The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-28
Our Soldiers in War and in Peace.

Our Soldiers In War and In Peace.
Past experience OF Filipino treachery
makes US pause before assuming that the
struggle In Luzon Is over. It Ia clear.
however. that the structure OF the Filipino
Government has collapsed. AoUNALDo,
with his army reduced to few score
men, is hiding in the bush like q
hunted rat. The energy and endur-
anco with which LAYTON, WHEATON and
YOUNG have pursued them is winning for
them from foreign military critics praise
like that which WELLINGTON gave to Gen.
SCorr's triumphant march through Mexico
half a century ago. The fighting OF the
Aguinaldo insurgents. 30 far as 1t con-
tinues. Ia likely to he guerrilla only here
after, but there will now como test OF the
ability Of our officers not less severe than
that Of active war.
In the establishment OF American law
and order in the islands, Gen. OTIs and his
subordinate Generals will encounter a
responsibility which will test their patience
and their sagacity even more than did the
severe campaigning now ended. That
they will go through with 1t successfully Is
indicated by the extraordinary ability in
such peaceful restoration and development
already exhibited by our army officers In
Cuba, where more than one American
commander has proved signally to the
world our competence for those duties
After having purified great island
in the West Indies, which had been
one OF the great pest holes Of the globe.
and given n security to life and property
tlnr mi. fnr iii oft ha,
introduced order to Cuba ON the ruins Of a
civilization devastated by the cruelest OF
civil wars it is safe to assume that We
shall not fail in the Philippines where
our officers will have the benefit and
the incentive OF the triumph in Cuba
Already Gen. OTIS has begun that task OF
pacitlcation and regeneration, with results
so beneficial to the inhabitants that thoy
will DO more and more recognized and
valued by them as they extend
The long and rough contest In the Philip
pines, with the daily news OF assaults,
skirmishes and battles large and small,
has obscured from public notice the great
work Of civilization that has been steadily
progressing amid all the fighting. The
officers and soldiers OF our army have been
custom house collectors, civil and criminal
court judges In association with natives,
practising lawyers, civil engineers, mana
gers Of estates, majors, school teachers and
physicians. They have exercised every sort
and description Of civil function. The
invariable effort has been TO install and
operate civil functions whenever and
wherever they could be used In place OF
purely military control, and to accustom, the
Filipinos to their use by precept. instruc-
ton and patient example. Consequently
when peace is finally established Congress
and the President are not likely to take
wholly from the hands OF these soldiers the
management OF the task which thew
have performed in 30 masterful yet so con-
ciliatory fashion. The military discipline
and the military virtues cannot yet be dis
pensed with there. Nor Is 1t doubtful that
the once hostile Filipinos will have the
more respect for them because OF the ability
they have shown In overcoming the Agui
naldo rebellion.
In this Thanksgiving week all Americans
will remember the debt OF gratitude thew
owe to the soldiers who sustain their power
and dignity as a nation no less under the
exactions OF peace than In the bitter strain
OF war. Having pacified the Philippines
their task now is to Americanize them, and
experience demonstrates that we can
intrust to them the one duty as confidently
as we can always intrust the other.