The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-12
FREE MAILS FOR AMERICANS


The following letter has been addressed
to President Mckinley:
ITO the President.
Chicago. May g. 1ss9.-Dear MI NC
KinIey: when the men with the musket
writes home, having no wires to pull, nc
will not pervert the truth. This is the
wireless telegraphy which will tell the
tale when the time comes. In spite OF
cable censorship. But why should our
brave boys in blue. who have faced dan
ger and death in the field fearlessly, write
thus:
Some of the boys are getting into all
kinds of trouble over their letters, and
hope no one will publish any of mine
Can not one OF our soldiers write the
truth to his mother. 10000 miles away, In
America? Not without danger of persecu-
ton on the very fields where he has fought
to win our victories. There seems to be
a sort of military censorship there, worse
than that over cable or press. A military
inousi,ion over the freedom of speech and
our mails Is far more DANGEROUS to liberty.
II IL can be forced upon Americans In the
Philippines. 1t can be enforced in America
as we'll. May God forbid! When Americans
awake, as they will. to its full meaning
the spirit OF 1776 will speak and be heard.
"one soldier writes referring to recent
events: Things were in an awful oondi-
ton. | believe great deal OF
sickness at that time was due to the fat
pork we were Obliged to eat. Most of the
pork was OF very poor quality and some
OF 1t was spoiled There he stops short
and adds; The letters | write are for the
ones to whom they are addressed and not
for the entire public
Is it not possible that but for this
dreaded military despotism much suffer
ing and sickness might have been avoided
among our own American soldiers. had
you and those at home known the situa-
ton from them?
Another soldier writes Never take an
cffcer's word for the treatment of the
men. So much has been said
that is not true that you better net believe
anything, Wait until we get back
and l will tell you ALL Why in
the world do the people publish our let
ters? He evidently fears to write facts
in the case, lest he should have to suf-
fer for telling the truth.
~
is this wise or safe situation? Is 1t
conducive to justice and right?
In referring to the battles of February
and the same soldier states: The bat
tleheld is sorry looking place now
Nearly all houses and towns are burned
and for few days after the battle started
the ground was covered with dead natives.
The Americans have buried from 1000 to
5000 dead Filipinos, so their loss has been
terrible. We captured every bit Of poul
try, pigs and cattle we could lay our hands
en-
Another soldier writes in reference to
this same battle: 1t is said that the in
surgent loss is about 5000 killed and four
times as many wounded. Ahout
1900 dead insurgents have been found by
cur men, but no one knows how many
mere dead have not been found or buried
by their cwn friends lust re-
turned from the firing line. Don't know
how many Of the devils hit In
the middle of the attack, while was lying
behind an eamhwork, firing, my mail was
handed to me. | put the letters and ma
pers into my haversack as quickly as pos-
sible' as ] wanted to resume firing. The
held OF battle was a horrible sight, hun
dreds Of dead and wounded insurgents
and some Americans lying on the ground.
horrible sight l witnessed was the haul
ing into the city of dead and wounded
Americans on buffalo carts
Under date OF February he writes.
Just returned from the firing line, where
we mad warm time On our way out we
passed by thousands of deserted home
steads' We entered a few OF the houses
and searched them. The inhabitants must
nave left~in terrible hurry, for they did
not take time to take any of their valua.
Dies with them. We found a great many
naive uniforms, and also money and
ewelry, which we took for relics.
some English naval officers came o,t
with a lot of whisky, which thew savs n
our men. They said they did NOT mind
seeing the great number OF dead and
insurgents all around them he
'ause million of their lives are not worth
ne lie OF one OF our brave Americans.
'nd think they were just about right
went over to our right. Saw a lot Of dead
Insurgents on heap In trench. :,
~ our way to town We picked I'D mum.
'er OF relics These deserted homesteaas |
ne now being ransacked by our men and
'ninamen' The Cinnamon are making n
OF OF money out Of it, because thew are
i 1t from morning until night, hauling in
lothing' furniture and valuables.'
May not those desolated homes IN t,o
'nilippines move American hearts as well
. the same sad scenes in Samoa, of which
irs Stevenson writes:
PRESIDENT Mckinley allowed no firing
n Cuban towns unless they ravs ast,rs
ause OF offense, and Commodore watson
'a' oiuered not to attack undetenasa
cities Does the president keen
20 humanity for civilized countries alone,