saj i "Of touise, theio wero laehs ot times. Uviry hue soldier knuivs that theso aro Inseparable fiom war conditions. Hut the qiiaitermaster's and commkbiry departments could not furnish tiundlc-beds and Mother Wlnslow's soothing sjrup on tho spur ot tlio moment, and so it was Impottlblo lo check tho squalling ot the few who Imagined they wero going Into a summer en campment ami found themselves In war camps in stead, And the sensational Journals became the willing organs of all this baby business, Hut the count ly did pot then understand that theio uttaclcs had political origin, and as it was not iiceineii expedient lo muo dlioct attacks on a war president, the scheme was devised of stilklng Him by attempting to discredit his War de partment tmd the mauigement of the wir," General llojnlon fmther said; "The death-rate at Camp Thomas Is tha best test of all tho sen sational stories with which tho country was de ceived, enraged mid driven wcll-ulgli era)-. The Jcjurn.il attacking tho War depigment told jou that Iho soldier tlicio died on like sheep. Fo )ou will expect to hear rather startling figure, mid you i.ill. The muster-out rolls, as you know, shoiy eveiy death and Its cause. I have them all for that ainly, As thus shown, tin ilejl li-ru te ut Camp Thomas, fiom tho urrival to (he departure of tho troops, was a trlllti lea than one-half of one per cent. You will bo in terested to know how till sensation was worked up In cna regiment the llighth New Yoilc The governor of that state, with patriotic purpose, stirred by tho stories of neglect, epidemic and malignant disease, sent the surgeon-general of tho state to examine and report. Ho ai rived iu the evening. That night the woid ran arounj tho camp: 'All who want to go home, report at sick-call In tho morning, When tlio call was founded, 400 responded and lined up beforo tht ulouWud surgeon-general, fleIds this, they brought a. man on a cot, Into whoso ejo.1 they hail injected belladonna to make him etnro nnd told the surgeon Hut tie rr.t parilyztil and a specimen of hospital Inattention cind want of nc cofnmodatlon, since lie had been left out on tho ground tinder the trees (lie night before became of n crowded hospital." Camp Wikolt, nt Monlauk Point, Is then taken up. Ihe fact Is stated that contracts tor boring well, plplnt wnterj lumber lor lent floors olid hospital nnd other supplies, Were lrl on Aug, 2. The first alarming dispatch frpm Shatter, an nouncing the hecesslly of Immediate tcturif'to nvold rpreud fit jellow fever, was ucelvcd on the 3d, whereupon. Immediately on that day was Issued Iho order for tho return of the force". The "Hound Hobln" was received oil the ilh. General Young arrived nt Menlauk Point on tie 6th to take command of the detention nnd con valescent camp; woik was pushed forwaul, and before a soldier from Cuba nrrlvcil 10,000 tenls had been erected nnd supplies of all kind veic on the ground. On the 15lh Oncrai Wheeler landed from Cuba, was directed to report In Washington, and at once icturncd lo Montauk to "lake commind of the troop, mid without considering expenw have the men taken care of." Then follows tho nccount, In iMnll, of the vast nmotint of work no speedily done, and Of tho special orders directing Issues ot commis sary and hospital supplies and the great quan tlty supplied. A tabulation of quarterninsltl stores, Includlnc new articles of uniform, under tH wear, tcnW, blankets, etc., shows 310,247 article. The author asks, in view of those provisions for the reception of tho returning tioops, why there were charges of gross negligence in providing for their care and comfort? and states that the widespread publication of the "Hound Hob ln" had "put the people of tho United States In .1 frame of mind to believe anything' adverse, with respect to the conditions and proper treat ment ot the soldiers. It was not then known that General Shattci's telegiam, preceding the 'Hound Hobln,' was ns much (l mirprhe to the War department n4 the information It contalnel, made known tlnough th? 'Hound Itobln' and the other letter, was to the country. Nor was It then known, thnt within nn hour after tho re ceipt ot the itlaimlug news respecting tho con dition of the Santiago troops, convlyed by General Shatler'u cablegram nnd before the ie eclpt of tlio 'Hound Hobln,' that nrmy'was or dered to return lo tlio United States at once. A wave of Indignation, caused by a misappre hension, swept over the United States, and every not of tho War department was Interpreted fioirri this distorted point of view. In Its psychological aspects, this universal hysteria was not unlike other Incidents In tho history of our country, wherein public sentiment smother? reason and loose opinion runs riot." The records show that at this camp of ten d,i' preparation, at which 20,000 men were received sick within thirty days, but 12(1 died, and that predictions of tho spread of a typhoid or other epidemic, were unfulfilled. In returning to the camps of mobilization and instruction, an instance is cited of one regiment camping on the fair giounds .in its own state, which had In August 002 on the sick report, 2C0 of which cases were typhoid fever. Wllh but half as many volunteers as regulars in the Fifth corps with Shatter, tlio number of deaths from disease was about the Rime, The death rate per 1,000 in the United States was, lcgulars 17.43, and volunteers 20.07. The concluding chapter contains a resume of the conditions of unpieparedness, comparisons with the outcome of military expeditions of Ku ropeans into the tropics, in times past, an! closes ns follows: "Despite the total lack of preparation; despite the failure of the militia to meet expectations in tlio matter of equipment; despite the inertia of the supply bureaus of the War department, resulting fiom thlity-three years of peace; despite the necessity of embark ing an expedition to tropical inlands of the At lantic and Paeille, with no provisions ut the outset for doing so, notwithstanding lhce gioat anil new pioblcms, tlio lino, and EtulT of the regular army, and the eager volunteers, accomplished what it is no vain boast to claim, could not IiaVe been done by any other nation on tho face of the caith, under the same circumstances." THE OPTIMIST. Olo Uncle Plnn was a good ole chap, Hut he never seemed fer to caie a lap. If the sun forgot To rise tome day, Ju.