The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1899-10-18
NOT WORTH IT.
A Private Soldiers Opinion Of the
Philippines.
MORE TROOPS NEEDED.
Angeles One Of the Finest Cities
in Luzon and the Seat Of an
Intelligent Government.

IN LuZon and the seat OF an
Intelligent Government.
A Aprivato soldier writes as follows to
tho Washington Post from tho Philip
pines:
1t has been little over year since
Manila was surrendered to tho Amcri-
can troops, and from that time on it has
boon hard and exhausting work for tho
troops, with everything at tho present
time pointing to fighting and stubborn
resistance for cyory milo Of territory
we arc now advancing over. What has
boen accomplished in the past year
seoms so little in comparison with what
is before us that tho sentiment is that
ton Yeas from now We will be fighting
in tho Philippinoa. 1t is true that we
have advanced into territory that tho
Spaniards never were within miles Of,
for all OF their campaigning was never
moro than FIVE miles from Manila at
tho most. Still VIC are long way from
oonquoring the Filipinos. Towns and
villages that wcro captured months ago
by tho Americans on tho line Of tho
railroads are giving the troops left to
| garrison them great deaf of trouble, as
the main body advances farther north
BY this harassing largo body of troops
has to bo scattered along the railroad to
protect it, thus preventing their assi,-
tanco N tho advance. The situation
along this road can be summed up in a
few words: We havo control and the
tight Of way over nearly fifty miles of
tho road, which wo can hold by force
of arms, but milo On either side it is
as good as mans life is worth to yen
ture, and hardly night passes that
there is not somo trouble about Caloo-
can and Malolos, towns captured months
ago. This alone seems to point TO tho
fact that tho Filipinos arc not thirsting
to drink OF the waters of protection
held out by Uncle Sam, but prefer their
modo Of governing themselves.
1t can be nothing else than patriot
ism with these people or they would
never have hold out as long as they
have. They are not savages nor ignor-
ant and illiterate, Their mode ofliying
is different, their manner Of dress and
culture are different in somo respects
from ours but in business respects they
arc able to hold their own with Bax-
| ter street merchant. They all seem to
be fond of the advantages Of education,
and very devout in their religious be-
lief, judging by tho class of books loft
behind in their houses, as all the works
arc religious or historical. Their writ.
ing shows great caro- in their pcnman-
ship, and somo Of their ledgors and &C
count books compare favorably with
those Of any bank in the States.
With this advantage Of education
and the cunning instillcd into them
from thoir ancestors and intcrmarriago
with tho Chinese they make foe DIFF
fercnt from any that the American
orcos have had to contend with yet.
1t can never be charged that the Amer
loan army was over anything but hu-
mano in it's warfare, but it is at times a
bitter doso with these people. Our
forces will advance on town and after
a slight resistance the native vamooses
and the American forces tako posses
sion. The next day in they will come
through ourlines, dressed in their white
clothes and carrying white flag. They
are Amigos" or Macabcbes then, but
wc have learned at last, at the cost Of
the lives Of several good American sol
dier boys, to trust mono Of thom, for
there is no confidence or respect Of word
to be placed in any Of them. Tho
"alcalde," " or mayor, of townwill meet
you with all the protestations of friend
ship and goodwill for the American
and tell you that tho Filipino and
Aguinaldo are NARROW" (no good J
and at the same time, as was shown a
few days ago in capturing ono Of the
most friendly to tho American cause,
have commission rs colonel or somo
high Office in tho insurgents army. Tt
is a hard thing to have to do, but the
only plan before tho American army is
to drive them before you women and
children, and if they want to come back
in the town take tho mon prisoners and
send the women outside of the lines.
This has moro effect than the use Of
force, as the Filipino household seems
to be happy and peacoble home, and
to separate the husband and father
from wife and children causes toars and
lamentations, moro than the bullet will
ever do; but God forbid that tho Amor.
ican army will oycr be compelled to
resort to such actions to gain their vic
tory.
There is one peculiar thing noticoa-
bio as tho advance is mado farther
north, and this is that though Manila
is spoken Of as the chief city Of Luzon,
and tho aeat Of learning, wealth and
culture, the farther north you 60 from
Manila the appearance OF the country
and habitations Of tho people show
marked improvement The land seoms
to be bottor cultivated and tho homes
arc far better built, making ncatcr
appearance than those near Manila. In
this town Of Angeles, captured by ten
companies of tho 18th infantry on Au-
gust 16, after the strongest resistance
encountered yet, every indication points
to an Intelligent, woll.goyornod city.
Tho houses are large and commodious,
a number Of them built Of stone, brick
and franc, while those built Of bamboo
arc of q different design than in other
places. There is magnificent church
built Of stone and finished in mahogany
and tho furnishings Of tho altar will
compare favorably with the finest
church in tho States. Thoro arc no
pows in any of tho churches 7 havo
seon in tho interior. | should say be-
tween 8, 1000 and 1000 could worship in
this church without erowding
On Monday morning, August ID, q
part of the 18th infantry. and 51st Iowa
went out on scouting trip to gain
knowledge Of tho lay Of tho land in our
front md m At a 1or0o ,,or+x, 80 ;,n,,.