The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-07-19
HOME FROM THE FRONT
Situation in the Philippines Mis-
represented.
SITUATION VERY GRAVE
D. D. Babcock Talks Freely OF Con-
ditions in the Islands-1oo.oooM Men
Needed at Once-Wnl Cost
Thousands OF Lives,

Delos D. Babcock, private of G COM
pany, Montana volunteers, is home
from the 'front.' and is once more a citi-
zen, having been mustered out and re-
ceived his discharge. Private Babcock
IS home as the result of a Mauser bull
let having deprived him of his fitness
for soldering. He was hit in the right
ankle just as the battle of Caloocan
was won, and the bones of the ankle
were so terribly shattered that, though
he has been in the hospital ever since,
he came home on crutches, and it is
doubtful If he will ever entirely recover
from the effects of his wound.
Mr.. Babcock does not mince matters
in talking about the Philippines and the
war. for being no longer soldier his
tongue is not bridled and, as he said,
he feels he is entitled to exercise the
privilege of every other American citi-
zen of expressing his views. Mr.. Bah
cock is fine conversationalist, and he
talks most entertainingly of his expert
ences and of the situation in Luzon. In
conversation with a Standard reporter
last evening, Private Babcock express
bear out the statements of recent press
dispatches to the effect that the true
situation in the Philippines has not
been given in the published dispatches
of General Otis or the dispatches the
newspaper men have been allowed to
send.
When I left Manila we were not
aware rigid censorship had been es-
tablished and did not know the situa-
ton was being misr>,resented," said
Mr.. Babcock, but l no sooner arrived
at San Francisco than l was able to see
by the newspapers that the whole truth
was not being told. What the dis
patches contained was true enough, but
they did not tell it all, l could tell very
easily from what / knew personally
The situation is far more grave than it
is represented. A vast number of our
men are sick and disabled, many more
than most people have any idea Of
many times more than the dispatches
have stated. OF that / have not the
slightest doubt. Then, too, our people
have very little idea of the real status
of the insurrection l am very well
aware that having been but a private
soldier, l presume a great deal if | criti-
else the commanding general, but l
know of no reason why the press
should not know the truth. 1 have no
ticed General Otis has several times
cabled that he had the situation in
hand, but there has never been time
when that has been true, and it will be
a long time before it is. The operations
of the American army have been con-
fined to strip of country possibly 20
miles wide and As miles long. All the
rest of the island is in the hands of the
insurgents, and in my humble judgment
it will require far larger force than
is as yet provided for to subdue the
natives.
"Of course there is no doubt in my
mind as to the ability of the Americans
to whip the natives. The Americans
have never lost a foot of ground when
attacked, and have never attacked an
entrenchment or stronghold that they
have not carried, but to keep them
whipped is the question. To do that,
1t will take not less than 100000 men,
and that raises another problem which
Will be a perpleXing one to soive. Sup
pose we send 100000 men to the Phil
ippines; the question Of transportation
will then present It's Elf. The devising
of means to transport supplies for such
an army will be hard to meat, for the
transportation facilities are totally M
adequate. There is but the one line Of
rail and mules, horses or buffalo must
be used. They have only a few mules,
their horses are of no use, and the wa
ter buffalo, though they pull a heavy
load, are very slow. If the army adj
vanced 20 miles, 1T would take the buff
falo supply trains two days to come
up. So you see the difficulties offered
by the question of transportat ton alone
are almost insurmountahie. Inc army
ought to have at least 1000 mules, and
even then it would be a SLOW process.
Without big army it will he lmpossi-
BILE to subdue the insurgents, and the
natural difficulties confronting the
army, if it were there make it appar-
be a long time before the war is ended"
Mr.. Babcock is not in favor of Amer
lea retaining the islands. "Of course
we have got to go on now to a settle
ment," said he, but / believe in set
thing the war by diplomacy and l be-
heve it could be done. The islands are
no earthly use to America except Il
place for a naval base, ana / think an
agreement should be reached that
would enable the goveinm ant to with
draw the troops. We have demon
strated our ability to defeat the Fill
pinos in battle, and the honor Of our
army would not be tarnished, why then
not pretty nearly give the islands back
to the natives if they are ne use TO us,
as it will be demonstrated in time that
they are not. If some such thing is rot
done, it will cost thousaa Is Of Amer can
lives to subjugate the island p"OTle."
Mr.. Babcock was overrun yesterday
by visitors who learned of mis- return
and called to welcome him. He had 10
tell the story of the war, or what Il,
knew of it, over and over. so many
times that he has about decided to give
a public lecture in order to tell the
story to all his friends aui the friends
of the other soldiers at one time.
The only fresco painter in Butte en-
titled to be called an artist is en-