The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1900-09-13
PROSPERITY FIGURES
THATCAN'T BE DISPUTED
ON IT'S LAST LEGS.

ON IT'S LAST LEGS.
The following letter from South
Dakota soldier boy in the Philippines
has recently been received by Colonel
Lee Slower of WATERFOWL, and tells its
own story:
Santa Cruz, Laguna, p. l., July TO-
In tonight's Manila paper | read that
William j. Bryan has been nominated
for president on the Democratic ticket
Well, the Democrats, l suppose, must
keep up some sort of a showing but
feel certain of their downfall and de-
feat, and the complete victory of the
grand old Republican party.
There is one thing certain that il the
troops over here were allowed to vote
you would find less than one hundred
votes out of the sixty-five thousand
now stationed here, in favor of the
Demo-Pop party. You will undoubted
ly think this Is expressing 1t too strong
but If you were over here you would
find the sentiment in favor of holding
the Philippines as here stated. The
insurrection has at last been brought
to successful end. All armed resist
ance is something of the past, though
there is a few bands Of inhuman fiend Is
0Ladrones) still at large, numbering
burning and robbing wherever they go.
If these people call themselves pa
triots why in Gods name don't they
quit numbering innocent people, burn
ing their houses and carrying wealthy
Filipinos off to the mountains. hold
ing them for large ransoms This is
the kind of warfare the American sol
diers have TO lead at present, but they
are assisted by all right thinking Fill
pinos. Nearly every insurgent officer
has been brought in and with one or
two exceptions have taken the oath
and sworn to defend the flag Of the
United States.
In a recent capture Of General Ri
carte there was found among his pa
pers a whole lot Of anti-expansion pa
pers printed In the United States and
translated into Tagalog from which the
only conclusion that can be drawn is
that the seed of dissatisfaction among
the Filipinos was first spread in the
United States. That this Is true the
official records of the War Department
will show to anyone who disbelieyes 1t.
The volunteers, of course. are anxi-
GUS to 60 home, but not before they
can be spared here. They all knew
what they were about and doubt very
much II one per cent OF the volunteers
now In service would go home IL OPP
portunity was offered them without
first making sure that they could safe
ly be spared from these islands. Aboat
the regulars I know very little, but feel
sure they will always do their duty
whenever called upon. Yours,
B. E. Gjelsteen.
Hospital Sergeant, 37th Infantry.
Charles w. Fenwick, soldier In the
philippines, has written home to his
Democratic father at Herndou, Saline
county. Missouri and declares that the
election of Bryan is the one hope or the
followers of Aguinaldo. The letter says
there is no telling how much longer the
bush whacking warfare Will last IL the
announcement to the natives from the
United States is to be kept up. He fur
Their expresses very contemporary
the wish that Mr.. Bryan himself might
have them to deal with, for IL he had
he would Change his tune" This is
In line with the last letter on the SUD
iect by the late General Lawton. The
troops in the Philippines know where
to place the responsibility for the pro-
Iongatiou Of their service there.
Sergeant Harry Bramble enlisted
with the First South Dakota from Wa
tertown, and when the regiment was
discharged he re-enlisted with the
Forty-second United States volunteers,
and is now in Luzon. When the SER
geant went over to the islands he was
pronounced Democrat as his father
was before him. The young soldiers
brother, who is auditor OF Codlngton
county, some time ago wrote 10 the
sergeant to get his opinion on the
Philippine question, the writer think
ing that an opinion from a Democrat
in the field would be of interest TO the
people OF this state, as indeed 1t is IN
reply to his brother, Sergeant Bran
BILE writes at length of the richness or
the islands. and the folly OF letting
them GO and adds:
If should be returned to the
United States now in time TO vote,
and that should be the main issue
between the Republican and Demo-
cratic parties, rather than see
the Philippines given up after all
of the hard work that the soldiers
have done to keep them, would
vote the Republican ticket.
Another South Dakota soldier testi-
.fies that in his judgment the rebellion
in the Philippines is kept alive by the
encouragement given the rebels from
this country and that when Mckinley
is elected the rebellion will collapse.
Everett Foster, who served with the
First South Dakota. and who remained
there after the regiments discharge Is
the witness this time. He has return
ed to Aberdeen for visit. and--fresh
from the islands-says that the rebel
lion is being continued only because OF
the encouragement given the rebels
from the anti-expansionists OF the
United State.