Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1899-05-11
A Soldier At Manila.
MANILA, PHILIPPINE
ISLANDS, March 20, 1899. {

day and though far from you will dc as
Twenty-Five years of my life is passed and
gone, and how far in life am I: Only on
its IT'S th nf The first dawn of the morn
beauties, its cares, it's duties and its prayer
{ responsibilities yet lie before me. Will
come, or if they do not come, can make
them come: Let the future bring what it
VII, am ready for it, and if cannot con
quer them L Will go on fitting myself,
growing stronger and becoming more able
to grasp the golden opportunity that
come tloaating a,wiftly by on the silvery
waves of time. All these long long years
of youth I've lived with no thought Of the
t tEae [eaeH o tle fG and
associated whit. Eye always been a mere
boy with boy responsibilities, leaving
your shoulders, always feeling and know
ing that you could and would carry them
boyish fancies. But today feel that am
man and instead of feeling dependent
!, upon you as have for years, | long for OPP
Portunties, and have many of them, when
can give support to my weaker brothers
my loved comrades, bearing the defens-
i've, deadly weapons used in our warfare
against the natives of these islands
send ypu letter every week so YOU NAV
know how the scrap" is going on how
do not and cannot tell you ALL Words
cannot convey to You the situation as /
The f iro% ieel IN regard to it.
are concerned is over. We nave been re-
lleEeti or our work along the water line,
and given another line where we can rest.
We have had the hardest place to hold of
any regiment in the field. We have had a
hard time of it, but we all feel proud to
think that we belon to the First Nebraska
" couase it is natural for the bows in the
different regiments to think their regiment
Is the best, but am sure we hold an envi-
able reputation. and | assure you that as
f5e ep me b and g goes s # an
distinguish themselves beyond that of the
other regiments, even if it costs the life of
band and will stand firmly united while
boys from day to day fall-fall as heroes
die as heroes. When comrade falls be-
side cold in death, or with a wound that
compells him to be carried from the field.
l cannot refrain from repeating that old
poem which I've heard you repeat so often:
soldier of the Legion lay dying in
There lack of woman's nursing.
there was dearth of wo,nan's tears,
the life blood ebbed away
And bent with plying glances to hear
what he might say;
But the dying soldier faltered as he took
that comrades hand
And said ;! never more shall see my own
But take a message and token to some
distant friend of mine
For was born at &"
If all reports are true we will soon be on
our way home, they will not hold us much
longer. ! am tired of soldier life in way;
don't MIND 5 the fighting. that is exciting
ana run. But when think of the cause
; tor which we are fighting, if there be one!
Horrors! 1t makes one doubt the existence
comparative terms. Wendell Phillips de-
voted thirty years of his life to one cause
freedom: What ai little influence have,
may have, will use to help wipe out this
dark blot from the fair pages of orr cour-
| try'y history.
The whole deal is a political crime so
black, so danlnable, so utterly despicable
that Satan h iInself could not 'concoct a
darker one. CONCEIVED in utopian human
4
can only meet its death in the workings of
an honest minded and unbiased people
trammeled freedom, justice. liberty, indie
pendence and these interviewer and CO.
m mn sf together as closely as the warp
l human eyes. Did not our forefathers spill
e their blood for cause as holy, as sacred,
t which the Filipinos are contendinp, and
! have been contending for many Ion Years?
We Went out in mt the name of humanity to
free people, then turn round and deprive
them of the same rights for which they
e have, been and are Still fighting to Win
. er and the noble brave of these islands?
Oh, yes! Let them heap contunely upon
OF treedom-Senator Hoar; hurl vituperous
: epithets at Nebraskas eloquent defender
OF human rights: let wild halucinations
run rampant among the sething boards of
anisled populace; but when the volunteer
sI, boys come trooping; home from
1,inr ISLANDS and their cordant shout Of
{ ana valley, mountain and plain, then and
q onlN then Will the eyes of the people be
I fully opened to the enornlity and mon
stroslty OF the insensless, ceasless clanlor-
ing.
r can and do yet support the administer
ton, for firmly believe the President is
: opposed to expansion but his mnions
misrep 1e him He is too much like
authority. To my private opinion Major
t General Otis is the cause of ali the trouble
n here. l am a subordinate officer, and a
very subordinate one, and will f.er ,ra
5 or CrltlclSe my Superiors, but as an tldi
d vldual ! have my opinions based upon
strong facts that may give to the public
when l become a private citizen. These
people are no fools. They have many
bright, intelligent people, quick to see and
l. adopt new ways and methods. believe
them capable of elf-governtnedt after a
ashton AS much so as any of the South
American countries, and yet we do not in
? tertere there. But that don't count. That
should not be the question. The h,,inani-
tyof this people must balance with that of
the people of our own fair lard Jefferson.
. the real founder OF our just and equitable
government, watched with jealous eye
anything tending toward monarchy or inn
perlahsm. When my mind turns back 20
the many pages of history that you and |
reminded by the annals OF history of differ
q ent countries that the taking in of any but
IS that OF contiguous territory strikes at the
basic principles of self government. for the
- laws that govern contiguous territory
will not do for distant lands. To govern
cannot be vested in the people for they
they will ever hate the race that conquer
ed them. 1t cannot be vested in the home
IS people for they know nothing of the e1lvi-
2. ronnlents of the people hence are unfit to
= make their laws: Then the power must
revert to the chief executive. and no re-
affairs. No Cal wa
cannot afford to hold these possessions, or
70 any possessions. The more | study this
IS question! of expansion the more firmly l
am convinced that imperialism is destruct-
: i've to the best interest of our country.
e hence shall lend voice and pen to back
a lioar, Bryan and their supporters-not be.
u cause it is Bryan or anyther man but be.
Y cause believe their policy is right.
Well, l must close. l am feeling good
and have grown fat during the campaign
Many OF the boys were knocked out with
fever. But as many We're knocked out wit |,
Is hard work or over work as from any other
cause. trusting you are We'll am, most
deNotedly, CHESTER.
On Every Bottle.
u OF Shiloh's Consumption Cure is this guarau-
L. tee: All we ask of you is to use two thirds
IS of the contents of this bottle faithfully, then
s. If you can say you are not benefited return
, the bottle TO your druggist and he NAV return,