-t like us not Ole Finn would sayi "Onconimon daik, this hcie vve'ie in, Hut 'taln't fo bad as it might 'a' been." But a big cyclone caino 'long one day, An' the town was wiecked and blovvcd away. When the storm lias passed Wo turned around And thought at last Olo Pinn had fount! Tho statu o' things he was buried In About as bad as It might 'a' been. So we dug '!m out o' tho twisted wictk And lifted a rafter off ids necl;. He was bruised an' cut, And a sight to sre; lie was ruined, but Ho S.1JS, says he, Willi a weak look 'lound and a, smaihed-up grin, " 'T-alnt half so bad as it might 'a' been!" Hut after all, it's the likes o' l'inn Hakes this wotld fit fer Hi In' in. When days are diear And skies aro daik. It's good to hear Some olo oils? bail;, "Now see here, son!" Willi ii chcciful giln, " 'Taln't halt so bad as it might 'a' been!" Newark News. ssasmssssmrA 126 Wyoming Ave. v Despite tlio snow and weather, a summer Influence pervades our store, Us Influence extending to the farthest nook of tho city's limit. Why is this? Because the womanly mind planning' for long months ahead, when It will ho too warm to think. As a Result & y wa Imvo hrousjht the prettiest patterns, out of 'the ordinary iu their make-up, from Fnshlon'o shopping centers, and placed them at her disposal. Beautiful Silk Swisses, entirely now, which liavo taken all Paris by storm, and alongside of the DalntyDlmltlesund Sheet Lawns. Kvory one, you will observe, whatever tho design, has a stripe of some kind running through It. WaistSuits can easily bo provided, for pret tier, moro becoming Ginghams aro not shown, All the standard colors, some odd, new shades and Roman Stripes will lead during the coming season. Tho suits as tha whole will be fashioned simply, that the wearer may securo the greatest servlco and comfort. Samples cheerfully fur nished. Take ours with you, and pote If they suffer by comparison. ieldruin, Sooff & Co Office Desks and Office Furniture "" ' ' I . New and Complete Assortment Being the XARCrEST PUKNITUBE DEALERS IN SCRANTON Wo cany the grentost assortment of up-to-tlato Offlco "Furnltuvo. You are Invited to, examine our now line beforo purchasing. 121 Washington Avenue. ways Busy A shoe that fits the eye should fit the foot or you don't want it. There is style effect of smartness in our shoes which appeals to good dressers but more impor tantevery pair of our gen tlemen's $5 shoes are at this time $4, which is important to the economist. LewiS&Reilly 114-116 Wyoming Ave. OF SCRANTOM. Capital, $200,000 Surplus, 550.000 Pays 3 interest on savings accounts whether large or small. Open Saturday evenings from 7.30 to 8.30. mr Mx.vxttmaxy n tm 8 Aro Vrwi n ! rnwr Of the Beautiful? Do jou wish to have prctly rlnss? Wo will lie pleased to show joit Solitaire Diamond ltins, Diamond and I.mcMld l!ln'i, Dia mond ntid Iluliy ltlngs, Diamond and Opal Illiigt, Diamond and Sapphire l!in, Dia. mond and. Turn,uoh Rlnus. Wo will mount any desired combination to order. E. SchiiTipff, 317 Lackawanna avo. To Clean House Will $ 20 Raglans and Newmarkets )l 20 Raglans and 'Newmarkets w 16 Raglans and Newmarkets fi 15 34 Jackets at . . jrt S? 26 34 Jackets at 25 20 34 Jackets at D DM H " TT VT i ITT "BT" Svt itf"Y. JO t"Jj'fl 5 1 TT rpa "l 3 i Pi Hk JV kJy Ji 1 i S r jl J 5 iillA ikJsLsf 11 2& ! thJ' ii Gbl M.SUu8LS " v a j sv a JU AK -TV- R 55 Jt L w 119. o P9. joo 27-Inch Jackets from $5.00 to $13,00 that f were 10.00 to $30.00, Alterations free of charge. v g 324 -Lackawanna Avenue g JJ Take Elevator. jjjj FINLEY Clean-up Sale of Blankets and Comfortables There are not a great many of any one grade. Yet iu the whole lot we have a fairly good assortmeut, We take a big cut in prices to close out the entire lot this week. Blankets Our Blankets at regular prices arc the best values on the market. AH are marked down, and are here at these figures, 95c, $1.50, $2,50, $3.75, $4.88, $6.50. We call special attention to the $4.88 aud $6.50 Blank ets being extra size, all wo.pl aud shrunk. Silk Covered Down Quilts $12.50 quality, marked $9.75. to Comfortables Are marked down low to sell them quick. Price, 95c to $3.00. 510-512 Lackawanna Ave. A Second-Class City with a " First Class Stock of Suitable for Wedding Gifts. Mercereati & Connell, 132 Wyoming Aveune. Got Glass, Sterling Silverware Clock Etc, insiS3rmsmwxwm:iMa'mKmmWmw?'. re nee There is as much, difference in Diamonds ns there is in human faces, and not infrequently as much hidden deception. When you wish to buy a diamond come to us. You can rely upon our judgment and representation. 317 Lackawanna ave. rane s Sell as Follows: at $6.90, All Wool u at 9.90, All Wool S at 14.90, All Wool 8.90, All Wool 11.90, All Wool 13.50, All Wool .