Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-10-11
THE HOME ENEMIES.
Soldier Blames Americans for Con-
tinued Fighting.
OF INSURGENTS IN BRYAN
Virginia Volunteer, Life Long Dem
ocrat, Says it is Impossible to Fight
Under the Stars and Stripes and
Vote for Bryan.

ocrat, Says it is Impossible to Fight
Under the Stars and Stripes and
Vote for Bryan.
Washington, D. c., Oct. "a more
severe arraignment of the democratic
anti-expansionists has not been seen
in Washington than that received
from Arthur T. Peace. a Virginia boy,
now in the Philippine Islands, serv-
ing in the 10Th (volunteer) Infantry.
He says in part:
The anti-expansionists at home
have simply ruined all prospects of
any peaceable termination of the
troubles here-at least, until after
the election. They have discouraged
our men and encouraged our enemies.
Even admitting the soundness of
their views, they are guilty of the
highest treason; and hundreds of
deaths must of necessity be laid at
their door. The natives have the
greatest confidence in Mr.. Bryan,
and they do not hesitate to tell us
that as soon as he is elected the sol
diers will all be sent away and they
will run things to suit themselves.
Il was down at Calamba few
days ago and saw a large picture of
Mr.. Bryan stuck on natives hut
They all firmly believe that he will
be elected in November, and they
also believe that the anti-ex-
pansionists are largely in the ma
jority in the United States. From their
point of view they can. see it in no
other light. You see. these people
have always been accustomed to living
under the most despotic form Of gov
eminent, and for any one to criticise
or disagree with the methods Of the
reigning power meant nothing
less than instant death and
confiscation of all property; and
SO they reason accordingly that If
Mr.. Bryan's party was not stronger
than the reigning power in
the United States it would be i'm
possible for the party to exist. No ar
gument can convince them or make
them understand the freedom of
speech and action under which the peo-
| pie at home live"
The soldier arraigns the anti-expan.
sionists for their claims that the
Filipinos are down-trodden, Cypress
ed people, and says:
'In the first place they are better
off now than they ever were in their
lives before-have more liberty and
more to eat, and are making more
money. When farmer raises a
crop now he does not have to give
half of it to the church and the other
half to the government-as he former
ly did and starve himself. He can
carry his goods to market and not be
robbed before he gets there by la
drones. AS for being imposed on, it
| is as much as a soldiers life is worth
almost to mistreat one of them. He
| does not dare to, and the offender, if
he be soldier, is severely punished
what hurts us the most is what
the papers at homo say about u.s.
What can we do? The majority Of
US will be glad when we can return
to civil life. In the meantime, we
need encouragement, instead of being
branded as murderers, robbers and
desperadoes.
II don't believe you will find man
in service here who would be willing
to give up these islands. 1t keeps a
fellow guessing. / don't know what
to make Of it. I have been demo-
crat all my life, and was always a
great admirer of Bryan, but cannot
for the life of me see how a man can
conscientiously be follower Of Bry-
an and fight under the stars and
stripes at the same time.
"There is little or no change in the
situation here"
| The writer then tells of the death
Of Capt. Murphy, of Company I, seth
| (volunteer) Infantry, and how he was
treacherously slain while extending
his hand to shake hands with a ma
tive who was supposed to be friendly,
but who was really the leader of a
company in ambush.
Looking at it from an ordinary point
of view, one man is as good as another
and the death of an officer is no more
of calamity than that of an enlisted
man. But the difference here is that
it will greatly encourage the natives.
This is the first commissioned officer
we have had killed out Of our battaL
ion, and the insurgents are delighted,
but his death will be avenged all right,
and that quickly. The encouragement
! the insurgents have received from the
United States has greatly strengthen
ed them, and no doubt more has been
done at home to aid the continuation
of the war than has been done to stop
it."
/