Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-27
SAME PR NCIPLES
Names fBryan alHSdAgEuinaldo Coupled
in Philippine Toast.
DR.. JOSEPH HEEtER's EXPERIENCES
His Active Service With the Army
and What He Saw.
A W AIT THE ELECTION

A W A l 7 T H E Ell ECTION
Surgeon Joseph NJ. Heller of the District
OF Columbia, has just returned from an ex-
tended campaign in the Philippines, bring
ing with him an honorable record and the
recommendation of Gen. Otis for his ad-
vancement in recognition of signal bravery
and conscientious service
When the Spanish-Anerican war broke
out DR.. Heller left his practice in this city
ana entered the service of Uncle Sam as an
acuns assistant surgeon. He was assigned
10 the 4th Artillery, where he served for
hve months, and later was attached to
camp Wykof In the general hospital there
and won the lasting regard and friendship
OF the SICK boys of the District volunteers
whom he attended at that place. Under his
care seventy-five District boys were nursed
through the Cuban fever, and his good
work In this line won special recognition
and he was recommended and later made
assistaht executive officer of this hospital,
"hicA Hau the distinction of being the larg-
est held hospital ever known. 1t had in all
I,oc beds. After his service at Montauk
Polnt, Dr. Heller Joined the Sd United
States Cavalry, and served with those rug
ged fighters for eight months The reputa-
tor he had already won for himself made
his services valuable, and when the famous
ngntlng nth Infantry was ordered to the
philippines Dr. Heller was detailed and
joined them at San Francisco This COM
pany, upon arrival at the Philippines, was
assigned to the Flying Brigade. under Gen.
Young: In Cen Lawton's division, and
ordered at once to the front. DIR. Heller
has many pleasing "reminiscences of the
gallant Lawton, and never tires of recount
ing his bravery and absolute disregard Of
death. DR.. Heller's most signal service was
IN connection with Gen. LaWtons advance
northward from San Fernando in October,
10 the termination Of Capt. Bachelor;
famous march and engagement at Aparri
which is on the north coast of Luzon. This
was in January. and DR.. Heller had ample
opportunities during this campaign to put
into practical use his medical and surgical
knowledge. In the official report made to
the commanding general. DR.. Heller was
highly c"mplimented. and later on, in Feb
ruary. the chief surgeon of Gen. Lawton's
division strongly recommended him for pro-
motion. The case was 50 meritoriOus that
Gen. Otis cabled to Washington the follow
ing message:
y. NJ. Heller, acting assistant surgeon,
strongly recommended for a major and sur
geon, L. s. V. l concur"
AS Gen. Otis only made limited number
of such recommendations for promotion in
the medical corps. his recognition of DR..
Heller is considered quite an honor.
Interesting Experiences.
Tanned by the suns of the tropics, rugged
as a mountaineer from his soldier life DR..
Heller returned to Washington the early
part OF the week. Speaking to a Star re-
porter Of his experiences he said
1T was my good fortune to be one of the
American command TO penetrate for the
first time the northern and central portions
of the Island of LuZOn. Through this island
runs the Rio Grande de la Cagayan, one of
the largest rivers Of the island. sometimes
called the Mississippi of the Philippines. 1t
runs through beautiful valley. hemmed
in by ranges of mountains, and is COM
pletely shut off from the southern and mid
die portions by the Casaballo mountains.
1t proved the richest and most productive
region of the island, the-most inaccessible
and the least known. With Capt. Batchel-
ors battalion ] traVersed over ninety miles
of the winding Guyapa trail, through a sue
cession of mountain ridges which forms
the great divide. These trails were very
little traversed by the Spaniards so that the
wonders and beauties of forest foliage and
huge geologic formation gave us a kaleido-
SCOPE panorama of thrilling interest. We
Were invading natures museum as It were
and feasting our eyes for the first time
upon the wonders of natural creation. One
or these days / expect this will be the
Mecca for the wealthy tourist. 1t was not
far from here We ran across the Igorrote
tribe commonly called head hunters
These people are armed with spears and
wooden shields, and invade the valley in
small bands during the holiday season to
collect heads, a certain number being re-
quired before they can claim their brides
To carry out this barbarous custom they
make no distinction between Americans.
Spaniards or F'ilipinos. All heads look alike |
to them. After crossing the great divide |
the valley containing the three largest prov |
lnCeS came into view like a huge panorama |
studded in a frame of mountain chains |
Here the tobacco farms of the large to- |
bacco companies abound. All Of the ground |
is owned by these large companies and their |
agents in,
surrounded by thousands of Filipinos to do |
their bidding This valley contains the |
third largest city in Luzon, Fuguegario. the |
capital Of the province of Cagayan Viean |
on the west coast, being the second largest |
The soil is rich and very productive, and |
during my trip l saw small private gardens |
belonging to Spanish families where most
of the vegetables known in our country |
We're raised. The people of this valley are
more intelligent physically better propor- |
toned and more friendly to the United |
States than any of the natives met They
have more respect for sanitary matters, |
and the towns Of this valley are kent
clean. The wells are deep and well tiled to |
prevent surface drainage during the rainy |
season. AS a consequence of all this tho |
he alth of the natives is better than in anv |
other part of the island. In my trim TO the |
north 1 noticed many alligators, and the |
antics of the monkeys in the trees were |
these provinces for about go miles and
finally found ourselves at APART. on the !
north coast of Luzon. AS l said before
the people in this region were very friendly
and we were not surprised to receive invi- |
tations from the president of the town to |
q dance given in our honor. The affair was
attended by the leading Filipino families, |
and the belle of the evening was a dusky
Venus of the MestiZO type dressed in a |
Pine cloth waist with sleeves half a ward
wide and a train-trailing light blue bro |
caded silk skirt. She made hit on the Of |
ficers, and the next day they hunted her |
10 W. dfScnVarpd rirnr
fruit store During the dance a dinner was |
served in the Filipino custom. The young |
ladies proposed the toasts. They were
mostly in Spanish. but one Chinese half |
breed who had evidently read some of Mr. |
Atkinson's literature. proposed the follow |
ing toast in very good English: Here's to |
William ]. Bryan and 7Aguinaldo. whose |
principles are the same The majority of |
us at that dinner were republicans. and we |
didn't like the toast and refused to drink. |
The dance was surprising in that I found |