Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1902-11-20
PRAISE FOR THE ARMY.
Inspector General Breckenridge in
His Annual Report Commends
the Troops in Philippines.
OFFICERS AND MEN HIGHLY PRAISED.
BuseS His Statements from Observa-
tiOns Made During His Tour of the
Islands - Difficulties Encountered
and Hardships Endured Only
Known to Those In the Service.

Washington, Nov. 18Th his annual
report to the secretary of war, Gen.
j. c. Breckenridge, inspector general
of the army, discusses in detail each
branch, each department. bureau and
command in the army. The general
heartily commends the course of the
United States officers and men in the
Philippines and declares that the
army is laboring patiently and faith
fully to solve the difficult problems.
The charge that cruelty is generally
practiced on the Filipinos by the Of
ticers and men is vigorously refuted.
In the Philippines.
Gen. Breckenridge has the following
to say regarding his inspection in the
Philippines:
During my tour in the Philippines
1T was evident on all sides that the
army, as a whole, was laboring pa
tiently and faithfully to solve the
many vexing problems continually
presented to it. The difficulties en-
countered and the hardships endured
never can be fully appreciated by any
one who has not been on the ground
and observed the daily life of officers
and men, miles away from home in
fuences and associations, living in
communities either openly or secret
ly hostile, depending almost entirely
for their subsistence upon the COM
missary-where one is always afraid
to take even an ordinary drink of wa
ter without ascertaining first wheth-
er it has been cooked" ,..~ ~
Duties Well Performed.
After scoring critics at home, Gen.
Breckenridge says: "There is reason
for qualification that our fellow
countrymen has confidence in their
army, and many know what war is.
That the army performed it's duties
well and bore it's hardships uncom-
plainingly is well known to all who
have kept in touch with it since the
opening Of the Philippine insurrec-
ton. In fact, it has only done these
things which we expect of it and
which we continue to expect of Amer
lean soldiers."
Treatment of Natives.
In discussing the American troops
and the Filipinos, Gen. Breckenridge
says:
'There has been a good deal of dis
cussion in the public press and else
where concerning the treatment of
the native Filipinos by the American
soldiers, and some rather serious
charges have been brought against
the army, which charges have not
been substantiated The conditions of
war in the Philippine islands have
been, perhaps, unusual, and from rea-
sons arising from the conduct of the
Filininos themselves, who, as the au-
thorities agree. are sometimes ex-
tremely cruel and treacherous In
the conduct of the American army
toward them the exercise of unexam-
pied patience is claimed, and the hui
manity of the troops engaged has no
parallel in the history of dealing with
Asiatics." -~-.
Generals Praised.
The general commends most highly
the work done by Gems. Merritt, Otis,
Bates. Wheaton, Macarthur, Hughes,
Funston, Young, Smith, Bell, Lawton,
Chaffee, Davis, Grant and Baldwin
and says: "These are not half the
names, nor are all of them as we'll
known to their fellow-countrymen as
they deserve. But these are among
those whom I met or the results of
whose work I witnessed during the
past year.
''The officers of the inspection corps
in the Philippines substantially agree
that extreme and frequent cruelty has
not been habitually practiced, and
that all well-founded complaints of
excuses have led to trial and pun