Delaware gazette and state journal., 1899-05-11
An Outrage against Our Brave soldiers.


A correspondent in the Philippine
Islands, writing with special reference
to the bravery and coolness of our
American soldiers, now engaged In
fighting the Filipinos, says:
Goodness and deliberation under fire
are as much responsible for the success
Of the American arms as the resistless
impulse of the charge when the adj
vance is ordered. A small party was
advancing up road swept by Mauser
and Remington bullets from half-a-
dozen barricades and short trenches
The party was too small to advance
further, and so, at 400 yard range, they
continued the fight from the open
against the protected enemy. Two of
the men calmly seated themselves in
the road, crossed their legs, and began
sharrshooting at the scores of heads
that constantly appeared above the
Notifications as bullets were rained
upon them. There they sat. discussing
with each other the range and the
effect of their shots as deliberately as
at target practice, and | am happy to
say that neither of these men was hit.
There can be no doubt of the truth
of this pen picture, and it applies to
the great bulk of American soldiers. as
well as to the two individuals whose
work is thus described. The American
soldier is brave, he is daring, he is
cool and collected under the severest
circumstances. He gives good
account of himself and creditably
serves his country, whenever and
wherever called upon. No; the bravery
OF the American soldiers engaged in
the Philippine war cannot be called
into question.
But what an outrage it is to put our
brave and daring American soldiers to
such work as they are now compelled
to do in the Philippines To set them
to "killing niggers''-as the soldiers
themselves describe it-because these
'nigeers, like the American colonists
Of l776, are desirous of liberty and
Independence.
When the call was made for volun-
teers to free the Island of Cuba from
the oppressive dominion of Spain. our
American soldiers responded with a
dash and a hurrah. That was work to
their liKing-a task that appealed to
their patriotic instincts. The Cubans
were fighting bravely for liberty and
they were anxious to aid them. And
how they aided those patriotic Cubans
is now matter Of history.
But it is different in the Philippines.
The people of those islands had for
three hundred years been engaged in a
war with Spain, the object being to
secure the Independence of the islands.
Four months after Dewey destroyed
tho Spanish fleet in Manila Bay, the
armed forces of the United States
supplanted the armed forces Of Spain
in the work of subduing these patriotic
people, and rendering futile their three
centuries of brave fighting for popular
liberty.
And what war it has been. The
extracts from the letters of private
soldiers that we have printed from day
to day show its offensive features, and
that many of the soldiers are disgusted
with the uncongenial task imposed
upon them. Here is another picture,
written by an English correspondent
of the North China Gazette, published
at Shanghai:
'Pasig village had fallen and been
set fire to; The American boat had
reached the lake; the Filipinos had
fought like demons. Said one soldier
to me: Il didn't like to fire, the
beggars were SO plucky and exposed
themselves 50 bravely; and when we
took the trenches there were women
there, shot down while cooking for
their husbands and brothers; there
were lads of twelve and fourteen firing
brayely to the last, and old men who
could hardly see.
War, l am perfectly aware, is no
kid-glove game; rape, rapine, and fire
come into it under the rules, but we
do think that the nation which at this
time last year boasted in Its numerous
newspapers that America, the most
free among nations, would cheerfully
expend her gold and the blood of her
sons to bestow the precious blessing
of liberty on downtrodden sister and,
snatching her from beneath the heel OF
the tyrant, set her upon the proud
eminence on which she herself stands,
is at present a little off her base in the
Philippines. At the moment there
seems to be moro joy in America over
1000 Filipinos killed, in defence Of
their native land than over all the
Cubans who have been liberated. Many
times Of late We have been reminded Of
those lines
Ten thousand Frencnmen sent below,
Praise God from whom all blessings flow
I'VE were glad to find that number
OF soldiers were disgustcd already with
the war, and the shooting down of, as
they put it, little black boys. "
Is it any wonder that brave American
soldiers, willing to endure any sacrifice
in a righteous cause, are dissatisfied
with war attended by such harrow
ing conditions?
Isit any wonder that brave American
soldiers, tho descendants of men who
endured hardships innumerable in tn,
cause of independence, are not satisfied
at shooting down people who ar,
likewise bravely struggling for freedom
Call off the dogs of war and stop thi!
stupendous crime.