Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1902-02-01
SATURDAY EVENING, FEB. 1, 1902.
THE DEBATES in the Senate during

THE DEBATES in the Senate during
the past few days on the Phihpp'ne
tariff bill have given some OF the SenS'
tors an opportunity to relate the bar
barous treatment of the Fillpinos Dy
the Americans and such treatment 10
severely condemned by people who
have a spark of humanity In their
make up. A recent dispatch from
Washington sald:
"Under the direction OF General ).
F, Bell state Of martial government
similar to that exercised by captain
General Weyler during the last STAGES
of the Cuban revolution exists 10 Ba'
taneas Province, just south OF Manila.
The Americans have failed at'r TWO
wears of strife to subdue the insurrec-
tlon in that proVince, and General Bell
Ia satisfied that lepient treatment OF tne
ipsurRept, ia productive OF no good re-
Pults. Therefore he has determined on
the enforcement OF the war 10 the most
vigorous and determined fashion, 10.
volyipg reconcert ration in modihed
form. the application Of martial law IN
all directions and the unspariug por-
suit and punishment OF all natives VINO
act az spies and traitors to the Uniteu
States"
Thus has General Bell decided up
on the course which has made the
enemies of highlands policy In South
Africs so bitter and which made Cen.
Wsyler, when in command in Cuba,
an object OF tsrror to the CubAns. The
word Recommendation" tails the story.
Reports OF an early end to the fighting
In the Philippines have come to this
country from time to time, but the war
In Batapgas Province does not seem
x an end, and there General Bell
determined to experiment with re-
centration. 10 commenting on Gen.
's order the Philadelphia Moth
erican says;
"The depths OF rational infamy are
sounded by the order of General Bell
applying Weyler's policy of reooncen'
tration in Gil its details ID the Filipinos
of Batapgas Province. Nothing 10 the
history OF modern warfare exceeds the
ferocity of General Bells instruction ID
American officers to make the people
want peace, and want 1t badly sup
plementsd by specific orders to regard
the insurgeJt rs outside the pale OF
civilized warfare Four years ago the
American people were 10 o blaze OF
right sous wrath against the Spaniards
for their feroclous treatment OF the
Cnban insurgents, and they are even
now stirred to indignation by the re-
ports from the British camps in South
Africa. That they tolerate with placid
indifference the imitation Of Weylerism
by American soldiers in the Philip
pines is almost incredible, but 1t is a
deplorable fact"
Comparatively few people in this
country realize what bruts force Ia
used by the American soldiers In their
dealings with the Filipinos, but letters
from Manila giving accounts OF their
brutality are finding their way into
print. The following isla sample and
describes the means used by the United
Statss soldiers to compel captured Fill
pinos to give up their concealed arms +:
1--WE 90 out on q hike, catch ne.
gro and ask him II he has gun; he Will
give US a polite bow and say, No
sabby,' and then we take hold of him
and give him the water cure after
which he can get US two or three guns.
Now, this Is the way we give them the
water cure: Lay them on their backs,
man st anding on each hand and each
foot, then put round stick in the
mouth aud pour pail Of water 10 the
mouth and nose, and If they don't give
up pour 10 another pail. They swell
up like tosds. I'll tell you it's terri
bic torture"
Other letters tell Of how the Filipinos
while being given the "water cure" are
struck on their stomsohs with the butt
ends OF guns till the water flies from
their mouths, aud il it does not squirt
high enough to suit the soldiers, who
consider it ell huge joke, then they
will playfully jump upon the PROSTATE
man, (which usually has the desired
effect - One soldier who was with
Gen. Funston gays he helped to sd-
minister the "water cure" to 100 ma
tlves, all but 26 of whom died.