The Tucson citizen., 1902-05-08
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT

Philippine islands. The Republican
says:
1t Is declared that the water cure
is not fatal. and one returned soldier
has stated that he has taken the
cure" and finds 1t more acceptable
than beating. But our southern
friends should bear in mind the fire,
the rope and the bullet cure" so fire.
quently used in this country. 1t Is
not uncommon to read of negroes be-
ing burned alive at the stake, to read
of others being hung up to enforce
confessions, to read of others who are
shot down like dogs for minor Of
fenses of statute laws. and various Of
fenses of an equally atrocious charac-
ter.
While the Republican was engaged
in the reminding business. why did it
not call to the attention of its readers
the fact that what 1t has alleged
against the southern States has also
occurred in Colorado, Kansas, Ohio
and Indiana? The negroes who suf
fered torture and death without war
rant OF law in this country expiated the
grossest of all crimes-the violation of
white women. In the Philippines the
natives are fighting for the right to
govern themselves, fighting for iden-
ticalIy the same cause that our fore
fathers fought against the English. for
the same cause that the gallant Beers
of South Africa are now fighting.
The American public eats its break
fast and reads in It's newspapers of our
doinea in the Philippines. 1t sips
its coffee and reads of our soldiers ad-
ninistering the water cure to men
fighting for freedom; OF how water
with handfuls OF salt thrown In 1t to
rake 1t more efficacious is forced down
the throats of the patients until their
bodies become distended to the point of
bursting; of how our soldiers then
jaHp on the distended bodies To force
tie water out quickly so that the
ttt2.ment can be begun all over
aaain. The American public. ii 1t
takes the advice OF the Phoenix Repub-
Iican. would merely remark. How
very unpleasant"
The American public then buffers its
bread and reads Of the ingenious Ma
Jor Waller. Of the marines, who mur~
derel his defenseless victim on the in
stallmcnt plan tying him to Il tree.
saooaug him in the non-mortal places
for three days. aud foregoing tin the
f0urth day the delight of killing him
outright. The American public. If it
e,.ts the philosophy of the Phoenix
tet blican would merely remark,
4LrS very distressingn
Tie American public, stll continu-
lrs te first meal Of the day. aud if it
hadu: dined with Governor Murphy
tic L Eht before. no doubt feeling
comfortable, reads OF how Private
Richter was tortured to death by his
officer by having ice
water dripped drop by drop on his
forehead; Of the orders of General
Smith to Kill and burn" to take no
to kill everything over
ten" and to make Samar bowling
Rather extreme" would be the
comment of the American public, If it
took the advise of our Phoenix con
But we think We make no mistake in
saying that the American public is not
SO callous as the Phoenix organ would
have us believe. The American public
still believes in freedom and justice
and can easily differentiate between
brave and persistent enemy, fighting
for the control Of his native land and
a black monster who has outraged a
white woman, and who suffers tor
ture as a warning to his kind.
O.