New-York tribune., 1902-03-09
FUNSTON DEFENDS ARMY.
HE UPHOLDS ADMINISTRATIONS POL
ICY IN PHILIPPINES
AT LoTos CLUB DINNER KANSAS GENERAL
RELATES HOW AGUINALDO WAS
CAPTURED

CAPTURED.
Brigadier General Funston was the guest Of
honor at dinner given by the Lotos Club and
attended by about three hundred people last
night. General Funston made ringing defence
of the army and of the governments general
policy in the Philippines. Referring to those
who vilifying the army and the administra-
ton and encoura gng the insurgents. General
Funston said:
! would rather see any one Of those men hanged
b1mbgest oT rgas0H sc ~ 20 MS b 10 see me
dead in the field Let us keep still about matters of
sovereignty there Then we can get together and
pull hair and night out the minor details to our
from the Philippines there would be half dozen
Independent insurgents would organize bands
ana iiI march up and down the Islands burning and
would hold responsible.
General Funston's remarks commanded the
closest attention. When he had finished what
he supposed would answer for a speech he sat
down. but instantly there demands for the
story OF the capture OF Aguinaldo He tried to
dodge the issue. but his hearers were i'm
Fortunate. and finally he told the whole mar
vellous story of the march through forests
short ratons 70 the headquarters OF the rebel
chieftan. and OF his capture and journey to
Manila enlivening the narrative with side
shots" that kept every one eager to hear more.
Frank r. Lawrence presided at the dinner.
He said in part:
About four years age. we began to hear good
about much about the stars Since then we
& &haTe Poured steady stream Of men and treasure
know; why We stay there We are not quite sure.
VSh"theT we ~ are % rigbt ;r @ Ce n b VIII m Vnu- moi
opened up the way. There can he no question about
went there.
After referring eloquently to General Lawton.
Mr. Lawrence said:
About the time we began TO hear Of Iawton We
began to hear. Of a younger officer who dstin-
were brilliant that there would not be time to
a[eT va .G ,bo bri,rf ne oToWn'hg lnSldGnt, nov.
leader which brought the war almost 20 an end.
delight TO honor General Funston our guest
General Funston. who was enthusiastically
received, said in part:
I want to express my heartfelt appreciation OF
dhe hqmor % you & confer on me. TO tak bout the war
70 tell you few facts that may enable you to ap-
When the city of Manila surrendered to Dewey
and Merritt many thousands Of Spanish men and
women were brought under protection. In
in property besides merchants and foreFners Of
different nationalities. claimed our protection. To
his uncomfortable mob would have made the black
been something we could not Blot out in a hundred
years. The massacres in Bulgaria and Armenia
thing do was to put the insurgents out. bag and
baggage. and keep them out Instead Of going To
trenches close to our lines and filled them with
C@s Of cow @ We ali f realized S Would T' be
only a few days before the break would come
despite the utmost efforts of General Otis to pre-
serve peace and discipline
General Funston then recounted instances of
treachery leading up to the outbreak of hostil-
tiles, when he said:
1t was said that the Nebraska sentinel who shot
but army officers win bear me out in saying that
If he had not shot them he would have been court
martialled. From that moment the attack on us
became general
posted in the commercial section Of Manila; when
Colonel Metcalt came to my quarters and said:
Wei Vel. colonel t. the da4ce as9s1 has begun"
Come and hear it," said he.
Ninety-fve per cent of the soldiers in army
are brave and humane men. The other five per
home The greater part Of that five per cent spend
most of their time in the Philippines in the guard
General Funston described the killing of Cap
tain Godfrey. OF New-York, and said he was
model soldier. The death of Sergeant OBren
was described by the general who in referring
to the battle said:
When we struck the FiIipinos that day there was
about ten minutes of experience worth ten years
thing pointed, but don't want to it in a spirit
OF those men who have fallen since January, 1850
have been killed not because the Filipinos really
cared to fight against but because FIJI
pnos were held up and encouraged by people here
in the United States (Cres Of That's right!D
We have a perfect right 10 have different opinions
about the conduct Of the islands after the war
over. but for Heavens sake let us keep still until
the sovereignty of the United States is established
and then we can get together and pull hair and
settle things the best way I was told over
and again by retcent men Agunaldo
himself that the insurTeCtion would have ended in
January. 1900 If they had not believed that there
would be divisions in their favor in this country
that would give them separate government.
One the best and braVest and competent
generals they had Antonio Luna, whose abili-
ties compared faVoraby with those Of our own
officers. He murdered Agunaldo's orders
! talked with Agunaldo about Luna. He said:
why. yes: had Luna killed because II I hadn't
he would have got my followers away from me-"
Can you imagine George Washington doing a
thing like thatr
A bright young lad. who to my tent to
study English. was fOgged TO death by Taguntam.
a guerilla leader.
Can you imagine Israel Putnam doing thing like
that?
We hunted Taguntam high and low for weeks
and, thank God. the detachment / commanded got
him at last, and now he's with the angels. Gap
plauseD
There is not a single chief from Aguinaldo down
that could not De convicted Of murder and