Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-09-01

hound to become subjects OF animated
dizcuEsirn TO- some years 20 come Al
ready the two gre political Far' : IN
the United States are lining up Tor
heated campaign IN 1904 and the seat OF
s var" so 70 speak, will be found IN ex-
81 noting the fnhumanities on one SIDE ana
dafendsnc the necessity for innumanities
or the other side. before the citizens OF
ire United States.
ant General Jake Smith has been re-
lieved and rebuked by the president. HIS
atrocities were too much for even the
rolItica1 party which Is committed TO a
rociferous defense OF the general conduct
81 the Philippine war. But this defense
IL connection with General Smiths pun
lshmert gives the whole case away. False
~ one place. false in the whole AFFAIR.
in nv humble judgment the jake
smiths" were also plentiful during the
civil war. The training OF the federal
ARMY In the sixties looked and leaned to-
ward cruelty and vandalism as exploited
81 Dixie
General W T. Sherman said war is
n-u~ General Sherman was doubtless
honest in his belief for he made his part
81 the war as nearly akin 10 the lower
REGIONS as the denizens OF that locality
mfEht demand and emulate in revenge
Trere have been some men connected
With the south in times past VINO nave
echoed Gen Sherman's declarauop-
When this famous t0rch-bearer visited
Atlanta az one time after the war his ac-
mirers IN our section as good as said 70
him IAN things are fair in war" and
Tecumseh went away much grauned at
their humility and lack OF resentment not
81 Is mention our disgust for their patriot
lsu1. or more properly their lack OF IL
Among savages there is killing for It's
. cun sake: the impulse 10 cruelty and pas
81 slon is unchecked; fighting without quar-
Ger. and wanton massacre OF prisoners
nav be expected. but such acts have al
rrays been condemned BY civilized people.
Nevertheless. the civil war IN lS61-5. wit
messed some OF the most terrible vandal-
Ism and unnecessary cruelty known 10
auv age OF the world at that time.
repeat. the training OF the young Jake
smiths begun a good many years ago. so
ne must not be unnecessarily harsh IN
3 having blame on a federal officer. who
. -uater-cured' the brown men in the Phil
~ frnines. or who issued orders 10 shoot
81 down ten-year-old boys. for he followed
a tire teaching OF his elders
OF course IL was not legitimate war
. fare and history win write Il down as
" fendfsh barbarfty. for the tracks that
81 Eeneral Sherman left in Georgia and
81 south Carolina displayed unprincipled
. Vandalism and heartless persecution or
81 the helpless and the innocent
This Is the plain truth OF that whole
81 matter and the further one is removed
N from the rlI1e ana place OF Aue@e N1E0aAA1
81 incIdeuts IN General Sherman's hfe-Work
81 fhe hoIder-bolder and less tolerable win
81 e this heinous work as seen by the re-
q riewer-in regard 10 the WantOn destruc-
81 ton OF cities and the exile OF the women
and children from their homes after the
. cunauering army passed on
A spirit OF humanity has been nourished
& and strengthened By the influence OF
Christianity. One OF the palpable effects
81 Christian civilization has been uni
Wersal tendency towards lenient treatment
81 the vanQuished and protection OF the
non-com blatant from abuse and robbery.
General Sherman's definition OF war is
totally al variance with the judgment OF
civilized man
OF course II is understood that II the
local authorities refuse 10 furnish sup
plies 70 q victorious army the usages Of
war permit military authorities TO take
what they need-perhaps what they want
nor IS Il 10 be expected that careful dis
cr4mination would be made
There IS no conflict OF opinion thus far.
But when an invading army has Overrun
a section. taken all the supplies needed BY
the army and then applies the torch TO
the homes and food OF a defenseless
crowd OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS savage is
every whit and grain as honorable and
nerciful as such a marauder, who assumes
such authority 10 destroy The smoke
and fame which rose from these homes in
the south. and the cries and prayers that
ascended 70 the throne OF a just God will
never Be lost in ininity. because the re-
cord IS inefaceable. and the ear OF Al
mighty OmnipOtence is never closed TO the
CRY OF fnnocence-indeed IL cannot be-fcr
God Is both just and merciful
when the reports OF German cruelty
vent abroad, during the Franco-German
var IN 1870. deep indignation prevailed
not only with sympathizers with the
French people. but everywhere in all
II countries where Christian civilization IS
respected and endorsed.
But for the unpopular system OF slavery
II the southern states. furious indlgna-
ton would have been voiced on the CON-
tinent OF Europe at the wanton destruc-
ton carried on By General Sherman and
the various Jake Smiths among his sub
a1tern officers. When vandal hands were
apply ing the torch 70 Atlanta and Column
bfa the sound OF protest was muffied by
the plea OF freeing the slave. All Europe
stood aghast when German soldiers ap-
piled the torch 10 the Strasburg cathe-
draL and then trained their guns on those
who eagerly sought 20 check or put out
the flames. but the inhumanities are new
e. Il seems. 70 be set down BY either
friend or foe. as an impetus 10 the truth
81 history
The philippine war viii. as said before
r. the beginning OF this article. bring fu-
ricus discussion two years hence. and Il
IS moro than likely the issues OF the next
presidential campaign will centre upon
the imperfalistfc tyranny OF the present
ADMINISTRATION towards the betrayed and
dafenseless Filfpinos.
The edict issued against little boys over
ten years old Is quite enough TO relegate
the American army. az the beginning OF
the 18th century. back to the barbarism
uf the Vikings. the Saxon pirates and the
followers Of Cortez and PizarTO. 1 mis-
take the temper OF the people OF the Unit
Cd States IL this continent IS not stirred
e. it's depths by the virtual abandonment
% ali accepted usages OF war In the over
throw OF the Philippine nhabitants by
such orders as were issued by General
Jake Smith-wearing shoulder straps as
q representative OF the people OF this
eountry.
The nOn-combatants we're entitled 20
protection. but they were driven from
lheir homes. which were burnt and their