Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-07-22

ratification of the treaty-at a time when
it's significance would echo around the
by the act of A%guinaldo-a war in which
American prowess was equal to every
demand made upon it.
-
Events nave shown that General Otis
made no mistake in his estimates of the
men required to defeat the foe. Every
engagement has resulted in a victory for
the American troops. This fact alone de-
stroys the force of the democratic criti-
cism that he underestimate the prob
lem of numbers and the fighting strength
of the Filipinos. But climatic conditions
had to be reckoned with. General Otis
could not tell in advance how many of
his men would be incapacitated from
duty, not having the phenomenal fore
Neither was it within the power of ar
American c~itizen-outside the psyche
hindsight Of bourbon journalists-to cor
rectly estimate the capacity of the Fill
pinos for guerrilla warfare. The num-
Der of soldiers required to beat back the
rebels in open battle was one thing-the
number of men required to meet Sioux
Indian tactics and hold the territory that
was won was quite another thing.
The territory occupied by the red
Indians of North America was won by
the United States and garrisoned here
and there long before the itinerant citi-
zen could with safety cross the plains.
1t was long after the great west had
been wrested from the control of the
savage. and cities and towns dotted the
mountain sides and the hum of industry
brought the glad welcome of hope to the
homes of man. that Custer and his men
We're m~assacred. To conquer a foe is one
thing-to garrison the ground that is
gained against guerrilla bands is an
other.
The war department has handled the
Philippine question with rare skill and
tact, looking to the expenditure of as
little blood and as little treasure as pos
sible in meeting the exigencies Of the
situation. Had the administration poured
a larger force Of troops into the Philip
pines at the outset, to achieve the vic
tories which Otis has brought about with
the few men at his disposal, an hyena
howl about extravaganza would have
gone up from every copper-lined demo-
cratic throttle in the land. Had more
Fflipinos been killed, more blood -curdling
tales of American cruelty to Gods I'M
tutored children Of the sea would have
embellished the columns Of the demo-
cratic press. Had more American SOL
diers died in the performance of this
work, pen pictures Of the perjury of
widows, and the pitiful plight of depend
ent orphans. would nave filled the pages
of the bourbon ewspapers of the land.
Withal, the course pursued by the war
department. has been a wise and consist
ent one. In the face of unjust and UNI
manly criticism, in the brassy blare and
glare of as rank apprehension as ever
blistered the fair pages Of American his
tory in the days Of the civil war, the ad-
mlnistration has step by step been care
fully solving the problems of the rebel
lion in the archipelago. The full measure
of success will crown it's efforts, despite
the enemies at home and abroad, and the
loyalty OF the American people will sing
it's praises long after the dust of it's critics
shall have mingled with the unhonored
ashes of Aguinaldn.