The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-07-22


Funston and tho "Aunties.n
The 'Aunties" who are making great
capital Of the statements made by Gem
eral Funston. in an interview regarding
the Philippine situation. and are Won
dering why the administration or
cams do not charge him with seditlon
and treason. General Funston said
nothing which would classify him with
the champions OF the cause OF the Fill
pInos and the enemies and villlhers Of
his own country who are comparing
our troops to brutes and savages, and
pralsing the virtues and patriotism OF
Aguinaldo and his followers. General
Funston does not advocate sending lit
erature to the Flllpinos assuring them
that the sentiment of the country is
with them. He does not Indulge in
abuse Of the President Of the United
states who paid him such high honor,
nor bring into dlsrepute the govern
ment for which he so courageously and
faithfully fought.
Funston isn't that sort OF critic.
He is no sympathlzer with the enemy.
He is not regretting the part he took
In the struggles in the Philippines, nor
is he contendlng that he and his men
were engaged in an inhuman warfare.
He Isles good and as patriotic an
American soldier as ne was the day he
enlisted. Funston, in his interview,
does not utter word that can be con-
strued by the enemy to mean that the
people of this country are in a state OF
revolution and are holding prayer
meetings petitIoning that our army be
driven from the islands and that the
mobile Aguinaldo" be permitted to as
sumo control.
Funstons utterances are merely
criticisms of the slowneas OF the cam
paIgn and a suggestion of
peace through diplomacy. He
believes in the retention of a few of
the valuable islands but not all, right
no one disputes. He thinks 1t could be
done by conservative action and bring
the fighting to close. Funston may
be mistaken, as other brave fighters
have been, or he may be right. There
is not, however, one word OF dlsloyalty
to the government in his talk. nor Is
there praise and sympathy for the de-
moralIzed natives who are fighting
against the flag whose honor he fought
for. There is not one word which can
possibly justify the Filipino aiders and
abettors in this country to classify him
as one OF themselves. His record on
the other side won him a promotion
from colonelcy to brigadier general
ship and the applause Of the country.
The antI-expansionists who are re-
jolced that Funston advocates peace
with as little more fighting as possible,
are giving him no more credit than all
other soldiers and good American citi-
gems, including the President, are en-
titled to-. for It is only natural that
everybody should want peace. Many
differ as to the plan of campaign; they
also differ on the points OF expansion,
annexation, the establishment Of a pro-
tectorate, as to whether all the Islands
shall be retained. or but two or three
Important ones. These are questions to
be settled by the coming Congress.
Neither Funston, nor any other faith
full American, who isn't governed by
false sentiments and partisan malice,
would favor an abandonment OF re-
sponsIblllty and treaty obligations that
would disgrace US in the eyes of the
world. The Boston aggregation and its
followers insult this brave Kansas SOL
der in seeking to claim him as one of
their own. and fail to distinguish be-
tween sedItIon and plain, blunt and OUT
spoken ideas of what should be done
from a military standpoint, by an hon
est, brave veteran whose record in be-
MALT Of the country's cause ranks among
those of the nations heroes of the past
and present, and not with the pessi-
mlsts. who are always stay-at-homes-
in all wars.