Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 September 1898 — The Plain Truth. [ARTICLE]

The Plain Truth.

If one were to judge from the accounts given of the neglect of the sick soldiers by those in authority, be would be apt to conclude that there is a criminal intent on the part of our officers and surgeons. When we consider that the chief aim of an army is to fight and destroy the enemy, and that every available man is needed for that purpose, it is not so wonderful that the sick may be temporarily neglected to a certain extent. Better suffer some neglect than that the sick should fall into the hands of the enemy. The facts are that there has been no more sickness in the army than at home. We venture to say that there is now and has- been as much sickness and as many deaths occurred during the last month in Valparaiso as there has been in the field during the same time, in proportion to numbers. All things considered our army officials should be honored for the skill they have displayed in their treatment of the sick and wounded, not censured. — Valparaiso Vidette.