Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-08-05

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or "misrepresented." Until he can do
this he must himself stand convicted
in the public mind of a deliberate effort
to misrepresent the honest statement OF
a gallant soldier for partisan political
purposes.
What hurts the arrant hypocrite of
STAINS plain statement of his belief that
this is war, not for the American peo-
pie or American labor, but in the in
terests of big syndicates and capital
lists" meaning the Wall street million
aires who purchased Mr.. McKinley's
election, who have since owned him and
his administration and who are behind
the administration schemes of con-
| quest and its un-American policy of i'm
| perialism. Gen. Funstans letter shows
that the soldiers themselves are not ig-
norant of the real animus of the admin :
istration and its overthrow of the Dec
! laration of Independence and the Con-
stitution in the Philippines war, and
regardless of their politics they con-
denim it.
The Register would like to quote
here, but has not the space for, all that
has been said of this wretched Philip
pines business by the returning volun-
teer soldiers. who have landed with
sadly thinned ranks at San Francisco.
But here are a few remarks taken at
{ random from columns of similar state
ments made by individual members OF
| the gallant Tenth Pennsylvania, the
! latest to arrive home. 1t shows how
the American people have been deceived
| by the administration censor as to the
situation:
! A. ]. Pope, Company C-The situation in
and around Manila is precarious. We have
accomplished nothing since the capture of
Manila. Every man in the Philippines feels
| the same way, but many feel that 1t is best
| to be silent until mustered out.
| John Powers, Company A-rhe present
| conditions in the Philippines are something
terrible. Many more troops and a far more
competent commander must be sent TO SUD-
! que the natives.
/
in the Islands would come nome if gwen
| chance. This is not because they are un-
| patriotic, but because they object TO sac
rlHclng their lives for the political benefit
OF Otis.
j. j. Mcvey Company E--Otis grossly
| misrepresented the feelings of the volun-
teers about returning home. When our
| time was up we were all eager and anxious
| to return. we saw we were only sacrltic-
! Ing ourselves by remaining under the COM
mand of a man like MAJOR General Otis.
| situation well in hand, while the fact is
that it has been growing more serious for
months.
! Eugene Morgan, Company Dots is no
good. He is unable to handle the situation.
He continually misrepresents the condition
and manpulates the reports TO cover up
his bunders. He also doctored the lists
| of dead and wounded. At times when he
said we were VIKING TO stay, every man in
the army was peuuoning MIN TO send US
home. i would never enlist as private
under Otis again if | had to do it or starve.
Sergt. Charles l.. Steward, Company H
The tiiipinos are far worse han the Amer
lean Indians. That comparison speaks vol
umes. They are filthy people and dis
eased race.
great deal of territory in America yet UNI
developed. The very poorest of it is bet
ter than the richest in the Philippines.
Corpl. S. a Mayer, Company G-Ameri
year in the Philippines In that time
they nave traversed strip OF country
I MY mics long by HIleen Wlue. IHey No
not hold it, and are constantly fighting
/ over the same ground. Thus nothing has
been accomplished by Otis. l would not
live in the Islands il | owned them and
NJ. V. Mcdonald, Company k-I don't
consider the islands worth lighting for,
| and Otis VIII never be able to whip the
| natives anyhow.
w j. Devlin, steward of the Hospital
Corps-The islands have already cost this
| country more than they are worth. |
| whole
| archipelago. White men do not thrive in
the, climate. Their blood becomes thin,
and there is a tendency TO scrofulous dis
| ease. Two years residence there would
| permanently impair the health OF nine out
| of every ten Caucasians. The Otis cam
paign has been a severe strain on the men.
Corpl. G.. W. DCrras, Company A-There
| is not a single man in the Philippines that
Otis can honestly call his friend. If the
troops do not denounce him openly IT Is
| because they are afraid Of the conse-
quences. But just wait until they are mus
| tered out, then the people of the United
States will hear some strong language AS
| to the policy of fighting for he Ph.lippine $,
believe it is mistake. The t1icpinos Will
not make good citizens either here or in
Manila.
| d. Ferguson, Company elf the. Philip
| pines We're to be of any value to this coun-
try the mistakes of Gen. Otis might he in
measure overlooked. but 1t is adding m
suit to injury to require men TO fight for
no good results. | don't believe that |
per cent of the men will re-enlist and not
more than per cent. Will lVe IN the coun-
try under any circumstances. The Flllpl-
nos are worthless lot.
Corporal A. w Fass. Company K-The
people of the United States may make up
their minds to one of two things: They
must relinquish all hope of ever gaining
foothold on the Islands, or they must
| maintain an army of .000 men constantly
in the field for years TO come. If Otis con-
| tinues in command the PERIOD OF lighting
will be prolonged just that much more.
when the fiipnos are exterm.nated there
viii be time enough TO commence thinking
of developing the islands.
Sergt. b. H Forsyth. Company M-The
war is profitless to us. the merchants of
benefit. The mass of the Filipinos are de-
generates. and will never be amenable to
the good influences of civilization.
j. +. Green, Company M-The islands are
not worth fighting for and place lower
estimate upon the natives. At the utmost
our country should not think of holding
more than a coaling station, say at Cavite.
t. j. Furst, Company Ell would not
give a snap of my finger for the Philip
pines. The climate is so abominable that
no white man can live there. Otis is a
fraud. He is no good on earth as a mill
tary commander. and II he lives to be
million years old he will never be able to
subdue the Fihpinos.
H. r. Hummer. Company E-Otis' policy
is TO make the troops charge two or three
| times over the same ground. Once we cap
tured intrenchments we were withdrawn
and the Fiipincs given all the time they
can be of no good TO the United States.
| You could not hire me to live there. The
Fipinos are good for nothing that /
know of.
|. c. Mipden. Company E-The Philip
pines are of no value to this country at
any price, much less are they worth fight
ing for. The whole country is nothing
more than huge swamp. Let a white
a.rS h.Arx- hoo l. hx-