The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-09-14


OUR sOLDIrEs MlS2EPREsENTED
mot only is there III, Il small part of
the lrlar.. Of Luzou en- ,aged In this
ins.r.ert;.n. lut the greater part OF
the tribe which Is engaged is opposed
10 4 continuation Of the war. is in
iavo- cf American rule, hut is over
aweG ~ the threots of the iEsurgent
leaders. Under orders from these lead
ers all towns and cities which we've
abandoned we're burned by the insrr-
gent forces, and the Inhabitants com-
PEELED to move back within their Ines
Thousands upon thousands have thus
had their homes destroyed by their
Cwn cCuntr-men and have been corn
PEELED TO live as best they might, in
poverty and suffering. For while the
people had been terrified and had been
prcjudiccd araiust the American army
by printed circulars. which had been
dist ibuted. stating that the United
States troops had committed all KINDS
OF atrocities against old men aud help
less women and children in the towns
which they captured. but experience
soon showed them that the Americans
were their best friends. BY the time
we reached Malolos the people had
come to understand the treatment they
would receive from the American army
and we were informed by those who
venturcd back under flags Of truce that
nearly the whole population wished to
remain in their homes and await the
coming of our troops. but that the in
surgents at TIE point of the bayonct
forced them to leave and drove them
back into the country, where they lived
In swaInps and thickets.
ut was the order Of General Otis,
carried out to the fullest eXteat hy our
division commander. General MacAr-
thur, that the troops should treat these
non-combatants with the utmost cou
tesy and kindness, and this was done,
despite all reports to the contrary.
"As commander Of the district OF
Cavite I had personal knowledge of
this feeling in the provinces OF Cavite
and Batangas. the very hotbel OF the
insurrection. The town OF Cayite
which was of limited area. became SO
crowded that for fear OF an epidemic
OF sickness | was obliged to turn away
hundreds upon hundreds Of men and
women. coming from the mainland
who wished to abandon the insurgent
cause and escape from the excesses and
outrages Of the insurgent troops. AS
soon as the insurgent forces had with
drawn the prominent citizens OF linus,
the capital of Cavite province. well
coined the American troops. and under
their direction formed local gov
eminent, under which they are still
working. Other towns In this prov
ince sent requests to have the Ameri-
can forces visit them and receive their
submission.
"The insurgcnt army itself is not
united, as a great many Of the soldiers
were forced to enlist and are COM
PEELED to serve under threat Of death.
ADMINISTRATION COMMENDED.
II have been asked. as has every re-
turning soldier. my opinion OF the con-
duct Of the war. This question is SO
indefinite that l do not think It can
be intelligently answered by subordin-.
ate officers like myself. can say. how
ever, that within my knowledge two Of
the departments. which most vitality
affect the interests Of the army. could
not, under all the circumstances. have
been better conducted. The rations
we're excellent and were promptly sup
piled, the hospital accommodations
were ample and the medical staff suf-
fcient, not only to care for our own
men, but to furnish an object lesson
in generosity and magnaminity by
treating hundreds Of Filipinos, who.
would otherwise have been left to die.
Speaking from a material stand
point, these islands will prove valu-
able acquisition to the United States.
Already they are developing commerce
to a wonderful extent upon the Pa
cific coast. Those who have not seen
them cannot appreciate the prodigali-
ty OF nature or the immense CONNER
cial traffic which they possess. II peace
be restored the revenues Of but few
years will suffice to pay for their pur-
chase, and the price Of their conquest,
and venture the prediction that be-
fore the next national encampment OF
the Grand Army Of the Republic the
sovereignty OF the United States will
be undisputed throughout the length
and breadth OF the archipelago. l do
not propose to discuss expansion and
anti-expansion, for am not familiar
with the exact meaning Of those terms.
II anti-expansion means that we
should not assume possession OF the
Philippines-then 1t is out Of date. for
we already hold them by a title that
no civilized nation for very self pres
ervation would dare to dispute. II 1t
means that we are to retire from the
present conflict. to abandon the islands
to anarchy and dark and bloody deeds
of revenge and death, and that our ma
tional emblem Is to be thus humiliated
and dishonored for the first time be-
fore the nations Of the earth. then do
not believe that the great majority OF
the American people will consent. I
do not believe that you, who fought
and suffered to preserve, establish and
perpetuate the very Union whose hon
or and sovereignty are thus assailed.
will consent that It's flag shall be hauled
down In that land. whose soil has been
Consecrated to the cause Of liberty and
dedicated to civilization by the she'd
ding of American blood"