The Forrest City times., 1899-05-19
A POLICY IS NEEDED.
Human Lives Are Sacrificed Whfle the Administration Hnlts
 and Hesitates.

It is reported that Gen. Otis is very much discouraged to find a desire on the part of the volunteer soldiers to be mus tered out and sent home. The war with Spain, for which the volunteers enlisted, being over, they know that the further retention of them in service to fight in different war is a violation of their rights. It is reported that not five per cent. of the volunteers are now in the Philippines, and they are to be sent home in transports. Gen. Otis asks that 17,000 volunteers be replaced by 30,000 regulars, thus indicating the increasing burden. We shall be constantly need- ing more and more men, and the more we spread out and slaughter, the great e. the quantity of troops will be neces- sary to hold the country we have sub- dued. If we do not hold it with a strong force the natives will swarm back over it, and the subjugation will have been in vain.
 The unhappy story that comes to us each day of the details of the fight, which result in fatalities, wounded men and victims of sunstroke, centers att tention upon the question, what is it all for? With great loss we accomplish the result of driving the natives from an en- trenchment about a rice field, and force them to retreat one mile to another en- trenchment. If we have any definite purpose in doing this work it is time to state it. If the administration had any policy to announce that woulG appeal to the patriotism of the volunteers, there would be no clamor on their part to come home. Nor would there be any difficulty in securing plenty of other volunteers to help them if there was a general sentiment that the honor of the flag was in any danger. The work in hand does not seem so much like fight ing for ones country as slaughterlng sayages without purpose.
 If the president hcsitates to intrude on the prerogatives of congress in deal- ing with the Philippine situation, why not force congress to take up at once the task and take some measures to end the sickening slaughter in the deadly tropics? Our men are sweltering in a deadly climate, fighting a wild and ig- norant foe, producing peace and order only by producing desolation. Our losses have been severe, and still the cry is for more men to go on with the work of devastation and desolation. The administration hesitates to make the call for regulars to take the place of volunteers who must be returned. The lack of enthusiasm in the operations there makes the president hesitate to call even for 35,000 men. Is his own faith in the righteousness and glory of this war wavering? If so, why not let congress confront the problem at once and settle it?
 There are 10,00O,00o natives and thou sands of square miles of territory in the Philippines. We have only succeeded in killing about COCO or 5000 thus far, and subduing strip about 25 miles from Manila. Are we to keep on with the task in this way, or shall it be done in another way. Are we to impress the wild and ignorant of the benevolence of American freedom ill this bloody man. ner, or is there some other way that the white mans burden can be performed? :? Utica Observer.