Washington sentinel., 1899-05-27
DIsgrac,ng the Flag.

DisgracInR the Flag.
The heads OF the religious or
ders in the Philippines, says th'
Irish World, have addressed let
ter to Leo Kill, in which they cal
attention to the barbarous manner
in which American soldiers make
war upon the natives. They declare
that all the rules Of civilized war
fare are continually violated by the
army William Mckinley has sent
to the Philippines in the interest OF
imperialism. Their statement is
corroborated by the TESTIMONY of
soldiers, who, in letters written to
their friends, describe the baIbar-
GUS manner in which our late allies
are treated.
Deeds which would disgrace a
Comanche IndiaA are referred
to in boastiul spirit. The mig
gers" the term invariably EN-.
ployed when the natives are refer
red to, are regarded as wild ami
mails that are shot down with as
little compunction as one would
feel in shooting a rabbit. Here is
pen picture OF the horrors enacted
under the authority Of the United
States:
THE carnage in the district of Tondo"
writes Sergeant Will A. Rule, Company
II, Colorado Volunteers, "is something
fearful. When you can realize 400 or
500 persons living within the confines of
five or six blocks, and then an order
calling out all the women and children,
and then setting fire to houses and
shooting down any niggers attempting
to escape from the flames, you have an
idea of Filipino warfare.
81 think that the amount Of American
blood already spilled by these natives
is warrant sufficient tor the complete
annihilation OF all disturbers. | am not
a bloodthirSty brute, but am positive
in my belief that we take too many
pTisoners-fromG 100 to 400 day"
Here we have a description OF
the kind Of work in which men
wearing the United States uniform
engaged in the Philippines. That
human battue in the district oi
Tondo, as described for US by
Sergt. Rule, shows the methods
employed to carry out the policy
OF benevolent assimilation" 1t
will be noticed that this fellow
Rule. instead OF manifesting any
sense Of horror at the hellish deeds
done by him and his companions,
demands that there should be a
general slaughter OF the Filipinos,
"I think" he writes, that the
amount of American blood already
spilled by these natives IS warrant
sufficient tor the complete annihil-
alton OF all disturbers.
am positive in my belief that we
take too many prisoners"
The horrible suggestion that no |
quarter should be given 70 men
in defence OF their liberties
has been acted on. The Filipinos
have been murdered in cold blood
after surrendering. This shocking
crime against humanity is thus re-
ferred to in soldiers letter, which
the Rev. Charles F. Dole, a we'll |
known Protestant clergyman of
Jamaica Plains, Mass, has given
to the press. The writer, who is
a friend Of Rev. Mr.. Dole, declares
that he feels almost ashamed OF |
calling himself an American, such
has been the savagery displayed by |
his fellow soldiers. He thus re-
fers to the deeds Of darkness done
with the sanction Of the military
authorities:
The longer / stay here (ManiIa), and
the more I see and think OF the matter,
the more fully convinced | am that the
American nation was and is making a
blundeT do not believe the United
States is equal to the task of conquering
this people, or even governing them
afterward. | don't think | would miss
the truth much If said more non-com-
batants have been killed than actual
native soldiers | don't believe the
people in the United States understand .
the question or the condition Of things
here, or the inhnman warfare now being
carried on.
Talk about Spanish cruelty; they are
not In il with the Yank. Even the
Spanish are shocked. OF course, don't
expect TO have war without death and
destruction, but do expect that when
an enemy gets down on his knees and
begs for bis lite that he won't be shot in
cold blood.
But il Is a fact that the order was not
to take any more prisoners, and have
seen enough to make me ashamed to
call myself an American.
Ali who take pride in the Stars
and Stripes must experience a
sense Of shame as they read this
and similar stories OF crimes
against humanity perpetrated by
American soldiers.
he order was not to take any
prisoners" How this order was
carried out is shown in the murder
Of an unarmed priest, who was
found in the field discharping his