Arizona republican., 1899-02-01
COMMANDED BY A REGULAR.
A Lesson in War to be Learned From
 the AstOr Battery.

A Lesson in War to be Learned From
 the Astor Battery.
 The Astor battery has returned to New York from Manila under the com mand of Captain Pey6on c. March, the regular army officer who has bsen at the head Of the organization since it left this country last June. Full faced, pink-,.eeked, jubi1ant," is the description of the men in one of the New York papers, and tbis in spite of the trying climate to which they have been exposed and their long journey of mcre than 10000 miles. How is the excellent condition of these artillery men to be accounted for, when we re- member the tales of suffering from Cuba and Porto Rico. and the fever raczsd camp at Montauk In large part an explanation can be found in the fact that an officer of the regular army was in charge Of the battery from the start. Colonel AstOr, when he pro- vided for the organization Of this fine body Of troops, Insisted that they should be entrusted to the care Of trained soldier And Captain March has done his work well. The AstOr battery fought like veterans at Manila and comes back "ful faced, pink-cheek- ed and jubil ant" The demOralizati1n Of the Sixth Massachusstt regiment il Porto Rico under a volunteer cOmnlan- der is well remembered. A regular army officer WAS put in charge and a change for the better was immediately noticeable. Army training counts, and no amount of volunteer zeal can equal it.
 The volunteer fights with great cour- age. but he tires of garrison duty, 10 which the regular soldier is hardened. One of the members of the AstOT bat tery sazTs: T was glad to stay in Ma nila as long 3s there was fighting to do. but when there was only garrison duty we all got 'homesick." It is doubt less due very largely to the recent in activity Of the American troops at Ma- nila that these returned troops are so dissatisfied with the islands. They do not like the climate or the filth. They have come home with a greater afec- tiOn for soap and water than they ever had before. Very few have anything good to say about the weather but Captain March, who icoKs at the ques- tiOn with the eye of 3 seasoned soldier, tells Us that while the problem of keeping troops in the islands is seri- GUS one it. can be done if they follow 
 periodically to rGcuparate. There is, indeed, no reason why any one soldier CT body of soldiers should be kept in the Philippines iong enough to become danger I0Usly enervated. And the con ditjOn of the Astor battery shows that good care and expert attention will en- able troops to maintain there a very satisfactory state Of heaith.
 The undergraduates who will note with glee the adverse reports oi these batterymen on the climate Of the is lands, saould remember that they are, as a rule, young fellows from homes Of comfort if not luxury, wh1 respond cd suddenly to the call to arms and have i'll most cases probably suffered but little trouble or discomfort in se- curing the common conveniences Of everyday living heretofore. Soldier ing at the best is not like lifa at home, and We can readily understand hoy the members Of the AstOr battery may have OyerdraWn to some extent the disad- vantages of the Manila climate But doubtless they are as good judges of human nature as anybody, and it is important to observe that not one of them was impressed with those attrac- tive characteristics of the Filirinos of which we have heard so much from the . man says: The natives are only half civilized. Another adds: The natives are merceha-y, treacher0us and cow ardly.' And others declare of these
 patriots" who like Washington and other American revolutionists are fighting for the noble cause of inde- pendence, tha5 they are dirty and sav- age, 'unwashed," impossible from every point of view the worst lot you could imagine" '1sercenazy and dis eased. mot accustomed U water" at best dirty, diseased, half civilized crowd and 1'mercenary and grasDirg. Are these people fit for self govern ment? Can We abandon thsm to their fate without doing a little wholesome missionary work among them? How can We justify ourselves as a civilized people if we leave this wretched race to walloW in the dirt and degreda1ion that have accumulated during centar- ies of mis-ule and oppression ?-ProT.- nee Journal.