The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-19
Absence of a Policy Caused the
Philippine War.
ARMY OFFICERS VIEWS
JUDGE ADVOCATE JEWETT RE
TURNS FROM MANILA.
Aguinaldo Had Cause TO Doubt Our
Good Faith, For He Could Not
Conceive of a Powerful Govern
ment Without Fixed Policy
Insurgents Aided Americans.

New York, Feb. 1S.-Judge Advocats
General Jewett, U. S. A, who has just
arrived here from Manila, when told
by World reporter about the fight in
the Philippines, said:
Il am glad of it. The sooner the
crisis is reached the better Might is
the hrst requisite for enduring peace.
The Filipinos will not give US any
trouble after the malcontents and guer-
ria leaders are captured. We must
not forget that the utter absence of a
policy regarding the future is TO blame
for this trouble. AguinaldO has had
cause 10 doubt our good faith.
he used TO come to see me nearly
every day, just as he went to visit Cen
eral Merritt He would ask, What is
your government going to do with us?'
We could not tell him. He naturally
believed us liars and cheats. He could
not conceive of a powerful nation with
out fixed policy Then he took to
uttering falsehoOds to the world about
American occupation"
Had he any groundS?'
None but motives of revenge" was
the reply.
L went into Manila when it was
captured, and established our courts.
In a week, by proper police sLttem. We
population, as safe as New York.
ASuinaldO'S infamous falSehoodS about
the maltreatment of native women
were circulated to inhame the Fill
pinos. We had q, 900 men there, and
not "a single censurable act was com
mitted by one of them. That is re-
markable, but true"
What is the real situation?''
Satisfaction among the SpaniardS
and some discomfort in the insurgent
ranks, due to the delay in declaring
our policy. Beyond question, we owe
considerable to the insurgents. They
cowed the SpaniardS by their show of
strength when we landed. They kept
the Spaniards in the city. expecting TO
make cold meat of them when we came
ashore. Naturally, from their point of
view, they were disappointed.
AT the same time, General Merritt
kept the insurgents punched so that
they could not spread into the hills,
and when he had to strike he delivered
a crushing blow. The guns on the
ships threw shells with the precision
of Mausers. 1t was wonderful. Whole
groups of the insurgents, with guns
in their hands to kill our men, were
literally effaced. There Will not be any
serious guerilla warfare in the Philip
pines. If there is, Spanish regiments
will be organized with American Of
fcerS, and short work will be made Of
the natives.
The audacious bravery of our men
volunteers chiefly, be it remembered
in charging the entertainments outside
Manila, was amazing TO the army Of
ficers who witnessed the charge. Our
men crossed the open and climbed the
hills in the full blaze of rifle fire. They
did this as if they had been soldering
all their lives. Nothing more than an
order was necessary. OFF they went.
This utter disregard for fear has i'm
pressed natives and Spaniards alike.
predict that IlOilo will be as quiet and
orderly as Philadelphia before the
month is over. l am glad to hear what
President Mckinley said at Boston.
That will do more for peace than any
action of congress"