The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-12

~ VERY day brings fresh an
| nouncement that General Otis
IS prepafi Fling to make a grand
| coup and clear out the Filipino insur-
gents. The announcement in fact has
been made so often of late that il re-
calls the historic formula used during
the first months of the civil war, and
which was so cleverly satlrized by
Artemus Ward, ''the government IS
about to take vigorous measures to put
down the rebellion" General Otis
seems to be the right man at Manila,
the country has confidence that he will
make "a vigorous advance at the right
time. But it may not be such an easy
undertaking to clear the jungles Of the
insurgents. The greatest enemy of the
white soldier in the Philippines is the
terrific heat. The heat and swampy soil
produce a climate that makes strong
exertion fatal. Such are the conditions
under which our soldiers are going to
sail forth from under the protection of
Dewey's guns. The attempt to crush
the rebellious Tagals in this way has
been undertaken before. and has been
described by Professor Worcester, now
one of the Philippine commissioners. in
his book of experiences in the Philip
pine islands long before the Spanish
American war. The incidents he de-
scribes occurred during the reign Of
General Weyler of fragrant memory as
governor general of these islands. He
writes:
The warlike Moros are especially dread
ed, They are found along the southern
and southwestern coasts and near the
large rivers and inland lakes.
Although the island is nomnally d.
yided into provinces Spanish control is,
a matter of fact, effective only in mar
row and more or less isolated strips
along the sea and near a few of the riv-
ers, which afford the only means of COM
munication with the interior. There are
no roads, and the futility of attempting
TO move troops inland was beautifully
demonstrated by General Weyler during
our second visit.
For some reason best known to him
self, he saw fit to send in an expedition
against the Moros. 1t was very broadly
limited by his countrymen that he had an
itching for the rank of marshal and hoped
to win 1t. Whatever the cause, all the
available forces in the archipelago We're
concentrated and marched into the Min
danao forest. An officer who accompanied
the expedition told me that the enemy
simply run away, and they were never
able to overtake them. while so per cent
of their own men We're disabled by starva-
ton and fever. Although the starvation
might have been avoided. it is tolerably
certain that the fever was inevitable
The mortality was certainly terrible.
We saw the wreck Of the expedition come
back, and in spite of the fact that the
priests from all the towns near Fam
boansa Were called in. they could not
shrive the soldiers fast enough. Sick men
were sent away by the shipload Mean
while Weyler was directing operations
from very safe distance, spending much
of his time on a dispatch boat
We learned later that several glorious
victories were announced at Manila, and
were celebrated with professions, fire
works and great rejoicing.
Such are the condition of country and
climate under which the American boys
are to sally forth after an elusive enc
my-and for what purpose?