Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1900-03-16

VOL. 10. NUMBER 80.
COL. ST0vER CORRECTED.
. Canton, S. D.. March Z, 19OO-To
Hhe Press: It is with reluctance thas
lglfater into what may be regarded as a
S4lftical discussion with brother
officer, but truth and justice seem to me
to demand that make some reply to
the statements made by 1t. COL Lee
Slower in his address at Clark, recently.
The Philippine islands are rich, but
not for the average American. They
cannot be colonized because white
people, in considerable numbers have
never been able to live in low tropical
country. # white peoole could live in the
Philippines, American labor could not
compete with the cheap labor of the
Asiatics who have great endurance and
require little for food or clothes.
The annexation of the Philippines
will open no new market for American
products No better illustration can be
found than in the fact that our own
army was clothed and fed almost en-
tirely by goods purchased in Hong
Kong and Australia. If we cannot
feed and cloth our own people in the
Philippines, how can we expect to sell
clothes and food to the natives?
\ The only Americans who will be
baNefit by the annexation Of the Philip
AlOees are the men who may be sent
there to hold office, and the millionaires
who may secure franchises for electric
light plants, street cars, waterworks
and the like. and those who may have
money enough TO control the hemp,
sugar, tobacco or hardwood products
of the islands. The man of small capi-
tai can do nothing. He cannot com
plete with the Chinese who now largely
control the industries of the islands
They must control millions who would
make money by Investments IN the
Philippines.
"What will it profit a man if he gain
the whole world and loose his own
soulY" What would it profit the
United States to gain all wealth of the
Philippines credited to them by Col.
Slower, and loose the principles of the
Declaration Of independence? IT tax.
alton without representation was wrong
for the Thirteen colonies it is wrong for
the Philippines. If the Declaration of
Independence was just and, right in
1875, it is certainly right in 1900. The
Filipinos are capable OF governing
themselves to suit themselves and l am
in favor of giving them q chance.
with the utmost kindness for Col.
,5ver. feel that it is only justice to
$hy that he is playing politics now,
just as am sorry to say that he played
politics in the Philippines, to the de-
triment of his many good qualities,
recognized by all his associates. The
colonel's candidacy for the United
States senate is political game. He.
in my opinion, knows that he stands
no chance of securing the position. He
is attempting to influence The soldiers
to vote for candidates for the legis-
lature who may be nominated by the re-
\ publicans. If The republicans have a
majority Of the legislature, Mr.. Gamble
or Mr.. Kittredge will be electedto the
senate while Col. .Stover will continue to
holdthe Watertown land Office.
1t. Col. Stover's statement that he
meet and talked with Luna and Aguin-
aldo sounds queer to men who were his
associates. As is we'll known, Col. Sto-
yer is not a reticent man. He usually
tells all that he knows, and there is an
opinion among his best friends that, in
moments of excitment, like when max
ing political speech, he tells some
things of which he is not alt gether
positive. For instance: no one, so far
. as know, ever heard before that Col.
Slower had met and talked whit Luna
eand Aguinaldo Fal he done so, am
! quite sure every one in camp would
have known it within less than two
days and would have heard it many
times afterwards. Aguinaldo was a
hard man to be interviewed by an
- American of much higher rank than
Col. Slower, and can hardly imagine
the colonel walking the streets with the
Philippine chief, chatting with him
like an old friend, when Stover could
not talk one word of Spanish and Agu-
inaldo would never talk to an American
except through an interpreter. We
were in Cavite only fifteen days, and
Col. Slower was there only eleven days,
during which time Col. Stover's chat
with Aguinaldo was supposed to have
taken place.
Col. Slower always tried to make him
self personally popular with the men,
and to do that he was not always fair
with his fellow officers. He did not
hisitate to place his generous conduct
in contrast with the stricter discipline
maintained bv them, and sometimes
that stricter discipline by the subordi-
nate officers was due to his direct or
ders. ..t.
While brave officer, Col Slower was
most anxious to get out Of the Philip
pines If the island are to be garri-
soned, he wants others to do that duty.
He wants none of the fever and insanity
and malaria and smallpox and leprosy
for himself. He drew the petition at San
\ fernando which was signed by the SOL
diers asking that they be returned home
z at once. am certain that no man, Off
Ger or private, wrote so many letters to
Senator Pettigrew importuning him to
use his influence to get the regiment
mustered out My opinion is that Sen
ator Pettigr,w began his active work
for the return of the volunteers largely
through representations made by Col.
Slower, who now condemns the Senator
for which he (Stover) urged should be
done. &C. P. VANHOUTEN,
Late Capt. 1st s. D. Vols.
UNITED STATES SENATE,