The evening times., 1899-06-12
FATAL INDIGESTION.
The President Criticised for the Sit
uation In the Philippines.

Baltimore. Md. June l2-The Sun
prints the following under a Washington
| line:
1T is startling intelligence, and it is
the truth which makes it startling, that
at this very time hostile Filipinos are en-
camped within few miles of Manila. For
two months we have had almost daily ac-
counts of the advances Of our troops, the
wholesale killing of the Filpinos and con-
slant reports of what the aggressive tao
tics were intended to accomplish.
Whatever may have been the inten-
tions. practically nothing has been accom-
plished. The President has sent probably
a dozen kilograms of formal congratula-
tion to our brave officers and soldiers. all
of whom are really doing everything possi-
bic for men to do under the circumstances
The last telegram sent in the name Of the
President was an account of another ad-
vance. resulting in the killing Of sixty FL
lipinos, and the killing. wounding and
prostration by the deadly heat of more
than that number of our troops. 1t is said
the men prOstrated by the heat are inca
pable of further service. SO il is almost as
bad as If they were killed or wounded.
These continued eongratulatory tele-
grams of the President are becoming very
CHtdp- lueTe uaS Detn more Ol tnlS KIM
of business on the part - the Executive
than has ever been known in the military
history Of any government. In fact. until
the example set by the President of the
United States, no Government has ever
thought to make formal recognition Of the
valor OF its troops except in the event Of
some great and decisive battle. or some
notable example of daring and heroism
which set the world to thinking.
THE fact Of the head of this mighty
nation telegraphing congratulations be-
cause of the death or temporary dispersion
OF few Filipinos is witnessed with amaze
ment by other powers. Even the ceremony
and etiquette OF diplomatic circles in this
city do not avail TO stiile lively com
ment. The King OF France who marched
up the hill and then marched down again
effected quite as much as all the results
which have accrued up TO date from the
marching. counterm marching, advances,
and dashes of cur troops in the Philip
pines. IL is 2 crying shame that so many
valuable lives have been absolutely thrown
away in the two months daily panorama,
brilliant with American daring and ghast-
ly with uselessness.
The President knows he has taken
job upon himself which cannot be executed
with the present means at his command.
He knows what every military authority
the world over knows. His indecision Is
hourly making the matter worse a
week or TWO since. as set forth in this cor
respondence. he and his advisers realized
that more troops must be called. Then
haste was made to disavow the purpose
for fear of political expediency. But he
has got himself into a situation where he
cannot much longer evade the responsible
ity. No one can pretend to question that
the army in the Philippines is not strong
enough 10 hold the territory it takes. 1t
drives out the Filipinos for the moment
and then retreats upon its own entrench-
ments. This sort Of business can never
conquer. never pacify. the Filipiros. 1t can
only imbue them with contempt for our
authority and disregard for our demands
Not another life should be criminally sac
rficed. The President should either with
draw the brave little army or re-enforce
/; sufficiently TO enable it TO retain what
IL wins