Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1900-10-30
THEIR FIRST MEETING.
The Bryan Brethren Hal Two Speakers.
Fare Name of 2nd Oregon Dragged IN
the Mire

The Bryan Brethren Had Two Speakers
Fare Name of 2nd Oregon Dragged IN
the Mire.
| The Bryan forces held thei,
first public meeting of this cam.
paign at the court house Thurs.
day evening. The big court
room was Gro wded, the audience
being composed about equally oil
republicans and supporters of the
Nebraskan. The former main
tanned respectful silence, while
the latter were liberal and earn
est ia their applause. The
Philomath quartet was accorded
a generous reception.
The program was divided into
two parts-graceful and dis
graceful. Judge Stuart spoke
with much earnestness and his
utterances were temperate yet
telling. That he was sincere
in his contentious, was the inn
preston gained from his words
and manner. That his asser-
tions were open to debate is, of
course, beyond question. Nor
can it be admitted that his con-
clusions were correct in all in
stances. Still there was moth
ing offensive about the address,
and if he was at fault, it was in
his judgment and not in his in
tentions. Had lie been given
the entire evening the impress
sion of the Bryan method of
campaign left with the audience
would have been much better,
and the people of this city would
have been spared the worst cal
unny against Our citizenship,
our soldiery and our flag which
has been uttered since the DAYS
of the civil war. 1t is to the
credit Of the better element of
Mr.. Bryan's supporters to say
that they do not endorse the
tirde of abuse and inveotive
hurled at the Oregon volunteers
bv the young man Sanders, nor
bis disparaging comparisons of
our civilization and national
character with that of the Fill
pinos. As one of them expressed |
himself: cit is a dirty bird that !
fouls its own nest"
In order to disprove the re-
publican argument that the in
habitants of the Philippine
Islands would be raised, by coz
tact with our civilization, out of |
the darkness, and ignorance and
immortality by which they had
been held and surrounded dur
ing years of Spanish oppression
and misgovernment, the speaker
deemed it necessary to defame
the character and morals of the
volunteers of this state and make
the republican party stand spon-
sor for the good name and con-
duct of our soldiers in the Phil +
Ippines. If the republican party
is to be placed in the position of
champion of the Oregon volun-
.eers and is made to stand shoul-
Ter to shoulder with them in de-
ense of their honor and glorious
,ecord, it accepts the charge, for
his is holy ground. That the
and Oregon contained some men
who had better, for its sake,
lave stayed at home, is evidenced
~ the spectacle presented at the
,eurt house last Thursday night.
Mr.. Sanders undertook to show {
hat the thievery, looting and
vanton destruction of property :
~ the privates of his regiment
md the lecherous and generally !
character of its officers,
we're not apt to improve the
character of the Filipino nor inr- {
,ress him with the exalted con- {
Iition of our civilization. This '
is true if we are will |
ng to accept his assertions con- I
the infamous, degrading {
character of the officers and men. s
He said he had seen privates !
hold up" poor, defenseless
Filipino women On their
way to Manila and "relieve" I
hem OF the few copper cents they '
:arried On their person, but
allied to explain why he so far :
orgat his duty as a soldier and ]
man as not to interfere or no.
ify his superiors of this infam- !
'us proceeding. Surely there
vas at least one officer in the {
egilnent with decency enough I
@ demand an investigation. ,
The officers, said Sanders,
maintained brothels in the city :
# Manila and compelled the
'rivate soldier to stand guard
nd prevent other privates from !
ntering and polluting the sinu- |
us forms of their serpentine I