The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1899-10-16
SOME COLD FACTS
About Our Military Failures in the
Philippines.
The Real Reason Why Dewey Came
Home With His Flag
ship.

The JOURNAL calls attention TO som
cold truths about the wretched failur
Of our military policy in the Philip
I pines, from non-political newspaper
Golfers Weekly, of New York.
Nephew w. King, late lieutenant o
the United States navy, contribute
this very outspoken article, viewing tn
conditions in the Philippines, and ex-
planning why Dewey came home.
: THE PHILIPPINE CAMPAIGN.
peace first--then, with charity fol
all, establish government OF law and
order"
Thus did President Mckinley an.
n0unce his Philippine policy,in a recent
address at Ocean Grove before the Meth
odist camp-meetng But OF the manner
in which this is to be accomplished, and
the great sacrifice that IL will necessarily
entail, little has been said or written.
Whatever may have been the mistakes
OF the Administration in not making the
cession Of the Philippines one of the
terms OF the peace protocol and thus
avoiding, in our own legislative halls,
that bitter controversy which gave
comfort and aid 10 the enemy" our
duty is now simple one-war, stern
and unrelenting, until the last Filipino
has been brought "withn the sound Of
the bell"
That our policy In the past has been
an unfortunate one, barren OF any result
save that of chasing the insurgents
around circle and then ourselves re-
treating 10 point on the circumference
until the rains have ceased, even the
most enthusiastic admirer of the present
Administration must admit. The fatal
blunders of the Spanish campaigns seem
to have been repeated with startling
intensity-that Of Understanding the
strength Of the enemy, and then sending
out isolated detachments OF men 10 take
the places of those who were killed in
battle or died OF disease. The fact that
the error can be traced directly TO the
major'general commanding, who de.
clared, more than one, that thirty
thousand men could easily accomplish |
the task allotted TO him, does not lessen
the responsibility OF the Washington
officials Those who believe that Aguin-
aldo commands an uudisciplined mob,
poorly armed and equipped, and possess.
ing no knowledge OF tactics, will find
themselves sadly mistaken, as his troops
have been in the field now over a year.
and have succeeded in smuggling into
the islands great quantities of arms and
Whether the Philippine leader is n
patriot, ~ some so-called Americans are
pleased TO call him, or an un-principled
bandit awaiting the opportunity To "sell
OUT when his price is reached, which
seems TO be the general belief, there is
not now the shadow Of a doubt ~ TO his
military prowess and marvellous in.
luence over the masses. Even the
'migos, us the friendly natives are
'nown, who loudly proclaim their love
or Americans and admiration for our
Institutions, drawing in the meanwhile,
heir daily allowance Of rice and beans,
ne conviently ignorant OF the where.
bouts and plans Of their wicked COM
@triots when questioned by our officers. a
Indeed, the epigram that was heard =
often during our frontier wars, "the c
My good Indian is dead Indian" " u
night he applied TO the treacherous "
ilipinos with equal force. Our men il b
true, have shown remarkable courage, -
nd the fact that they have not vet ~
uttered single defeat IN actual battle a
laoes them far above the Spanish sol OF
lersi but what matters il by what b
leans the end is accomplished, our reg u
nents are dccimated, the men dis. al
eartened and we hold little more than ~
g did at the beginning OF the last cam dc
lign-Manila and it's surrounding bl
rlntnitismally small part of the great M
land oi Luzon. City after city has on
zen captured, and as quickly abandoned 81
wing to lack of men, while the insur.
nts have executed flank movement p
I'd again occupied the self same points
strategic value.
And the campaign has been costly
% IN more than one sense for, in ad.
tion To our killed aud wounded, il is
Id that forty per cent OF General
iWton's men were overcome bv the .o
at during a recent move against IA,
enemy, Though many OF them =, Si'
'ered speedily, more than one.half -"
d TO be placed upon tie sick list on
sun and rain will probably incap. ~,
to the rest. ANY attempt To indicate )
active campaign at this season of @,.
year will be more fatal to our aat
lse than TO leave the Filipinos alone. an as'
'tissics show that the majority Of com. te,s
iies of volunteers and regulars in vas
i've service have been reduced by Gots
'-half, and il is reported that one com can
" went into action, having only one year
poral aud nine privates rest be- sSsG s.sT
unfit for duty. slye
Il OF these facts confirm what Gen. eaS