Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-10-24

driving bull carts" (caraboa or water
buffaloes), caramatas "a two-wheeled
top vehicle), and so forth. On the 9Th
I Joined my command, and took COM
mand Of my company, and was at once
sent out on the firing line and placed IN
command of the outpost. On the 7th
we marched to linus. MY company
formed the advance guard. That was
the day Of the bloody battle OF linus,
The next day we went to Dasmorinas,
driving the enemy before US. on the
night Of the 10th we went to Silan.
On the 18th we marched over the
mountains to take Taal, and fought
the battle Of Talisoy. was again In
command Of the advance guard and
bore the brunt of this attack. We were
attacked from ambush across a ray1ne
where we could not reconnoitre.
charged across the ravine and drove
them out Of their rifle pits. The next
day we marched to and took Tananan.
The 18th we fought the battle OF Luta
and took L1pa. The 18th we took San
Jose: on the 18th we took Botongas
and Banan, fighting all the way, and
releasing 5000 Spanish prisoners. We
went back to Lipa, and since that time
Lipa has been my headquarters, and
I have marched 1000 miles. I have
secured the country in all directions
for 20 to 80 miles. then commanded
expeditions varying in length from one
to seven days. I have covered almost
every foot Of land in this territory;
been to almost every house; slept on
the bare ground, with not as much as
a handkerchief under me; seen and
talked with thousands OF these people
and been in many fights, captured pr1s-
oners. arms, ammunition, horses and
rice. Now, I know these people as well
as any man can learn them In eight
months living among them as l nave
described. Lipa Is q large city. here
described. Lipa. is q large city. Here
have talked with and mingled with
them, and I know them, too, as well as
we can learn them in that time. And
what I have written Is based on this
experience.
The newspapers have exaggerated
the bad climate. I have never seen
the thermometer 80 In the shade. Tne
wet season did not start till the 18TH OF
August, and 1t Is not bad now. Ihe
sun is not as hot as 1t Is In America.
No sunstrokes here; nobody uses fans.
It is perfectly delightful in the shade;
1t Is cool at night. There are very rev
insects of any kind-flies, feas, etc.
no gnats, few mosquitoes. no snakes
to amount to anything, no tarantulas,
no centipedes. The malaria fevers are
not one-hundredth part as bad as In
South Carolina. Fever yields readily
to uuinine. The greatest trouble here
Is stomach worms.
Cotton will not grow here; therefore
here Is a market for our cotton. Corn,
wheat, oats, etc., do not grow here.
Here is a market for all our grains.
Rice Is inferior to our rice and can new
er compete with it. Sugar Is far In
ferior to and can never compete WITT
ours. Here Is a market for all South'
ern and Western products, including
bacon, and nothing to compete witt
us; not one thing. Then you know the
advantages Of Manila In commerce
and for our navy, and in the event Of q
foreign war see how quickly we could
send troops to China.
T came into this army on principle.
was solicitor Of the second circuit and
my time was not out until the first OF
next January, and resigned for cap
taincy here, because believed In the
cause, and am more convinced OF the
correctness Of the course of the govern
ment than ever. General Otis has no
idea Of these people-he stayed In Ma
nila in his office and his policy was all
wrong. He did not understand the
people. General Lawton would have
ended this thing in short order If ne
had been in command and allowed TO
use his judgment. If you remember,
when he first came over here he said II
would take 100000 men. he was hoot-
ed at. Now, I am not criticising my
superior officers; I am only saying
what I think, and I have given you
the reason for thinking 80. have
been among the people.
There Is much more I could say. !
have had to write by snatches, being
often interrupted by my various duties.
You will pardon the long letter. have
as good q company as there Is In the
whole volunteer army, and I had as
bad material as any from which TO
form it.
I am sorry you did not accept an ap-
pointment on the commission and come
over here; but you may be able to 40
more good in the senate; hope so. 1t
makes me sick at heart to think that
our people have gone so crazy on the
question. Can you not arrest the tlde
Can you not do something to put our
people on the right track? What Is the
matter with them?
I think you were right In voting to
ratify the treaty and in standing by
the administration, and I have had
eight months experience here, besides
the study before I come
I do not get any Charleston or Co.
lumbia papers. I know nothing about
state politics and cannot know how
crazy our people are; but I read Mr..
Tillman's speech in the senate. These
people have 1t here. Do you know that
the Democratic platform will cost at
least 1000 lives Of American soldiers?
A leader said yesterday that they
were fighting to hold out till Bryan Is
elected and then all will be we'll with
them. Every speech he makes and ev-
cry speech such as Hoar and Tillman
made Is cabled over here and transla-
ted and sent broadcast. Then the gov
ernment Is upholding them In murder
and treason. If one Of our men hap
pens to shoot the wrong man who re-
fuses to halt, even a captain OF the
navy, he Is court martialed and punish
ed, while they can murder US, and II
we convict them before a court martial,
the president or some other authority,
as the case may be, reverses the pro-
ceedings and the devil goes scot free.
What Is the matter? Why Is this?
Why are these people treated so much
better than Southern rebels were dur
ing the civil war and Immediately af-
ter it? Can you answer? or can you
get the president to answer? hope
you will use your influence to have the
38th regiment sent to China. Do. If
you can. I think every man wants to
60. Yours sincerely,
CLAUDE E. SAWYER.
BRITAIN AND GERMANY.