The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-10-24
HE WAS WITH THE F|FTY-F|RST REGIMENT
Father Mckinnon, Soldier Priest of the Philippines
Delivers a Fine Lecture
HE PAYS THE BOYS A FINE TRIBUTE
Says Agunado and His Man Nothing but Cuthroats-Aer-
lean Soldiers Did Not Loot Churches.

lean Soldiers Did
Dubuque Times: Rev. Father w. D.
McKinnon, who is known as 'sthe hero
priest of the Philippines" lectured
Sunday evening at the Grand Opera
House to large and cultured audience.
His subject was ''Snap Shots in the
Philippines" and it was not only in
teresting but handled in a mastery
manner.
The speaker was introduced by Rev.
DR.. Carroll, president of st. Joseph's
College, who took occasion to pay
very high compliment to him, saying
that the observation-disclosures would re-
turn to the Philippines next November,
and that, if "rumor is to be believed.
he will become coadjutor to the arch
bishop of Manila"
| Father McKinnon spoke of the Phil
ipplnes, and took occasion at the out
set to speak of the ''Iowa boys" saying:
II was with the Fifty first Iowa on the
firing line, and drawer or better lot of
boys never fought fer the flag of their
country, and if the people of Iowa do
not give them the best they have in the
way of a reception when they come
home, then do not wish to ever come
to Iowa again.
Speaking of the Philippines, he said
that not much was generally known
about them until that memorable LIST
of May, when Dewey's entrance into
Manila Bay changed the geography of
the world. (Applause.) The natural
resources of the islands were great.
The islands we're storehouses of wealth,
waiting to be developed by the hand
of civilization.
In speaking of the friars the speaker
quoted from Protestant ministers to
prove that charges made against them
were absolutely false. The friars we're
devoting their lives to Outstanding
and civilizing the Filipiros. The rev
erend gentleman then turned his at
tention to the charge that American
soldiers had looted the Catholic
churches, and became vehement IN his
denunciation of those making the
charge. The commanding general had
issued the strictest kind ,of orders
against looting, making the penalty
death, and the general had commission
ed the speaker to see that no footing
was done, saying he would hold the
speaker responsible in the event that
it took place. The looting," said the
speaker, was done by Aguinaldo and
his cut-throats, who murdered men,
women and children.
81 brand as devilish calumny the
charge that the American soldiers
in the Philippines are 'rakes and
drunkards.' They are men of hon
or, from general down to private,
and are battling bravely for the
flag and what it represents" ZAP
plause.)
If any American soldier returned
home with relic, it could safely be said
that he bought it. The reverend gen.
tlemen also denounced the charge that
the soldiers were cruel to their enemies,
and in the views presented were shown
caring for the wounded FiIipinos just
the same as they did for their own
comrades, and they received just as
good treatment in the hospitals as the
Americans.
Many times l have been asked how
much longer the war Was going to last
In my humble opinion, think it is
about over now. There may be kind
of a guerrilla warfare for some time
yet, but | shall be very much surprised
if there is any more serious fighting.
Nor can JOIN with those who are dis
satisfied with Gen. OTIS methods of
conducting the campaign. Few men
in his place could have done as we'll,
and none could have done any better.
With the number of men he had at his
disposal he has accomplished wonders.
Campaigning in the Philippines is diff
ferent from what campaigning in
America would be. There we have no
roads, no means of transportation, and
we began our campaign at the begin
ming of the hot season: and from that
memorable 5th of February to the
present day we never suffered defeat.
Show me parallel to this in the his
tory of any war. 1t has been said fire.
quently that as yet VT were only in pos
session of forty or fifty miles beyond
Manila, and that we have all the rest
OF the islands yet to conquer.
This is mistake. When we will have
conquered the Yalago province we will
have conquered the whole archipelago,
and that is practically conquered now.
The press of the country may force
the administration to put another man
i'll General Otis place, but neither the
press nor the administration can find a