The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1899-09-13
OUR SOLDIERS MsREPREsENTED.

OUR SOLDIERS MISREPRESENTED.
mot only is there but small part OF
the Island of Luzon engaged in this
insurrection. but the greater part OF
| the tribe which is engaged is opposed
to a continuation of the war, Is IN
favor of American rule, but is over
awed by the threats of the insurgent
leaders. Under orders from these lead
ers all towns and cities which were
abandoned were burned by the insur-
gent forces. and the inhabitants COM
pelled to move back within their lines.
| Thousands upon thousands have thus
had their homes destroyed by their
own countrymen and have been COM
/ PEELED to live as best they might, in
poverty and suffering. For while the
people had been terrified and had been
prejudiced against the American army
by printed circulars which had been
distributed, stating that the united
States troops had committed all KINDS
of atrocities against old men and help
! less women and children in the towns
which they captured. but experience
soon showed them that the Americans
we're their best friends. BY the time
we reached Malolos the people had
come to understand the treatment they
would receive from the American army
and we were informed by those who
ventured back under flags of truce that
nearly the whole population wished to
remain in their homes and await the
coming of our troops, but that the in
surgents at the point of the bayonet
forced them to leave and drove them
back into the country, where they lived
in swampc and thickets.
at was the order Cf General Otis,
carried out to the fullest extent by our
division commander, General MacAr-
thur, that the troops should treat these
non-combatants with the utmost cour-
tesy and kindness, and this was done,
despite all reports to the contrary.
"As commander of the district OF
Cavite had personal knowledge OF
this feeling in the provinces OF Cavite
and Batangas, the very hotbcd of the
insurrection. The town of Cavite,
which was of limited area, became so
| crowded that for fear OF an epidemic
of sickness was obliged to turn away
| hundreds upon hundreds of men and
women, coming from the mainland,
who wished to abandon the insurgent
cause and escape from the eXcesses and
outrages of the insurgent troops. AS
soon as the insurSent fcrccs had with
drawn the prominent citizens of lmus'
the capital of Cavite province. well
coined the American troops, and under
their direction formed local gov
ernment, under which they are still
working. Other towns in this prov
ince sent requests to have the Ameri-
can forces visit them and receive their
submission.
1.-The insurgent army itself is not
united, as a great many of the soldiers
were forced to enlist and are COM
PEELED to serve under threat of death.
ADMINISTRATION Commended.
az have been asked as has every re-
turning soldier, my opinion of the con-
duct of the war. This question is SO
indefinite that | do not think it can
be intelligently answered by subordin-
ate officers like myself. can say, how
ever, that within my knowledge two ol
the departments, which most vitally
affect the interests of the army, could
not, under all the circumstances, have
been better conducted. The ratiols
were excellent and were promptly sup
piled. the hospital acconu oltions
were ample aCd the medical staff snf-
ficient, not only to care for our OWE
men, but to furnish an object lesson
in generosity and magncmin,ty by
treating hundreds Of Filipino who
would otherwise have Ieen ct to die
Speaking from material stand
point. these islands will prove valu-
able acqriSitiOn to the United States
Already Il ey are developinG ccrlmerct
to a wonderful extent upon the Pa
| cific coast. Those who have not seen
them cannot appreciate the prodiSali-
ty of natur, or the immense CONNER
cial traffic which they possess. If peace
be restored the revenues of hut few
years viii sufilCe to r5y for their pur-
chase. and the price of their conquest
and | venture the prediction that be-
fore the next national encampme1t OF
the Grand Army Of the Republic the
sovereignty of the United States will
be undsputed throughout the length
| ana DleaULH VI lUe dlNI4tIS'c y. NV
not propose to discuss evpar-'on and
anti-expansion, fer | am not familiar
with he eIsct meaning Of those TENS.
If anti-expansion means that we
should not assume pee 7ession Of the
PhilirriDes--'he Il is out Of date. for
we alrpodv hold them hv title that
no civilized natic1 FOR ve-v self pres
ervatior wor'l dare TO C's~u'e. II II
means thot 80 are t. retire from the
present conflict, to abandon the islands
to ~c'olv dark Gr9 b'o' d. deeds
of rcve7~o ~-d Ta-th. ?-d tra: orr ma
tional erlh'ei1 IS 10 he t''''- h''~71'ated
and d.sh ed for The first time be-
fore the r~.'o1s Of TIE e9~th. then ! dn
not e''evr > IT The """-t majority OF
the Aro~''Gr PEOPLE viii '0n9e7t
do net ave th@t yo1. who f,r~ht
and suffe- ad 10 prese~"e. establish and
perpetrate 80 very Union whose hon.
or and sG-e ai0nty are thus assailed
will consent that its flHg shall he hauled
down in tha land. whose soil has been
Consecrated to the cause Of lihertv and
dedicated to civilization by the shed
ding of American blood"