New-York tribune., 1902-03-04
GEN. FRED FUNSTON HERE.
HE DEFENDS PHILIPPINE SEDITION
LAWS-FEWER TROOPS NEEDED.

General Frederick Funston. the man who capt
ured Aggie." reached New-York yesterday morn
ing from HIS home and will 90 10 Washington
in a day or two. He has quite recovered his
health though he IS not yet strong as he wishes
he were. He expects TO return 10 the Philippines
in April. when his leave expires, unless the Gov
ernment orders him elsewhere He says that he
has no idea yet just what disposition will be made
OF him.
General Funston is particularly impatient with
the opposition on the part OF some Americans.
Senators and others. the Philippine sedtIon acts
''The Philippine Commission never did a wiser or
a better thing than the enactment OF the sedition
laws he said 10 a Tribune reporter. They were
justified by the necessities Of the case. and all the
men on the ground both the civil and military au-
thorities heartily in favor OF them They were
absolutely necessary. And they are not unjust on
any ground, for they do not interfere with sin
gle right or curtail single liberty that any man
is Justly entitled TO. They made membership In a
certain society a crime punishable by heavy pen
atty certainly. but that society is the Katapunan
Society, which is revolutionary organization. and
very dangerous. It IS a society that simply had 10
be stamped out. and the sediton act is doing IT.
Those who criticise the act are not acquainted
with the facts"
General Funston said that when he left the
islands three months ago in all but two provinces
pTogress had been made by the American forces
in those two districts. of course he added. ~ Is
twenty thousand to twenty five thousand men are
enough the ISLANDS TINS year tldl i tbIIlS anu
that after that fifteen thousand will be enough.
The natives differ in different sections. some or
them are already truly loyal to the United States,
while others no doubt only uominally so. and
are treacherous But ii will not be necessary 70
keep troops right the scene TO hold them IN
subjection The mere surety that troops VIII be
sent crush them II they rebel VIII ne enough 10
hold them under
In regard TO the case OF Captain George \. Detch-
mendy, 22d Infantry. who has resigned from the
army chiefly the ground that his act in making
possible the capture Of Aguinaldo has not received
the reward deserves. General Funston said he did
not care to say much Captain Detchmendy Is not
any longer in the service. and IL would not be in
good taste for me TO say much" he declared He
ha nothing do with securing the information
that made possible the capture of Agulnaldo. as "A
matter of fact. The man who did secure that in
formation was not in his party but was
Lieutenant Taylor OF the 18th, who has received
his lust rewards. Captain DetChmendy served un-
der me at one time and a good officer. Then
he was in charge OF a post where for a year he
was entirely isolated from the world. don't know
that his isolation affected his mind. as some people
think but certainly his action In demanding OF the
War Department either a commission brigadler
general in reward for his alleged services In captur-
ing Agunaldo the acceptance of his resignation,
as he is said 10 have done. is a little queer"