The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-05-06
The Politicians
and The Soldiers


From the Pitsburg Gazette.
IN CONSIDERING the charges of cruelty which
! politicians in congress are bringing against
l army officers in the field, it must he remem-
bcred that war implies severe treatment
That is what war is Tor. The means employed
| must be judged with regard to the end in view
the suppression of armed resistance. II it is per-
missible to fill an enemy with hot lead, then il is
| not wrong to fill him with water If that happens
TO suit the purpose better. 1t all depends upon
| the conditions under which military operations
| are carried Even il mistakes made and
some acts of barbarty are perpetrated, that does
not discredit the general policy any more than
| occasional brutality in police arrests discrcdits
the general system of police protection and con.
troll. The particular offenders should be pun
| ishcd. but public opinion should and will sis-
tain whatever measures, however severe, may be
necessary to uphold law and ORDER
The officers who now the target of con-
gressonal abuse are old, experienced soldiers who
have carried the flag of their county to honor and
glory on many fields. General Smith was volun-
| tcor from Illinois during the Civil war; and won
| a commission in the regular army by gallant
| service AMI soldierly qualities. In the Santiago
campaign, he led his troops up San Juan hill,
and although shot through the chest, remained in
| active command until the Spanards hoistcd the
white flag of surrender Major Waller, OF the
marine corps, distinction in Egypt where,
| from being given over TO riot and pillage by the
remnant OF Arabi Paslas beaten army. lie led
the marines on the march to Pckng, and in the
lighting from Ticntsin TO the Imperial City, his
| command was thrown into intimate association
with the company of the Ninth infantry, massa-
| cred at Balangiga in Samar
The task which these able and experienced Off
GERS had to grapple with in S:lmar was made pc
cullarly difficult by the treacherous tactics of the
Malays Under cover of friendship, the insur-
gents wagcd campaign of torture, robbery and
| assassination. Members of their criminal or
ganization insratatcd themselves with the civil
governor and obtained offices so that they could
direct bandit dcsccnts upon natives friendly 10
American rule. The movements OF our troops
were reported TO the insurgents so that small de-
tachments could be cut off and murdered. The
massacre at Baangiga was pcrpctrated by ma
| tivcs who had been posing as friends and allies,
and had the privileges of camp,nates, that they
| had opportunity to fall upon unatned men
from behind their backs They gougcd out tho
eyes OF the wounded, cut straps from their skin
and played other prnnks OF torture about which
congressional rhapSodS,S may care little, but
which caused some feeling OF indignation and
resentment among smiths troops and Walcrs
| marines.
General Smith was sent to Samar because of his
success in Pangasnan. 1t had been the most tur-
bulcnt province of Luzon; he made it the most
tranquil lie brought TO Samar the ener-
pp q DuuDt "A of means ends which had been