Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1900-05-25
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS
FACTS AND OPINIONS GATHERED
FROM CONTEMPORARIES.
HIDEous NEITHER SIDE OF WAR.

HIDEOOS NE HEX Sue Of WAN
TO the + iitOr of The Republican -
1t is to be hoped thHt in time we shall
obtain faithful pictures of life in camp
and field. Today it is difficult to find a
medium of publication when the facts
conflict with the theories of the admins
tration. That tacit censorship exists
in the Republican press is palpabe to
every one who tries to get an insertion
of unwelcome truth. The soldiers let
tiers, written privately, without thought
of publicity, have revealed depth of
depravity and brutality so terrible that
the last resort of the leading newspapers
has been to throw discredit on their
truth.
Bishop Potter, after six days In Ma
Mia. comes back to tell us of the sObriety
and good habits of the American soldier
in the tropics. He did not see one
drunken soldier, nor does he allude to
the RIGHTEOUSNESS of army men. 1t hap.
pened that on the very day his testimony
was given to the world there called up
on me an army official who had spent
six months at Manila. Naturally in
quired if his observation and opinion
conceded with those of the bishop,
whose warning that the true question
with which the nation must deal is not
t'What shall,we do with the Philippines,
but what will the PHILIPPINES do with
U.s." had not been forgotten. My in
formant is a man of medical education,
a careful observer. of reflective mind,
and exceedingly deliberate in speech.
This is the substance of his reply;
He left san Francisco with the first
troops sent to the Philippines. The
western regiment to which he was at
tached numbered about 1900 men. Be-
fore sailing from San Francisco not
only was drunkenness prevalent, but
AS0 men were registered for venereal
diseases. His Judgment was that not
over 10 per cent were free frCm licentious
vice. Halfway across the Pacific, so
excessive was the contagiOn that every
man in the regiment was subject to eX-
animation in order to check the scourge
Arrived in Manila, they found but few
houses of ill-repute, with less than a
score of total occupants. but Immediate
ly from all quarters came great and
sudden accession. From NladiyostOcll
Singapore. Yokohama, Hong Kong
Calcutta aud other treaty ports aban
doned women poured in TO the new anG
active market. Social vice makes nc
distinction of race or color. These i'm
portations include Russians. Germans
French and Italians. Three hundred
were reported As arriving on one steam.
err. They found cordial welcome. and
their houses were guarded by United
States soldiers under orders 10 protect
the traffic.
My visitor affirmed that when he left
Manila in the Gala AliX, a street in the
northwestern part of the city, these no
tOrious houses occupied both sides of the
way for three-quarters of a mile. the
windows filled with soliciting women il
garbs too scandalous for description
The blessings of American civiliZ ttior
were beginning among "A chaste and TEN
perate people. Actual war upon thr
natives. although imminent, had not ye
begun.
On the arrival of the regiment there
existed, according 70 my informant, one
brewery, one distlllery, one garden TO
the sale Of beer and spirits, and sevpra
hotels, clubs and restaurants where
liquor was served with meals. Among
500 Spanish prisoners, not IA single cas-,
of drunkenness was observable. Will
the arrival of our troops. the grog shop
multiplied and lOurished. oyer 400 ours
ing the conquered city. That the off
GERS were no better than the men wa
the conviction of my informant. 1t wa
coincidence that, on the very day q
Bishop Potter speech. the government
reported the dismissal from the army b
court-mlrtal of Mai. Kirkman an
Lieuts Gregg and Bailey for "drunker
ness i'm the streets of Manila"
The rcgiml utal cauteen, my caller al
flrmed, was worse than the grog shoT
The temptation is ever present, and an
good resolutions or feelings of DISCUS
after spree were quickly dispelled b
another drink. On the financial side,
soldiers credit was limited at the salOor
Not so at the canteen, where his pa
was held rs security for his drink, an
often entirely absorbed. A soldier
obliged to seek a grog-shop, but til
canteen seeks him.
If one questions whether such nece:
sarily anonymous testimony as | repor
is TO be compared with that of the grea
and good bishop of New York, let hi
read the chapter of horrors detailed
the New Voice by Frank NJ. Wells, lat
chaplain Of United States volunteer
which he gave verbally to Presider
Mckinley and Secretary Root. Chaplai