Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-12-30
THEY WILL NOT MIX
Returned Soldier Says FiIipinos
Are Indifferent to Efforts
of Americans.
THE NATIVES ARE DIsTRUsTFUL
Realize There is a Wide Chasm Be-
tween Themselves and
Whites.

George Harrington, the soldier just
returned from the Philippines, who
Is visiting with his sister, Mrs. II. Il.
Hayden, is one of the few of Uncle
Sans fighting men who has seen SER
vice both in the West and East Indies.
| Although he had been in the regular
army five years when the Spanish
American war began, his first actual
campaigning was done in Porto Rico,
where he landed with the 18th in
fantry at Guanica only a few days af-
ter the 9th Illinois. as a part of the
expedition which Gen. Miles person
ally accompanied, had set foot on
that beautiful island. Being acquaint-
ed with both the Porto Rican and the
Filipino he is in a position to draw
comparisons interesting to anyone
who has mingled with one of the
brown races and not the other. He
frankly says he considers the differ
ence very great and almost entirely
to the credit of the people nearest
home.
Can Never Like Americans.
MIR. Harrington is inclined to agree
with Gen. Chaffee rather than with
the commission that investigated the
surroundings and habits of the Fill
pinO with a view to making him a
citizen of a republic.
THE natives can never learn to like
Americans" he said TO an Argus re-
porter when asked for his views on
the subject. They are by nature
distrustful and entirely ungrateful
for the good intentions of the Amer
leans. They are shrewd enough to
realize that there is chasm between
themselves and the whites that can
not be bridged and they show no lis
position to court confidential rela-
lions.
NO soldier really likes n native.
They are all 'niggers' to him. how
ever much curiosity may lead him to
tslk and mingle with them. Even at
that l believe the soldiers are better
teachers of the American language
and customs than the school teachers
the government is sending there to do
the work. 1 personally know of one
teacher who had charge of class
for several months without making
any preceptible advance so far as
was able to judge. / think the entire
system adopted to inculcate Amer
icanism among the islanders is
-wropG.- The government SHOULD
bring the FiIipinos over here and
teach them and then return them as
missionaries to- their own country.
Then the brown men might be per-
suaded to believe some of the things
they cannot now be convinced Of"
As to RatIons-
During his service in the east Mr..
Harrington was first sergeant of
Company X in the 4th infantry and
he also filled the position of com
missary sergeant for over year. He
has a very high regard for the Amer
lean army ration and declares it cam
not be improved upon for use in all
parts of the world. ''Rations dcte-
riorate very rapidly in the tropical
climate" he said, flour and farm
aceous foods become moldy and
meats wormy, and large portion of
the sickness in the army is due to this
source. Taken as whole, however,
the rations issued are the best fur
nished to any army in the world and
when they are placed before the men
in good condition there is absolutely
no cause for complaint"
Mr.. Harrington was mustered out
on board the transport Thomas, en-
route home on Dec. Is. He says eight
wears in the service are enough and
he does not intend re-enlisting.
Mr.. Harrington speaks in warmest
terms of appreciation of Gen. j.
Franklin Bell. son-in-Iaw of Capt. and
Mrs. J. Il. Buford. who occupies Il