The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-04-06

Tool of Men More clever Than the
Insurgent Leader-The Filipinos
Have No Respect for the Red
Cross or Those Who Wear 1t.
"The man who is the author of this
pamphlet, purpOrted to he written BY
Aguinaldo to the American people, and
who is responsible for its circulation,
is traitor ana as such ought to be
shot" was the impassiOncd declaration
of Chaplain Charles G. Pierce, of the
United States army, who last night
lectured at the Penn Avenue Baptist
church, occupying the pulpit of his
brother, Rev. Robert f. Y. Pierce.
The article referred to in the above
remarks is a pamphlet which has been
widely circulated and is supposed to
be a message from Aguinaldo, presi-
dent of the Filipino republic, to the
American people.
Furthermore" Chaplain Pierce add
ed, "in my opinion Aguinaldo never
wrote that or if he did his general in
tc!lect has changed materially since I
last saw him. The article has too much
have been written by the little brown
skinned leader of the Filipinos."
And Chaplain Pierce is certainly a
man qualified to know whereof he
spoke. He left San Francisco July Is.
1898. with General Otis expedition, an1
arriving at Manila remained there in
active harness, constantly mingling
with the natives, until the recent death
of General Lawton. when he accom-
panied the body of the hero officer to
this country.
He handled his subject, "Our Flag
Beyond the Seas" ir way that de-
lighted and held the rapt attention of
the large audience which filed the
church.
APPROPRIATE DECORATIONS.
The platform was appropriately deco
rated, on either side, there being sew
eral large American flags and in the
centre "A large shield and golden eagle.
The ushers We're all members of the
Thirteenth regiment and We're attired
in their full regimentals. They were
Lieutenant DAILY, Sergeant Hall and
Private Tolemie. of Company A; Ser
geant Kohler Private Snow and Pri-
rate Griggs, of Company +, and Cor
pOral GunSter, of Company G.
At $50 o'clock President Warren
Grant, of the church Christian EndeaV-
or society, under whose auspices the
lecture was given, introduced Presi-
dent j. w. Browning, of the city Chris
tian Endeavor union. The latter nlads
a few remarks concerning coming
events in Christian Endeavor circles,
and My Country 'Tis of Thee" was
then sung Rev. w. j. Ford, of the
Green Ridge Baptist church, offered
prayer, and Mr. Roberts then rendered
solo.
Chaplain Pierce was introduced by
Mr.. Browning as "one who was well
come as the brother OF one loved dear
ly by all present, welcome for his work
in the islands over the sea, and as one
who was with Lawton on the firing
line, and who brought home his body"
Chaplain Pierce then stepped for
ward, attired IN his chaplain's uniform,
and addressed his audience. He bears
a marked resemblance to his BROTHER,
and attired in his military Salb pre-
sented the appearance of a true mem
| Der of the church militant.
lie began his lecture with a humor-
Gus account of life on the transport
on the way to the Philippines and
spoke In the highest terms of Honolulu,
| where he stopped for ten days. refer
ring to it as IAN earthly Paradise" ="
In speaking of the natives of the Phil
| iprines he said:
NATIVES FRIENDLY.
From the very first l thought the
| natives the most friendly people / ever
| met. They extended the American
| troops thousands of courtesies and
| could not do too much. Every shop
was open to us, and the kindly Fill
pinos fairly filled the soldiers pockets
with cigars, and every other luxury
! procurable"
| In speaking of the insurgents, he re-
ferred contemptuously to their fight
ing abilities, and said General Law
ton once said to me, Chaplain, l can
| take any post here with twenty mon
but the trouble is, our men can't run
the way tie Filipinos can. They have
the most magnificent trenches for de.
fensive purposes, but they trust solely
| to their heels
"Aguinaldo," said the speaker, was
met by me, and he made anything but
| a favorable impression. He is small IN
stature, like most of his countrymen, Is
not bright in appearance and is Ger,
tainly far from bright in conversation
! In fact, he seems eternally afraid tC
open his mouth, lest he say something
| which really had some importance at,
tached to it. After my interview witt
him, in which l was vastly amused by
the ridiculous pomp and ceremony
| which was gone through before / wa'
ushered into his august presence. l con
| cluded that he was not the centre o.
the insurgent movement, but rather :
tool. swayed by an olgarchy of NOR,
clever men. And further observation
have confirmed my initial impression.
Nov, as regards all this talk o
American desecration of the churches
| want to say that the most of thi
desecration has been done by the Fill
pinos themselves, who have converted
into frewood holy images, and hav
changed churches into barracks an,
converts into palaces for their lead
ers"
PRODUCED PAMPHLET.
Here Chaplain Pierce produced tn
Objectionable pamphlet referred Il
above, and made the volcanic remarl
already quoted. He read extracts fron
1t, and Indignantly denied the allega
tions set forth
"The Red Cross badge" said he, 9Th
emblem of mercy and charity, wa
totally ignored by the Filipinos il
battle l myself wore one on m
sleeve, az the sign OF being non
combatant. and carried no weapon.
wore II until the Filipinos began t