El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-05-21

philap lhropic motives. There were
certainly NO mercenary Inducements.
But when the Maine was torpedoed,
we all felt an impulse to take hand 1n
the debate and lots of US yielded: re-
iuctantly IL may be-but still we
yielded. And those who did, having
gotten into the army, all wanted TO &c
to the front at once for some reason
quite applicable to our European
friends. who have written some books
on the subject). And the man with q
pull was the man who made good get
ting to Tampa and Santiago. Our
boys all abhorred the thought OF bat
tie and carnage-every right minded
American does-ous their rigid sense
of duty made them move heaven and
earth to get chance ut the firing line.
Wherefore they kept the Washington
wires hot with threats and entreasies
to senators and secretaries and gen.
era 10 and every body with shadow OF
military inf lence. 1t WAS harder to
get permission then to be jammed
aboard Santiago transport, living on
| bareback and canned PORK, than 1t is
Ia ordinary times to get berth In
the presidents cabinet and terrapin
and champagne Herewith. The
longest political pole gathered the
persimmOns. But The captain Is pole
was little TOO short.
stilI at Chickamaugs when the war
came to an untimely ending. coliapsing
in q day as it did. This caused mild
rejoicing in the captains mouth and
ne expended few fire-crackers, prob
ably, as sis our bounden duty On re-
ceivirg good news. What he thought
about the wars sudden finish doesn't
appear in the records.
He went back to Nebraska with his
nd hnu al cd ma
company. Then he luxuristed ia his
much loved peace and quiet for as
much as mOntE-until Mr.. Aguinaldo
cropped up, anyhow.
w
When the Kakyak gentlemen began
to get unduly prominent the captain
discover ed that duty was calling him
again. So did the rest of the family.
He managed to get commission In
one of the new volunteer regiments
ordered to the Philippines: ditto ditto
two of the sons. That left two uaac-
counted for. One was ordered to stay
home and take care of the family. This
caused an incipient mutiny but it wac
quelled after awhile. The family is
peace lOving-as l think l said some
where-but, of course, there are o.
casions when some friction may arise
between dlial and patriotic duty.
Somehow the fourth son didn't get in
to the army proper; but he went to the
Phil ppfnes just the same, going as q
civilian appolntee of the cOmmissariat.
He would have preferred the fighting
forces possibly-but even the com
mlssarlat was sop to his sense Of
duty. Later when Otis was looking
around for officers 70 the new native
regiments, he somehow happened to
pick out this son for lieutenancy in
r Mac hnh INT hSe ia
story of the captain; not of his sons.
The captains company saw its share
OF the Luzon style of fighting; long
toisome hikes after elusive insurgents,
followed-when time permitted by
hours of com parative leisure devoted
to nursing DOLBY itch and reflling she
inner man. (After hike an Ameri-
can soldier is always hollow clear down
to his toes). 1t was weary, dreary work
enough, and 1t must have grated on
the captains peaoe-loving sensibilities,
but somehow he never seemed to re- |
greet or think much about the flesh pots |
and politics Of Nebraska. Duty to his |
country called on him to stay in the |
Philippines and chase insurgents. And |
he proposed to obey the call. His |
country wanted the Philippines aud |
that was enough for him. Paren-
however, the captain fer
vently believes that the more his coun-
try wants the Philippines the more 1t
knows its business.
He chased insurrectos as per in
given from time to time as
long as there were enough loose in his
psrt of the country to make it worth
while. Mostly he secured the people
he was after or gave a good accoust of
them. There are some interesting
stories connected with these chases
and while I do not believe he ever &C
tually had to resort to diving bell or
balloon to get his man, as is currently
alleged in Manila, yet he did some
unusual things.
After awhile the gentle Aguinaldo ite
IN his section or most of him anyhow,
became discouraged pretty much and
peace reigned. Naturally
The captain approved of this wholly.
v
Then the captain was made the lord
1igh everything of whole militia y
district with a city In it-a regular
comic opera potentate in his powers
Ind functious-and he proceeded to
Americanize things. But he was d.
'lomstic about it. For instance when
lie began teaching the colored class
he sem!-sacred nature of the stars and ,
tripes, he didn't do it with q club. Not {
my. He quietly and cannily allowed
certain of the natives-prominent ones /
as personal favor the privilege of {
'elping salute the flag, at guard ,
mount. Bad trucalent people were
hooed away from 1t on the basis that
My the good need apply. Somehow !
nd il some wise he actually managed
o stir up general rivalry In the mat !
err. Before long as a regular thing all s
'eople going down the main street of
he town would turn off the side walk +
7hen they reached the barracks, go
ntO the roadway so as to be directly