Arizona republican., 1902-05-05

The alleged atrocities committed by
the American soldiers toward the na-
tives of the Philippine islands is agi-
tating the people Of the United States
and the authorities. and has led to
congressional investigation. The re
cent court martial of Major Waller and
Lieutenant Day CT the marine corps.
for outrages committed in the island
of Samar under the command of Gen
oral Jacob H. Smith. has been the re
suit of bringing to light the method OF
dealing with tie insurgents who viii
net listen to reason. and the people arr
very much shocked to know that a hu-
name people are guilty of acts of cruel
ty that almcst equal the barbaroUs
tales of the Spanish inquisition.
Walter T. Gregory, a soldier through
out the Cuban war, formerly Il reporter
fer the Republican, who has spent the
last two years and 4 half on the
islands as a cavalryman. was question
ed yesterday as to what he knew of
the so called water cure" and the al
legged cruelties practiced on the natives,
AMI if in his opinion the natives We're
not inhumanly dealt with by the Amer
leans. and if there was any justifica-
tion in methods that were condemned
by the United States in the Cuban
struggle and were the direct cause OF
the war with Spain.
In reply Mr.. Gregory stated that he
did not care to discuss what was going
ON in the islands at the present time.
but from his own knowledge Of the sit
uati0n at the time he was on the
islands the Americans had much - try
;leir patience. but I7o raTer s-itnese4.i
any extreme acts OF crualty. though in
many instances severe measures would
have been perfectly justifiable-
Even the most civilized warfare is al
the best cruel and b2rbarous.' said
Nj Gregory. ''and it is a mistaken IDEA
that the Filipinos can be induced to
submit to American authority by kind
ness. That has been tried and proved
futile. and moreover. you treat Fill
pino with kindness. he will repay the
act by cutting your throat. The Fill
pinos are savage by instinct. and tha
only way to handle them efectualIy is
to treat them according to their method
OF warfare.
Il have no patience" continued Mr..
Gregory. with those persons who. ten
thousand miles from the scene of ac-
tion, criticize and comment on the in
human treatment of the poor Filipino.
and condemn what they absolutely
know nothing about except from press
reports 1t was the same in the west
crn states when the Apache, Sioux and
Pawnee ravaged the country. From
the standpoint of those who fight their
battles by their comfortable fireside,
peer -Lo" was badly abused and the re
suit WAS that hornets nest was
stirred up. IT is the same way with
the war now going on in the Philip
pines; in order to appreciate the diff
Guilty attending the effort to pacify the
natives il is necessary to he on the
spot. and if the most arr2nt howler
against harsh measures does not
change his tune after coming in CON
tact with the Filipinos. he is not cap
able of judging between right and
wrong. and would probably lose his life
while making up his mind as to wheth-
cr the Fflipinos were entitled to Il dem
onstration of brotherly love. or were
To be treated according to their des-
serts.
Now | suppose my ideas will he con-
demncd by many people. but nevcrthc-
less | have no hesitancy in asserting
that the F'ilipinOs will never be paci-
fled except by the exercise of the most
severe measures. The time for shilIv-
shallying is past, and / predict that it
Will almost mean a question of total
determination before there is absolute
and permanent peace in the Philip
pines. The almost daily reports from
the islands that the insurrection is
quelled, are sheer nonsense. The Fill
pino army was routed and split up into
small bands two years ago. and though
many have surrendered and others
have laid down their arms there are
yet enough armed insurrectos in the
field to make the question of complete
pacificat ton too remote TO BE- entertain
ed at the present time.
Now to the alleged acts of cruelty
toward the natives, I will admit that
such thing should not be, but taking
into consideration what the soldiers
had to contend with. there is some JUS
tificaticn for the Americans. However.
in my experiences in the island Of Luz
on. I never witnessed any act Of cruelty
on the part of any soldier. though there
are barbarians among the American
people as well as among other nations
and no doubt many soldiers committed
outrages that would not have been
sanctioned by their Superior officers
When hostilities began in Manila. tn
soldiers were warned to recognize al
the rules of warfare; To refrain from
looting. treat all peaceable natives witt
consideration and to maltreat 10 pris
Oner or well disposed native.
"This way of treating an enemy was
entirely foreign to the insurrectos. anc