The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-05-15

our army did resort to It. The action
of General hell in this respect was not
| unheard Of On the contrary, he was
but doing what Is common in all such
cases, and something as to the pro-
| priety of which he was the sole judge.
The result has justified what he did.
| for as II result of it there Is peace today
In Samar, there Is peace today in Bat
| angas there Is peace today in Lagunu.
There is peace everywhere except only
in Lcyte whore there are few bolo-
| men still in the woods, and in Min
| danao. where the NIoros recently got
into Il state of eruption.
"A few days ago. when 1t was am
no,inced that there was trouble with
the Moros and that General Chanec
had sent our troops there. the president
cabled him to halt until the matter
could be Investigated but General
Chaffee wired bncl; in such a way that
he got orders at once TO use his own
Judgment, and the soldiers went ahead
I felt sorry for the opponents of this
measure when, few days later. read
thrilled every American, how General
Davis. with the gallant Twenty-seventh
under Colonel Baldwin. had stormed
the fort of Banyan and had captured
the garrison and planted our flag in
victory on it's walls. Every American
should feel thrilled by that account be-
cause of the heroism and the galantry
displayed.
"We should talk about that feat of
arms to the people. but that is one
transaction in the Philippines of which
you will not hear anything during the
approaching campaign from the ora-
tors who have spoken in opposition to
this measure. They instead of tell
ing the people or telling the senate, OF
the splendid progress we have made.
of our brilliant achievements, of the
gallantry of our army, are hunting as
with n fine-toothed comb for some-
thing they can criticise--for some case
of water cure: for some case where
some incensed soldier. boy, trying to
avenge the murder of his comrade. has
committed some outrage that he ought
not to have committed. That is pa
raded. and upon the strength of such
q compilation of incidents we are told
that our policy in the Philippines is a
wicked and mistaken policy: that our
army has Dracticed brutality and saw
agery there.
Mr. President, so far we have made
no mistake about the Philippines; our
policy there has been Il wise and
patriotic policy that was well consider
ed before we entered upon it, and a
policy that has been faithfully and
consistently pursued from that day
until this: Il policy that has not been
kept in the dark but Il policy that has
been published to the world: a policy
that has until now required the pres
ence of the army there, but the army
has done its work. and now the time
has come for military rule to be re-
placed with civil government.
Il shall not enter upon any defense
of the American army. 1t does not
need any. From the beginning of our
government down to this minute to be-
long to the American army has been
an American honor. Its officers have
uniformly been brave, intelligent, and
patriotic men and the men of the ARMY
have been gallant and heroic soldiers,
who have loved the flag and loved the
country and laid down life itself un-
hesitatinslN. What the American
army has accomplished in the Philip
pines is simply marvellous. Our soldiers
nave been under u tropical sun, in q
climate to which they are unaccustom-
ed, climate that was thought to be
dangerous. fighting an enemy who was
skulking through jungles and swamps.
They have pursued them everywhere,
through the sWamps. through the
jungle. across the rivers, over the
mountains, everywhere lighting them
and everywhere destroying them as an
organized force, in 10 instance halt
ing hesitating, or failing to win victory
for our cause
In due time that army will come
home but it Will not come home be-
spattcred with mud. 1t will come home
in triumph to receive the glad well
come and the proud plaudits of the
American people. Our people have al
ways stood by their army, and they
always will stand by their army so
long AS it III made OF such splendid
men, such gallant officers. such heroes,
one and all. as represent us in the
PhilippineS."