The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-07-28
he order, to kill those wounded in

the order, to kill those wounded in
conflict.
In ike manner as respects concen-
trauon camps. These, as a feature in
recent Spanish and South African OPP
erallons excited in us as a people the
deepest Indignation. combined with the
most profound sympathy for those
mus numerically dealt with. When
iesofted to by our officials in the Phil
lpplnes, these camps are represented as
species of recreation grounds, into
which the inhabitants of large districts
reJolced to be drawn and from which
they departed with sorrow Reports to
which we can On the other hand refer
give accounts not essentially different
from the accounts received from SINH
lar camps established elsewhere"
The FOrgetfuI Mr.. Root.
The letter then quotes a commune
cation to the Senate by Secretary
Root on Feb. IA, in which Mr.. Root
said:
The war in the Philippines has been
conducted by the American army with
scrupulous regard for the rules of civ
1lized warfare, with careful and gem
ulne consideration for the prisoner and
the noH-combatants, with self-restraint
ana with humanity never surpassed
never equalled in any conflict, worthy
only of praise and rejecting credit
upon the American people,
THE words" continues the letter,
OF sweeping commentator and I'M
qualified endorsement were written by
the honorable secretary when all the
essential facts since brought to light
were within his official cognizance.
You have given public assurance that
the secretary is more DESTROYS than
yourself even, if that be possible. to
probe to the bottom every responsible
allegation of outrage, to the end that
nothing be concealed, and no man for
any reason be favored or shielded The
draft on our credulity thus presented
is large, but we accept your assur-
ance. Meanwhile permit us to point
out that such very sweeping and
somewhat uncalled for commentator
and approval, so far as we are advised,
altogether unprecedented in character,
coming directly and in the midst of
active operations, from the fountain
head of military authority, is scarcely
calculated to keep a moral check over
acts of an improper character by sub
ordinates. 1T is charitable to assume
that the pressure of official business
at the time of the communication re-
ferred to was such that the secretary
failed to recall what correspondence
had been. brought to his notice, or to
fully advise himself as to what the
files of his department might have to
disclose.
Such are certain of the conclusions
reached by us from as careful study
as it has been in our power to make
of facts thus far procurable. We have
endeavOred to supplement and perfect
the evidence, but our efforts to that
end have encountered obstructive en-
barrassments.
1.-THE allegations we make are grave;
the condition of affairs we describe, Sc
rious. AS a national record it is dis
creditable. The good name of the
country is implicated: as is also the
professional character of officers OF
the army, some of them retired, many
of them stin in high command. We
stand ready to cooperate directly, and
in utmost good faith to the end that
all offenders may be brought to JUS
tice and the guilty punished. In this
communication we have made refer
ences, the personal application of which
is obvious and of record. To those
thus referred to, courts of military in
quiry are open, and if demanded.
would doubtless be by you at once
accorded. Before such courts, if once
convened, we viii hold ourselves pre-
pared to substantiate any or all
charges here advanced.
Serious Charges Made.
1--WE find ourselves, though with deep
regret, compelled to take issue with
you on one important point. In your
review of July A. you say, Almost
universally the higher officers have so
borne themselves as to supply the nee
cssary check over acts of an improper
character by their subordinates. We
on the contrary have found ourselves
compelled to the belief that the acts
referred to We're far more general-the
Generalization more all peryasive. We
hold ourselves ready to direct your at
tention to concrete cases-the investf-
cation of which would demonstrate the
following criminal acts, contrary to all
recognized rules and usages of war,
on the part of officers and soldiers of
the United States:
First. kidnapping and murder, under
circumstances of aggravated brutality.
Second. Robbery.
Third. Torture, both of men and
women, and rape of the latter.
Fourth. The infiction of death on
other parties, on the strength of evil
dence elected through torture"