The record-union., 1899-05-22

gents, and has been moving through
rice fields, jungles, over rolling lands,
in morass and swamp, living literally
from hand to mouth, the men sleeping
half the time in their clothing worn by
day, the troops have really been in fine
heat of day, to which they are, of
course, as yet unaccustomed.
This is proof positive that the state
ments so freely made by the timid and
l'country is one in which it is impossible
for Americans to live, is unfounded.
The truth is probably that to the unac-
climated man the climate is for about
half the year, severe, but not deadly.
But to those who live wisely, adapt
themselves to conditions easily, good
health in Luzon is quite as assured as
in most of our far South home sections.
A great deal of chatter has been in
dulged in by the sentimentalists about
the vices of Manila and the larger
cities of the Philippines. The truth
would seem to be that vice is no more
rampant there than in our large cities
at home 1t may be more prominent
in the eyes Of Americans accustomed to
having temptations driven to back
ways, in some way disguised or regu-
lated, or not SO free in invitation But
from all we can gather the army in
Manila is not subject to the ills Of
temptation by one-half that beset and
practically knocked out 90 per cent of
the veterans of the Army of the Poto-
mac sent in 1868 to New York to sup
press the draft riots.
Only last year We had 10000 volun-
teers in camp near Chattanooga in the
very heart of our home country, but in
side of three weeks the scandals, sick
ness. vices and temptations of that
camp were a hundredfold worse than
the worst that the most suggesting
anti-imperialist has been able to collect
as truth concerning our volunteers and
regulars in Manila, a city Of less than
125, 900 inhabitants, a seaport, and torn
by the condition of war in and about it.
The death rate from natural causes
was higher in nearly all the volunteer
than has been recorded among our boys
in blue in Luzon. AS for dissipation, it
is in evidence that there is less Of it in
the Philippines among our men than
nc
at home during the late war. Of course
one reason for this fact is that the men
in the Philippines are under stricter
discipline. They are engaged in war,
that source, besides the health regula-
tions enforced by the surgeons are rigid
and very exacting, while in our home
camps they were rather lax, and the
camps as a rule were not severely dis
ciplined. The "Oregonian," on this
subject, says:
Once man becomes a soldier or a
sailor he can find exactly the same
vicious opportunities no matter where
he goes, in any seaport in the world or
of New York City in time of peace can
produce object lessons Of the results of
dissipation that are quite equal to any
thing Asia or Africa can furnish in time
Of war. The death rate of the English
army in India, since 1882, has been less
than seventeen in a hundred, and that
army is quartered largely in the vicin-
ity Of great Oriental cities, to which
Manila bears no comparison-cities like
Calcutta, Bombay, Madras, Lucknow
Benares, Delhi, Mandalay, Rangoon
Cawnpore, Lahore, Allahabad, Banga-
lore, Agra, Patna, the least of which
has $1,000 more inhabitants than Ma
Mia. Don't worry about the climate or
the vices of Manila. The climate IS as
healthy as our own; the vices are those
that soldiers and sailors are as sure to
find in Portland or San Francisco as
they are in Manila.