New-York tribune., 1902-05-06


came for services at Gettysburg. and the second
for gallant and meritorious services at the bat
tie of Dinwiddie Court House, Va; that he
served with his regiment until wounded in the
Gettysburg campaign at Fairfield, In Pennsylva-
MIA; that he was wounded again at the battle of
I will go into details. After the he
passed into the regular army. He gave the
best twenty-five years OF his life to service on
the plains a captain, with slight hope of
promotion. serving with small pay in heat, in
cold at remote frontier posts. helping to guard
those Western communities against the shock Of
Indian warfare He was doing this when the
Senator from Utah making those legal and
historical studies and cultivating those gifts
which have enabled him to delight listening
Senate. All, Mr.. President. there are some
things to he said for the man who gave his life
to that thankless work. From there he went
into the war in Cuba, and then the long delayed
promotions came him.
Mr. President content with the attack
upon General Chaffec. the effort has been made
by implication to carry 1t still further The
source or command in this country is the Nhlte
House. All the world knoWns what the At
titude Of President Mckinley. soldier himself,
the most humane and generous of men, we
know that his word from the beginning to
the end was to be merciful and kind. TO uphold
the authority of the United States to carry
on the firmly and vigorously because that
was most mercful and humane, but TO show
the greatest kindness and considerably IN to the
people Of the islands. From that policy his
successor has not deviated. No orders can be
found issuing from the White House of which
other day that the order went out from there
to investigate and probe to the bottom. that
who had done wrong should be brought to
speedy and prompt justice.
SECRETARY ROOT DEFENDED.
Then the effort has been made, too, to lay
the blame upon the Secretary of War. Mr..
President, as he has been attacked. I desire
mere In my place to say word in regard to
MN. In all the long list Of able men Of all
parties who have held the great position of
Secretary OF War, / think there has been no
ADLER, no more public spirited than the one
who now holds It, He took it at time Of great
trlal-wth difficulties in China, with difficulties
] !
and he has borne that burden with strength.
with honesty, with courage. He has wrought
for Improvements In the army, many of which
have been attained, which will stand in
| history as great works in the Improvement OF
cure defects which the Spanish disclosed.
He is man of high ability. of irreproachable
honor and OF as great humanity as any who
He has been attacked in regard to the Major
Gardener report and charged with deliberate
suppression, because he did exactly what the
Senate is doing to-day-leaving II to the board
there, where the witnesses and the accused are.
10 make the first inquiry. When these charges,
/ sweeping, nameless, without date specfca-
ton. were laid before him he felt that IT was his
duty not only 20 probe the matter 10 the bottom,
but also to that the officers OF the army
mitted TO his charge had fair play and exact
justice that the accuser and his witnesses
should be in the same place where the accused
and their witnesses were gathered 1t was the
part of honorable and a loyal true to
the service In which he was engaged and OF
which he was the head.
He has ordered Investigations OF every case
which has been brought to him. More than
three hundred and nifty courts martial have been
held for great offences and small, against the
( natives There has been desire 10 a
guilty man from punishment wherever a reason
/ able charge has been brought before court
martial and tried. There have been many many
convictions and much severe punishment. That
Is all any Secretary can possibly do. He has
these instances OF cruelty in the Philippines are
! 70 US. as they are. source Of bitter and deep
regret can they for one moment suppose that
20 like the Secretary Of War. with his
heart bound up In the fame and we'll being Of
the American army, they not even deeper
sorrow? His object IS TO elevate the American
army. not to pull IL down But he also means.
and he VIII always mean, to have justice. at
least for all the men and officers committed TO
his charge and ne VIII not knowingly condemn
them unheard and untried.
Mr.. President, these attacks, as have said.
| fall upon officers and men alike. They attack
! the entire organization. Senators who have
| listened. I have listened. to the speeches on
! the other side viii realize the truth OF what
! say. Senators who listened n who have
! read the course Of the questioning pursued with
witnesses before the Philippine Committee viii
| realize the truth Of what l say when I say
! that these attacks are levelled st the entire
/ American army, from the commander 10 the
private.
PLEA FOR JUSTICE TO THE ARMY.
Mr.. President have occupied more time than
! l intended. | did not get UP here TO deieod In
! the rernotest way any Cruelties practised upon
! helpless prisoners. l regret them. have
| said over and over again bitterly any one
can; but, as have listened to this debate.
| confess l have felt shocked beyond measure at
| the attacks made upon the American army. II
| Is not a Republican army. II IS not q Demo
| cratic army; It is the army Of the United States
| Their honor Is honor. II they have done
| wrong, let punish them: do not let US con-
| done a single proved offence; do not let y single
| man proved guilty escape: but let us oh let
us be just. at least. 10 our own, Let us remem-
| ber, when We Judge living here In sheltered
| homes. far from the sounds and the trials Of war
| let us remember not only their sufTerngs but
| their temptations. their provocatons their
! trials! When condemn Waller for shooting
| treacherous guides. who lured ten OF his men
| into death by starvation; when we think Of that
| little band Of his that struggled through Tho
Wilderness OF Samar, where no Spaniard had
! ever gone, and came out the other side de-
! lirious with suffering that he was reported
| when he first reached Manila. to be ont Of his
| mind-let us remember the circumstances ere
| we condemn!
| tered all over these islands with lttIe sn,ads 90
| fifteen or twenty men. under the command ver,
| often or sergeant under the command very
! often OF a young second lieutenant perhaps fust
| a boy from West Point Just graduated from
! some American college living there among moo
! pie apparently friendly and the first thing tbis
! boy in command OF this sergeant I'm command
knows is that one OF his men has been assas-
sinated In the night oh, Mr. President these
| are the things that hardened their hearts
! and made them feel there was treacherv about
| them. There is but one testimony as to their
! treatment Of the friendly natives Soldiers and
| officers alike treat them as we should expect
Americans TO treat people OF that kind-gen-
| erously and humanely.
AWFUL FILIPINO ATROCITIES
Now. Mr.. President, l do not seek 10 defend
any cruelty, but l do want to have Justice done
to the American army. l want the people of the
| country 20 know when they read of Cruelties IN
| the hostile Filipino what the proyOcaton has
| been; l want them TO think Of what our mon
| have suffered and endured; | want and we can
| afford to give, absolute justice TO the Ameri-
can army. / do not wish to be put in a postion
OF being the defender OF cruelties but n 7 rDust
take my choice then 1 am for the friendly
| native. the friend of America against the men
| in arms against the United States | am for no