The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1901-03-29
NORRIS BALL At HOME.
Back From the Philippines After
Three Years in the Service of His
Country, Safe and Sound.

Norris Ball stepped into the REGIS
TER Office this Monday, straight and
stalwart," burnt by the sun and brown
ed by the sea-" but looking as If both
sun and sea had done him good look
ing the soldier that he is. 81 just
dropped in, " he said, 'to square up
what | owe on the REGISTER, "-as
natural as if he had never been away
at all. Ordinarily when caller at
this office introduces himself with that
remark particular care is taken to
not have the subject of conversation
changed until the business is attended
to. But soldier just back from three
years service at the worlds end is not
an ordinary caller and so the rule
was suspended while the reportorial
pump was applied, and in reply to
numerous questions Sergeant Ball
gave brief account of himself and of
the present situation in the Philip
pines as it appears to him.
81 have been in excellent health for
more than a year now" he said. "&nd
so far as could see there is noreason
why an American who becomes accli-
mated cannot keep his health there as
we'll as here.
'For awhile after joining the Both
our work was very much as it had been
with the Twentieth, scouting and
fighting. Then we did garrison duty
for several months. After that we
were sent on another campaign, our
last one and the hardest of all. 1t
was into the mountains in the northern
part of Luzon, the toughest mountains
ever saw, so rough that even our
pack mules could not follow the trail
and all our rations had TO be carried
on the backs of native packers. We
were after ladrones, robbers and
thieves.
"When we first went into garrison
the people of the town were afraid of
us, but they soon gained confidence,
and then they could not do too much
for us. So far as | could Judge the
people, the common run of them, care
nothing for their independence and
wouldn't know what to do with it if
they had it.. They know nothing
about politics and care nothing. When
the island is once pacified, as | think
it soon will be, my Judgment is that
the people will be very easily control
led. 1 see some newspaper criticism
of General Macarthur for his policy
of deportation, but it is the only pol
icy to pursue. General Macarthur
did not begin on it untillhe had :given
fair notice by proclamation of his in
tention, and the leaders of the insur-
rection knew exactly what to expect
when they were caught, 1t is UNI
doubleday having good effect on the
islands. ! think those who are now
taking the oath of allegiance are do
ing it in good faith.
Eyes, see what General Funston
has undertaken. It is "a very daring
project, with nearly all the chances
against him.
The reporter could have easily spent
an hour questioning and listening;
but somehow Mr.. Ball seemed to be in
mighty big hurry to get away. May
be he had sort of an idea that there
were some folks in littlehouse up on
Deer Creek who would like to see
him.
Norris and Hayes Ball. sons of
Thos. Ball, of Carlyle township, were
among the first to enlist in 1898 when
the call came for troops. They were
mustered into the Twentieth and both
served with much credit until thai
regiment sailed for home to be mus
tered out.
Hayes Ball came home with the
Regiment, but Norris hadn't go
through fighting yet, and so he stayed
in the islands, enlisting in the Both U
S. Volunteers. He went in as a pri
and his record soon won him promo
ton to the post of quartermaster ser.
geant. He stayed with the Thirty
sixth until its time also expired anC
was brought to San Francisco to b.
mustered out. And so'he comes hom
with the record of nearly three years
of honorable service in the cause o
his country, and all his friends reioic
that he comes back sound and well
May he win in civil life the honorable
success to which his military RECORD
so richly entities him.
Chanute Plucks An lola Man.
Tho Chanute 1'ri bunp reppntlv pnn