Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1902-09-12
CONDUCT OF THE WAR
CHARGES OF BARBARITY HAVE
NOT BEEN DIsPRovED.
Reports From the Philippines Dis
credit the Official Statement Of Sec
rotary Root-The President Has the
Proofs In His Hands.

Last April persons VINO are dis
pleased with the conduct of military
operations in the Philippines held a
meeting in New York and appointed
a committee Ito take necessary steps
to effect the full disclosure of all facts
connected with processes and execu-
lions in the course of military opera
lions in the Philippines"
That committee was composed OF
Charles Francis Adams, Carl Schurz,
Edwin Burritt Smith, Moorfield Sto-
rey, Herbert Welsh and Andrew Car
negie. All of these are men of char
acter and esponsibility-men who,
whatever may be thought of their
political opinions, do not misstate
facts or prefer charges against others,
and especially against men in respon-
sible official positions, recklessly and
in the absence of sufficient proof to
warrant them at least in demanding
an investigation.
These men, with the exception of
SdihC6lCt WIN 10 III l<ui OpS ohN
therefore not in position to partici-
pate, have Joined in letter to Presi-
dent Roosevelt, in which they declare
that his order of April IA, that all
military offenders shall be summarily
brought to justice and the guilty pun
ished, is not effective; ''for much, we
have reason to assert and stand ready
to prove, has been and still remains
concealed, while many wrongdoers for
various reasons have been and still
are favored or shielded"
This letter is not violent or intern
perate in language or spirit. 1t Is, in
fact, model of moderation in view of
the fact with which it deals.
While it charges that the essential
facts revealed in the case of Gen.
Smith were rather notorious than ex-
ceptional,' it submits that official re-
ports which have been given to the
public fully sustain all the allegations
as to him.
The committee quote as indications
of the influences tending to demorali-
Ldlioh thC dihy thC utlCid VI
one general high in command, who
said: Il will burn everything that
stands and kill everything that lives
in Batangas to have peace" And they
quote the words of another general:
by the great horned spoon, will
make them want peace and want it
badly" They also observe that las
the not unnatural result of military
operations so inspired an official re-
port indicates that out of a total popu-
lation in single district of 100000
not less than 100000 have persisted"
They further refer to statistics I'M
deniably showing that the killed OF
the enemy in all engagements with us
largely outnumbered the wounded and
the prisoners com 3ined' as proof of
tne charge that decentralization was
general and that the practice of kill
ing the wounded, or both wounded
and others, falling into our hands,
which alone could account for the
large proportion of killed, was COM
mon almost from the beginning of the
war.
These and other facts as to killing,
torture and RECOMMENDATION camps,
established by official reports and by
testimony before the senate commit
tee, not to mention censored dis
patches from Manila, are surely
enough to cast discredit upon the Of
fetal statement made by Secretary
Root last February that THE war in
the Philippines has been conducted by
the American army with scrupulous
regard for the rules Of civilized war
fare, with careful and generous con-
sideration for the prisoner and the
noncombatant, with self-restraint and
with humanity never surpassed, if
ever equaled, in any conflict, worthy
only of praise and rejecting credit
upon the American people"
1t behooves the president to disclose
the proofs existing in the war depart
ment that this eulogium was unde-
served. 1t behooves him to aid in
procuring the testimony not only of
such as Major Gardener but of Fill
pinos who have been given no hear
ing at all, to the end that the truth
may be disclosed and that the good
name of the country may be in some
measure vindicated by the infection
upon the guilty of some punishment
more effective than a reprimand.