The Tucson citizen., 1902-05-16
DEFENDING BARBARlSM.

since Secretary Root, in behaH Oh 'he
Roosevelt administration, accepted re-
snonsibilitv for, and tacitly approved
of the atrocious acts of some oi o"'
MILITARY commanders in the Phlilp-
mines. every little Republican organ
too,s tho necessity of frying to decry
those who are endeavoring 10 res'ole
american civilization to its former
nroud position Here is the FhoeiilA
ponubIican for instance. saying;
The Democratic plan for making .ne
conduct of orr soldiers in the rnliiP
mines the chief issue In the oohsies
sional campaign OF this year seems "
have met with the same disaster "hAC"
has befallen all other bourbon expeul
ents for arousing the people III le.ent
wears. They have found that apuee
of the army is not popular, ana tha'
the country refuses to become eAclleu.
The greatly heralded issue OF army
atrocities" now has for us support only
a handful of hair drained Senator'S ana
congressman, and few mosSDack pa
pers in Arizona and elsewhere.
The wiser and abler Republican pa
pers make no effort to apologize TOT
our Philippine barbarities, and even
Senator Lodge deplored the atrocitles
and attempted to repudiate them. But
the cold fact stands that Secretary
Root in an official communication &C
cepted responsibility for even the XIII
all above 10' order of General smith.
and defended the RECOMMENDATION pol
icy of General Bell.
Major Waller. when arraigned be-
fore a courtmartial at Manila. asserted
that he had adopted his barbarous
measures in Samar at the instance OF
General Jacob H.Smith. Because or
the awful atrocity OF his conduct 1t
was intimated when Major Waller was
on trial that the sufferings which he
had endured In the Samar campaign
had caused temporary dsmentia, and
while in this condition he had issued
orders to his men to do things contrary
to the laws of civilized warfare. Major
Waller declined to avail himself OF
such q flmsy defense. He testified
that whatever he had done in Samar
was in accordance with instructions
he had received from his superior in
command
In view of Major Walters allegations
and the indignant protests of the people
President Roosevelt directed that Gen
eral Smith be tried by eourtmartial.
The trial of General Smith revealed
some astonishing facts. At the trial
OF Major Waller General Smith denied
that he ever gave Waller power over
life and death exceeding the General
Order 100," issued by the War Depart
ment for the guidance of United States
army officers. At his own trial,
however, General Smith. through his
counsel. admitted that he issued the
order to kill and burn" to make
Samar "a bowling wilderness" and to
slaughter all persons above the age of
TO- It is now asserted by Secretary
Root that General Smith felt warrant
ed In issuing these awful instructions
under rigid Interpretation of order
No. 100. especially in view of the fact
that desperate measures were required
to deal with the ''treacherous' and
''bloodthirsty" savages of Samar
The question before the American
people is. do they approve this bar
barous warfare? The American peo-
pie never have approved of atrocities
committed by their armies. 1t Is no
were guilty of barbarous cruelty the
civilized heart of America protested.
The Phoenix Republican seems to be
surprised because the American people
protest against the slaughter of all
above 10' In Samar The American
people have always denounced in
EQUITIES of a. less barbarous nature.
II there Is anything that has been per-
sistently and consistently denounced in
this country, it has been this very
thing. Did our Phoenix contem-
porary ever hear of the speech OF
Logan? Does it not know that 1t has
been recited In every school house in
the land. and that the barbarism OF
Colonel Cresap has sent his name to
infamy? Has the Republican never
heard of the condemnation OF the
massacre OF the Moravian Indians?
Has 1t never heard of the Seminoles?
II the Republican really imagines that
our soldiers have not been criticised
for baTbarism toward Indians. we
would urge II to read The Exiles of
Florida, by Joshua r. Giddings, who
was Q good deal of Republican in his