The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-12
He DOESN'T LIKE MANILA
Lieutenant B. e. Calkins Returns
From the Philippines.
NOT A WHITE MANS LAND
He Is Heartily Glad to Get Back to
Butte-The Health of the Montana
Soldiers Is Good The Regi-
nent Is in Manila.

Lieutenant Ben E. Calkins, regimental
adjutant of the list Montana volunteers
until recently mustered out arrived home
yesterday morning from Manila. Lieuten-
ant Calkins is much changed in appear
ance, but mainly because he has lost his
mustache which he says was bestowed on
the fishes on his voyage across the ocean.
He is also several pounds lighter and sew
eral shades darker but he looks well and
strong and he has no appearance of hav
ing suffered any great hardships while
soldering for Uncle Sam. In fact. ac-
cording to his statements, Lieutenant
Calkins got off much more fortunately
than most of his fellow officers, who did
not endure the climate of the Philippines
as well as he did and fell sick while he
escaped serious Illness. Lieutenant Cal
kins received a soldiers hearty welcome
home from his friends yesterday. who, on
learning of his return, called in large
numbers during the day to offer their
greetings.
Lieutenant Calkins expressed himself
last evening as heartily glad to get back
to Butte. not that he was sorry he went
to the front with his regiment, but that
he was glad to get away from Luzon's
frightful climate. which, he says, is not
fit for any white man to live in. An
Americans term of life, he says, is not
more than three years. After that time
any white man will lose all ambition and
merely exist. with no aim in life but 10 let
the days go by. The natives he chnrac-
terizes as a slovenly, filthy set whom the
Americans will have hard time teaching
decency and cleanliness. Lieutenant Cal
kins did not care to have much to say re-
garding the value to the country of the
nations latest territorial acquisition. but
it was apparent from what he did say
that he would consider himself cheat ted if
the whole group of islands were given
him as a present.
Lieutenant Calkins states that there was
a great deal of sickness in the regiment
during the early part of the period that
has been spent in the islands, but when he
left the general health, not only of the
Montana regiment, but of all the Others
was greatly improved and that much, if
not nearly all of the present sickness was
the fault of the Individuals The whole of
the Montana regiment is now quartered
at Manila he states. in warehouses and
any other buildings that are available,
and the boys are in comfortable circum-
stances though thoroughly tired of mac
tivity. He says that it is his opinion that
20 per cent. of the 900 soldiers, regulars
and volunteers alike would welcome with
JOY Inc announcement that their term of
service in the Philippines was at an end
He had no information as to when that
time will come for the Montana men.
When Lieutenant Calliins left Manila
all was quiet and he had no better infor-
nation than anyone else on the happen
ings since that time Lieutenant Calkins
feels very indignant al the structures that
that have been passed upon Colonel Kess-
Ter, as he says they were never justified
His position brought him great deal in
contact with the colonel of the regiment
and he says he knows Colonel Kessler did
everything in his power and many things
that were not in the line of his duty to
better the condition of the men. He
states that he believes the men now ap-
preciate the fact and they deprecate the
criticisms of Colonel kesser as much as
anyone else.
Lieutenant Calkins declined to make any
statement to the reasons for the dis
charge of the officers of the regiment
whose places were recently filled by Gov
ernor Smith, saying he had no informa-
ton on the subject
Lieutenant Calkins was mustered out at
San Francisco and will now devote him
self to his business interests here.