La Junta tribune., 1900-04-28
A.o1nse lerrta reom .A.,lA.
Shelton Writes Of the Country. the
Natives. and the Hard Life ofs
Soldier.
CAaANAuAN. MANILA,
March 1, 1900.

American army has not moved las
ter. | have been. over most OF the
north end OF -Luzon and have
formed my own opinions. At first
l had very good opinion OF the
natives, but fine that the farther
you get from Manila the more ig-
norant you find the people. The
natives in the vicinity Of Manila
have great deal of Spanish blood
in their veins and are much like the
Spaniards. They are devout Cath
olics and think more of their re-
ligion than anything else.
They have little education, af-
ter fashion, and fall into a few Of
the ways OF civilization, but get
away from there and all is changed.
l do not believe that ten per cent
OF the natives OF these islands have
the faintest conception Of the real
meaning OF the words freedom and
liberty. All they want is to marry
raise enough rice 10 feed them,
and be protected from one another.
| They do not care what kind OF a
government they have or who gov
erns them, SO long as they have
protection and are allowed to go
their way.
They have many variations of
the Catholic religion. each priest
teaching that doctrine which suits
him best.
They have no conception OF
Christianity in its live sense, and
many Of them, especially up here
in the mountains, where we are,
are nothing more nor less than
idolaters.
/ Some OF the tribes have seen
in the mountains are what would
call wild men. They wear very
scanty clothing, many of them
men, women and children, going
lall the time with absolutely no
clothing. They are the most repu!
sive looking set OF humans it has
ever been my misfortune to see.
They resemble monkeys more than
men and women. However, there
are other tribes who will, with
proper guidance. make an indus
trious people. do not believe
that the people OF these islands are
in any way fitted to govern them
selves. In fact they do not want
to govern themselves. Since we
have been chasing '.insurrectos"
over the country we have been met
by bands and every sign OF pleas
ure. In most OF the towns they
will give an American all the at
tention possible and all they ask
in return is that they be protected
from their own people and many
have sent to us for protection.
The so.called Filipino soldier will
60 into a town, take everything
they can get and then cut of few
heads and butcher a few inhabi-s
tants because they do not get more.
This is not imagination, as ! have
seen many musilated bodies in the
path OF the niggers and heard the
stories OF the natives.
A. town which is deserted when
we enter, will be full of natives IN
side Of three hours. Nearly all the
people have been in hiding but -
soon as they hear that the Ameri-
cans are in their town they all
flock to their homes and bring their
country cousins and aunts for the
blessings Of Americas protection.
/ The insurgent army is scattered
beyond all hope Of reorganization,
and the rebellion is dying a natural
death. As soon as the natives
find out that the American soldier
does not intend to kill them, as
they have been told we would do,
| they become our friends and will
do anything for us: OF course
there are exceptions. but they only
prove that the others are really
sAmigos.
When we landed in October it