Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1899-12-15
ARMY OFFICERS oARENor FOR MEN

ARMY OFFICERS OARENoT FOR MEN.
Some of the dangers, injustices and
arrogance which is part of militar-
ism and which will increase with the
continuance of our imperialistic policy,
may be gathered from the following
patriotic letter from an unfortunate
Ohio soldier to his aged father:
MANILA, P. l., August 2, 1899.
My dear father:-It is painful task
/ am now endeavoring to perform. not
for myself. but the thought of causing
you pain. In your condition it is mad.
ness. but l cannot for the world re-
frain from telling you the crisis of my
life and the death of fond hopes. 1
came here as patriotic soldier as
ever donned the blue. ambitious and
enthusiastic. An order came for the
promotion of one from each regiment.
Like the moth, longed for the star
that was my doom. and forwarded
letter to General Otis asking to be
granted an examination. His secre-
tary burned it and was arrested, the
first time in my life as you know,
charged with addressing a superior
officer without consent of intermediate
officers.
/ did not know it was a crime an
not fifty of my regiment knew it. My
captain told me would be fined So to
$40. But was one whom they made
a warning of to others. By court of
six officers l was dishonerably dis
charged and sentenced to one year in
Bilibid military prison. One year for
an act knew not was wrong. No one
had a better record than for faithful
ness. Never tasted of wine nor missed
call. And oh, that discharge! left
good home, God bless it. good pros.
poets for the future. you an invalid and
needing my help, came over 5000
miles to serve my country in burning
sun and binding rain and God, to what
an endl But in the eyes of my aged
mother, whose love we cherish, know
/ am guiltless of criminal intention as
I was at birth.
faced the bullets and even the
sting of Mauser without a murmur;
and, more, my health has been sacri.
feed in time Of duty. And then con-
fined three months without trial: SEN
fenced to one long, dreary year, then
thrown upon a scornful world in dis.
grace, a physical wreck and dishonor
to the flag fought to shield. They
even retained five months of my hard
earned pittance, SIS. l am confined
with all classes. the coarsest brutes.
l never was used to it and it gals me
sorely. My lesson is very severe and
fifteen months of my life blank. A
starved intellect, you on your DEATH
bed; 1 scourged by the lash of an in
stant's folly, l am unable to be with
you. / would ten thousand times
rather serve my time in innocence
than to have my liberty and guilty
soul. When the wheel of fortune is
lowest then it slowly begins to rise.
This is my only hope. Were l Grim.
inal would never face you again. l
cannot for my life tell of what avail it
is to keep me here. can no longer
be soldier, but their will is law and
hope God will spare me until we meet
again. God bless you and keep you,
my loving father. From your only
son, LAWRENCE F. HooN.
Co. X. 9Th u. S. V. l.
September Is, his poor old father
wrote Governor Bushnell pleading for
some help for his boy and expressed
the hope that it might be given before
the diseases. with which he 1.-THE father)
was afflicted, should end his life. The
matter was referred to President Nc
Kinley, who, unlike Abraham Lincoln,
has had no time to act as yet.