Washington sentinel., 1900-12-08

ued experience Of dealing with a
foe fighting only from ambush has
shattered both the physical and
mental systems Of officers and men
cannot be disproved or concealed.
Officers Of both the army and the
navy. who went from here in the
full vigor OF health not many
months ago, are broken down in
body and are almost imbeciles.
SENT HOME QUIETLY.
Nothing has b cen said about it
but some OF them are now being
brought home 70 their sorrowing
families, It is very pretty TO talk
about a soldiers duty and a sol
dier's pride, and it rs very pretty
to read the eloquent FIGHTS Of the
expansion statesmen and orators
who discourse on the subject at
the lone range distance Of eight TO
ten thousand miles. Every now
and then also the country is fay
ored with extracts from the letters
Of some fire eating soldier in the
Philippines who is as one in a thou
sand. AT the same time the Pres
ident and the War and Navy De-
partments are fully aware almost
the entire body of our forces in the
Philippines would be glad to come
home today If they had the sane
ton Of superi-r authority so to do.
The strongest social and personal
influence is constantly eXerted to
secure a homeward order ior Off
GERS N the Philippines, and the
President himself is frequently ap-
pealed to. Not one Of these ap-
peals is needed. except in the cases
@here the pitable condition of the
officer renders him mentally in
capable.
NO ONE DESIRES TO GO.
Oue OF the highest Government
officials said last evening no officer
could possibly be permitted to
come home who is able to attend
to his duties. In the first flush Of
the Philippine business there was
some anxiety among regular army
officers for service out there. but,
as a matter OF fact, It was never
very enthusiastic, for the regulars
had a much Eeener insight into
the hOlloWuess Of the thing than
the volunteers. Now not only is
there absolute absence OF any de-
sire for service IN the Philippines,
but at the slightest intimation that
any particular officer may be
ordered there every "pulP known
to society and politics is put into
operation to save him.
The bribe held out TO officers Of
the regular army oil a pros OspectIvelY
much higher rank IN the volun.
teers worked for a while, but this
charm is said to have lost its power.
A very stiff upper liD is kept up,
but those IN authority have griev-
Gus misgivings as TO how the
troops in the Philippines will be
replaced when their term Of SER
vice expires.
A Republican Of prominence,
one who has always been an ardent
expansionist and still shows no
lukeWarmness, has near relatives
IN the army, whom he does not
want to 90 to the Philippines. He
is a type of many Others.
VERY FEW WILL VOLUNTEER.
There is much discussion now
on the Army bIll-what ought to
be the number OF men enlisted, the
term of service, etc. II by any
peradventure the Philippine rebels
should lay down their arms en-
masse IL would be different, But
if the insurrection continues at its
present magnitude 1t will not be Of
much account what the figures are
fixed at; there will be no yoIun-
teers worth speaking oil to 20 to
what is yeritably the valley Of dis
ease and death.
II is claimed the people Of the
United States have put their en-
doTsement upon expansion and i'm
perialism. Very well; we will see
whether the people will back their
votes with their bodies. This IS
what the Republican leaders are
apprehensiye OIL and they evince
it in all their utterances. 1t would
be not fair or proper to give names,
but since the first Tuesday in No
vember not one but dozens at least
OF men high up in Republican
councils have expressed in my
presence their earnest wish there
was some creditable way to get out
nr The uLhnLe phillrnina hnsInass