Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-07-17

We are told that money panic in
London is feared. What! In the home
of the gold standard?
WHAT THE SOLDIERS SAY.

| and Oregon, who distinguished them
selves in the Philippines and who have
arrived at San Francisco, are anything
but enthusiastic in their accounts OF
poll of the returned regiment resulted
in a practically unanimous declaration
that the Philippine war up to date has
been decided failure. The soldiers
condemn Major General Otis unspar-
ingly and declare that the Filipinos
can never be whipped on the present
lines. They agree, moreover, that the
islands are not worth fighting for, and
not member of the regiment would
re-enlist Even the $500 bounty offer
ed volunteers to remain in the islands
had no attractions for them, and they
declared almost to a man that they
would not return to the Philippines at
any price.
These statements of the soldiers will
doubtless, as usual, be pooh-poohed by
the imperialists as the Ignorant va
porting of common soldiers" But the
fact must be borne in mind that these
volunteers were selected from the
flower of young American citizenship,
which is the life, the bulwark and hope
of the nation, and that in their ranks
are to be found American citizens OF
all classes and degrees and many men
who will equal, if not discount in brains
and ability, anything in Washington
officialdom-men who could give Mr..
McKinley's war department. points on
how to manage a campaign such as the
present one, of which the administra-
ton has made so frightful and costly
a botch.
These volunteers are now veterans.
They have not spent all these months
of hardship and suffering in the Philip
pines without learning something.
They probably know more to-day OF
the actual merits of the situation there
from every point of view than many
of the imperialist leaders in Washing
ton whose knowledge of the islands is
largely gained by proxy from agents
who find it most profitable not to tell
the whole truth.
The returned regiment is composed
of picked men above the average in in
telligence, and it is the opinion of four
fifth of them, according to the San
Francisco dispatch giving the poll of
the regiment, that the Philippine war
is a tremendous mistake that will cost
us dearly. This dispatch adds:
THE veterans varied in their views as
to the length of time that would be re-
quired to conquer the Filipnos Of the
field officers and men per cent were of
the opinion that subjugation could be
effected within one year if the cam
paign were in the hands of competent
men; 62 per cent placed the maximum
limit at five years. Is per cent at ten
years, and of the rest some believed that
it would mean an intermittent warfare
for generations, and others that the
island tribes could never be entirely pac-
fed.
The volunteers were practically unani-
nous in saying that the Filipinos would
never make good citizens, that the ben
efits of civilization would be wasted upon
them, and that the Americanization of the
islands would neeessitate the extermina-
ton of the Malay as the American Indian
was eXtermnated.
Few of the soldiers would care to re-
turn to the Philippines to live. The major
ity declared that a white man could, never
become acclmated there, and of the hand
full who expressed a desire to go back
nearly all admitted that they were actu-
ated by the belief that fortunes might be
made during the boom following American
supremacy.
Not one man could be found on the
transports who cared to re-enist."
The men unite in characterizing Gen.
Otis as a fiat failure and predict that
no advances will be made by our troops
until the administration sends a COM
petent General to the islands.
This is the natural and predicted re-
suit OF Mr.. Mckinley side tracking
Gen. Miles lest that veteran, given too
much prominence, might become a
presidential possibility. And the gen.
ueman in the White House wants no
C. her Presidential possibility to get
afoul of his second term boom. Hence
only mediocre military talent has thus
far been placed in charge of the Phil
ippines campaign, with the natural re-
suit
The administration imperial scheme
as 1t stands is in pretty mess, to be
sure. And it is costing the American
taxpayer in the neighborhood of a mil
lion dollars every day--money worse
than thrown away, for it will never be
gotten back-to say nothing of precious
lives.
| Brooklyn's long threatened trolley
strike is on in full force and lively
times are reported in the City of
| Churches. Violence, disorder and the
destruction of the company'S property