Mexico weekly ledger., 1901-01-24
LETTER FROM ELwooD.
The Audrain County Soldier Gives
Some Interesting Facts Con-
corning the Philippines

Edward @. Elwood, Of Audraln
county, who was formerly a member
of the Mexico Company at Chicka.
magua, and who is now a corporal in
Co. F, 18th U. S. Unfit, writes to the
Vandalia Leader as follows:
l am in good health at the present
time. l do not think that this is an
unhealthy country, by any means,
providing a man does not have to
work. A white man, in my opinion,
cannot stand hard labor in a tropical
country.
The rebellion is still dragging along.
There are ne large engagements, bnt
any time a small body of our men go
out on any duty they can find a scrap;
in fact, it is a regular guerilla war
fare. II these people would stay
soldiers, it would be all right, but
just as sure as we get TO pushing them
in a fight they bury their guns and
become much Amingoes, which means
friends. Our army regulations forbid
us firing on "Amingoes," so there you
are.
1t will be years before these islands
are a land of peace. The rebellion
can now be ended in a short time, but
thes e islands and the natives of them
have ever been OF a turbulent nature.
Robbers and brigands have roamed
the islands from time immemorial
and there are large portions Of them
where the foot Of white men has never
trod.
Twice within the last six months
have l been in the wonderful noun
tain forests. Grand and gloomy they
are with their dense jungles and giant
mahogany and ebony trees. Huge
snakes are the only dangerous animals
to be found here, but the forest
abounds with monkeys Of all sizes, and
parrots galore. Wherever water is
found there is always plenty Of wild
fowls, especially ducks, and in these
solitudes they are so gentle, never
having seen the face Of man, that it is
an easy matter to kill them with a
stick.
The natives of these mountains are
harmless as far as white men are con-
cerned. We we're the first ones they
had seen and they looked upon us
with a kind Of awe. Those that we
saw were a finely formed, good looking
tribe, though small Of stature.
This island Of Luzon is by far the
most important Of these islands. 1t
is about the size Of the state of Ken
lucky and contains the capital city Of
Manila.
The main popularity about the
island is that while there + q
provinces, there are "a different dia-
lects spoken.
The Tagals are by far the most
advanced in civilization. They occupy !
the provinces OF Luzon and Cavlte, the
two most prosperous provinces of the
island. They hold the larger part Of
the government positions in Manila.
They are also good mechanics, as all
OF the city's places of steam and
electrical engineering are held by them.
They are also very courteous In man
ner. This habit they, no doubt,
from the Spanish, who are al
very courteous people, especially when
they have some purpose to serve. But
the Tagals are a very t~reacherous race
and thereby lies the difficulty wei
have had In subduing this rebellion.
Never in the history Of mankind
has a more humane war been carried
on than this. It may win in the long
run, but l think that the other
method would have been by far the
most successful and, / may add, the
cheapest, both in money and in life, at
least in life, as far as our boys are con-
cerned. AS for the natives, that is
another story, as Kipling wouldisay.
This time next year, December,
1901, / start for home and by the
time / get there l will have been
entirely around the world.
Clyde Beshears is well at this writ
ing, although I have not seen him for
very near a year. ! hear from him
frequently. Both of US, / think, will
be entirely satisfied with this enlist
ment, although for my part / do notI
1t, as l have learned much.