The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-09-06
EXPERT
OPINION ON
FILIPINOS.
An Interesting Letter From Lieut..
enant Van Duzcr to United
States Senator Scott
ON EXISTING CONDITIONS.
Every Anti.Expansion Speech
Means Many More Dead
American Soldiers.

Lieut.. Lewis >, v an LuEeII ol Ine uuIteu
States navy, who was military lnstruc-
tor at the Linsly Institute some years
ago. Since leaving Wheeling, Lieut..
Van Duzer has been through the war
With Spain on the famous Iowa, hav-
ing participated in the destruction OF
the fleet Of cervera ut Santiago, and
has since been on the Charleston, at
Manila. A day or two since Hon. n.
B. Scott received from Lieutenant Van
Duzer letter dated July 10, at Cebu
Island, in the Philippines, which, barr
ing some personal matters contained
therein, Mr.. Scott has handed to the
Intelllgencer for publication. It is a
most interesting and timely letter. and
will be read with the deepest interest.
the letter was one which
Lieutenant Van Duzer had written on
board the Iowa, of MontevideO, Uur-
quay, South America, while en- route to
the Philippines, but had neglected to
mail. This last named letter which
reports the battles he was in, and pays
a high tribute to a Wheeling young
man. The IntellIgencer makes the fol-
lowing extract:
Dear Senntor:-I hoped 10 get out to
Wheeling, and see you and Professor
Birch and other Wheeling friends when
we came north nfter the war, but 1,
was at first refused an extension of
leave such as was granted to all the
other officers, and when did get II. 1t
was too late to get out TO Wheeling
or to washington, where / thought l
would be more likely to find you.
"Well, we had a most interesting war,
and not too much of 1t. was most
fortunate In being In all the principal
naval engagements except that at Ma
nIla; while at the attack on San Juan,
Puerto Rico. and In the destruction Of
Cervera's fleet at Santiago, the first
gun fired was one OF mine. 1t Is a
curious fact that the Raleigh, to which
I was ordered in April. 1897, (the orders
which you so kindly had revoked) fired
the first shot at the battle Of Manila,
80 that even II had gone to her
would have seen very active service,
and possibly fired the first gun ut Ma
nila.
'I must not forget to refer to young
Dan Mendel, John Mendel's son. His
mother wrote to me some time ago,
asking me to speak to you In his be-
half. He became q naval apprentice,
and has developed into n fine, manly
young fellow. He was sent to the
Iowa about a year ago, and assigned
to my division at my request, and can
not speak too highly Of his conduct,
bearing and intelligence. During the
numerous actions in which we were en-
gagged he had one Of the most exposed
and dangerous stations on the ship, and
his behavior Us to coolness, courage and
efficiency were creditable In the high
est degree. He now wishes to get IN
appointment to the naval academy, and
and II you cnn help him In this mat
ter am sure It will be greatly appre-
ciated by all his friends, as It certain
ly will by me. He is very deserving,
and think would prove credit to
West Virginia"
The Second Letter.
The second letter. which Is direct
from the Philippines, and is dated July
1s, after referring to some personal
matters, is as follows:
AS you may see by the heading Of
this letter I am long ways from home.
came out from New York on the bat
tieshlp Iowa as far as lilac, Peru, and
was then transferred TO the Iris, with
orders TO report to Admiral Dewey up
on my arrival Mt Manila. By the ad-
mirai was then assigned to this ship
(the CharlestOn). Braunnersreuther
was attached to the Charleston, but is
now captain OF the port OF Manila, an
office that differs from anything we
have at home. He has control OF all
merchant vessels in the hRrbor, clear
ances OF vessels, hnrbor police, etc.
Doddridge was here, but has gone
home.
The weather here is warm enough to
suit the most eXnctlng requirements In
that direction, but no more diSagreea-
BILE than It was on the Cuban block
ede, especially on the north coast, where
the sea was usually too rough TO open
the aIr-ports in our state rooms. APP
parently the islands are healthier than
Cuba or else the soldiers are better
cared for, for there is nothing like the
sickness among the troops here that
there was In Cuba.
II Is rather hard TO determine the
exact state OF affairs out here, for eV-
cFybody wants to prove his own theory
about the Philippine question. can
only express my own opinion, based up
on my own observations, together with
such fncts rs have been able to as
certain, think the Fillplnos VIII give
up before the end OF the next dry sea-
son, and, perhaps, long before that.
They are losing at every point, without
even a single small victory. and they
have never amounted to anything eX-
cept in LuZon.
With the single exception Of that Is
land, believe we shall have no trou-
bic until we undertake the conquest OF
Mlndanno, an island that the span
iards never conquered. Its inhabitahts
nre MohOmmedBn Malays, ana they are
fierce, fanRtiral, treacherOus, and dead
ly oppnsed TO nny Christian dominn-
tIon, They are fine set OF savage
cut .throats, and large proportion OF
them could be spared from the face OF
the earth. 1t Is In this island that
tho cheerful practice OF running amuck
IL an preValent. II IL called going |
by the SpnnlRrdS, ana
Ipparentiy consists In taking an oath TO
MN Mi persons they may meet who |
nre not Mohammednns, md then doing |
their heat TO carry out the onth, only |
s,npDInG when the Oath-tnkerS them |
selves nre killed. These fanatics be- |
iIcye that TO kill Christian Is sure |
to tho Mohammedan heaven |
Not Ten Percent
think nm within the limits Of fact
when say that not ten per cent Of
the Inhabitants OF these islands have
nny interest in the insurrection, and
that three-quarters OF these take this
attitude owing to Misrepresentation OF
Dur people and the Intentions OF our
government, while very large pro-
portion OF the natives would prefer !