The Tucson citizen., 1902-11-12
a RECORDOF CRIME.


A dispatch from Washington states
that Secretary Root has at last received
evidence that convinces even him that
Father Augstine, a Filipino Catholic
priest, was brutally murdered by an
army officer because he resisted the
administration of the water cure"
Although the evidence relating to this
scandalous outrage was laid before the
Secretary of War by the Democrats OF
the Senate Philippine committee, he
refused to accept it, and when the evil
dence was finally forced on him by the
New England anti-imperialist commit
tee, he tried to smother it. The muir
der was committed by Captain Brown
ell of the Twenty y-sixth Volunteer In
fantry, a citizen of Vermont, and now.
It is understood, an official Of the post
Office department under the Roosevelt
administration.
Moorfeld Storey, COUNSEL for the
New England Anti-Imperialist League,
has written an elaborate review OF the
Philippine situation, which is severe
and just arraignment of Secretary
Root. Mr.. Storey finds that the re-
sponsibility for what has disgraced the
American name in Luzon lies at Roots
door. Mr.. Storey shows that 100000
persons have died on the island from
gunshot wounds or fever in the first
three years of the war, and remarks,
with impressive irony, that Secretary
Root calls this marked humanity and
magnanimity.
Mr.. Storey makes the points that
from the beginning of the war the
practice of burning native towns and
villages and laying waste the country
has continued; that this was the in
ception of the policy that was pursued
until Samar was made 'howling will
derness;" that the Secretary Of War
never made any attempt to check or
punish this method of war; that from
very early day torture has been en-
ployed Systematically to obtain lin
seriously punished for this; that the
Secretary of War has never made any
serious attempt to stop barbarous
practices; that he has shown desire
not to Investigate, but, on the other
hand, to conceal the truth touching the
war, and to shield the guilty, and by
censorship and otherwise has largely
succeeded.
Mr.. Storey says, and he is backed up
by evidence that ought not to be over
looked, that Secretary Root is con-
spicuously the person to be investi-
gated. But Mr.. Storey does not ex-
pect fairness from Mr. Root because of
''his standard of humanity, his attitude
toward witnesses, the position which
he had constantly taken, and the state
ments which he has given to the pub
lie" He asks what the American
people propose to do about "this terri
BILE record" After insisting on the
Importance of rectifying our record in
the Philippines by visiting those who
have been guilty of outrage with severe
punishment, Mr.. Storey concludes with
these stinging remarks: "Our soldiers
are not to blame for all this. 1t is
the American people under false lead
ers who have set them to subjugate,
and have been content not to ask how
the work was done. We at home may
initiate the ostrich, but, hide our heads
as we may, we cannot escape their
national guilt"
The clear evidence of the cowardIy
and brutal murder of the native priest
can not be ignored by Congress. The
murderer should be disgraced and
punished, or the Roosevelt admins
tration compelled to assume RESPONSE
bility for his crime.