Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-08-11
Some Inside War History.


We see by dispatches from San Francisco
that some of the boys who have returned from
Manila are giving expression to their real SEN
tments. One dsptch says:
"Almost to man, the Kansans are anti
expansionists. The pictured colonial empire
in the islands OF the Pacific, they say, is valu-
able only to the capitalists. A white laborer
would be fool to 60 there to compete against
2ocent-a-day Coolies. Practically, all the
good land is in control of the Catholic church,
ana what little remains is rapidly being ac-
quired by British syndicates. The natives
don't know what it is to be conquered, having
fought Spain tor twenty-seven years, and pre-
ferring humiliation to subjugation."
Haven H. Graham, of Baldwin, Kas., says:
IL should say am not an expansionist. All
the volunteers in the Eighth army corps agree
thar .le war is unjust and-a needless butchery.
Not.5ne of us knew what we were fighting for.
guess we just fought to save our own skins. "
One of the invalided officers makes the fol-
lowing statement:
"While stationed at Caloocan, an offer came
from General Otis of travelling pay for all the
volunteers who would re-enlist for six months.
1t was generally understood that by the terms
of our enlistment, we were entitled to our dis
charge upon the conclusion OF the war with
Spain 1t was so held by President Mckinley
in his letter thanking the volunteers for their
voluntary performance of additional service.
"When this offer for re-enlisment came,
poll was taken of the Twentieth Kanas regl-
ment, and IS per cent. of the men agreed to
re.enlist under the proffered terms. But this
was the last heard of tt. The men blame Otis
for violating the agreement Nothing more
was heard of travelling pay. Otis had gotten
good many of us to vote to remain, and had
then cabled our willingness to Washington.
Then we were given no option. We were all
kept in the service whether or no.
.sAfter this Major Bell, daredevil in the
scouting service, whose blundering rashness
cost Colonel Stolzenburg, of Nebraska, his life,
was anxious to get volunteers to re-enlist in his
regiment of scouts. Funston took up with the
idea at once. "My men will all enlist, he
said. A vote was taken, however, and only
twenty-five men in the regiment ready to
60 under Bell.
"sThen by G. I'll keep them on the firing
line said Colonel Funston and he did. All
through the Malolos campaign, with not more
than IS per cent. of the Kansas men fit for
duty, they were kept at the front, in the midst
of the hare fighting. And all this time, Ma
nila was swarming with regulars with nothing
to do. The men will long remember this treat
ment against Funston and Otis.
There seems to be another entirely different
side to the war history of Frederick Funston
a side not heretofore given to the public.
Those of his men who have returned home
invalided say that Funston was given all too
much credit in the newspapers He was con-
stantly playing the spectacular-the grand
stand, say the Kansans. He was in no sense
commanding officer, seldom giving command.
Who ever heard, they ask, of a colonel taking
squad Of men and dashing away from his