Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-05-16
A New Torture.

The versatility of the American
soldier with brute instincts commands
the attention of the world. When the
nation learned through the senate's
investigation committee of the water
cure, it was Mortified that such
barbarities should be practiced by
men wearing the uniform of the
United States. With the memory OF
these fresh in mind disclosure of Gen.
Herod-Smith' s order to "kill every
thing over ten" was made and for a
time party lines were forgotten ana
the president urged Oh by the morti-
fed cry OF the American people, CON-
handed the court martial of Smith.
Matters were made worse when counsel
for Smith acknowledged the issuance
of the order and sought to justify it
by general order 100, governing
Sherman's march to the sea. Next
came the specific charges of Major
Gardner in which he enumerates
instances where our soldiers not only
tortured the men, but ravished the
women of the Philippines.
Now comes the browning cruelty of
all. John Loughran, witness before
the senate committee described the
newest form of torture, called for con-
venience in description "the rope
cure" 1t is a simple scheme but
works horrible pain. Describing it
the witness said light but strong
rope is passed across the throat Of the
man to be examined. 1t is crossed
behind his back and carried under the
armpits, the ends are again brought
around the neck and over to the back,
turned under the armpits and
shoulders, and then the free ends are
carried as a girdle around the waist
Just at the end of the ribs and tied
fast and securely. A stick is put
through the ropes where they cross
between the shoulders and then turned
to suit
In reply to the question, twill it
make man TALK" Mr.. Loughran
said: ga wooden Indian would make
a speech if you gave MIN the rope
cure"
This is one of the incidents of our
''merciful" prosecution of the war;
merciful only in the mind Of Secretary
Root. This journal declared as its
conviction that the longer the investi-
cation is continued, the more horrible
and revolving will be the tortures
revealed. Only fraction Of the evil
dence that might be produced to show
the inhumanity Of the war, has been
heard, yet the prediction is nearing
fulfllment. The democrats in the
senate should again urge the calling
Of Major Gardner as a witness and
should also insist on the hearing OF
Agutualdo's testimony. The president
processes to be anxious to punish the
guilty. He censured Dewey and Miles
for nothing; they are opposed to the
Philippine barbarities; he reprimand-
ed Funston and then apologized to
Senator Hoar for the mildness OF the
apology. He thought better Of re-
moving Miles for the general knows
too much and it were better to leave
him where he is than to remove the
gag.
The war department has known OF
these barbarities yet the president IN
his speech to the Sons of the Reyolu
tion said that the deeds of one mar
General Smith), did not merit the
condemnation of the whole army
Through Senator Lodge the countr,
learned that there have been 3o'
court martials in the islands. Three
hundred men, not a single man, wh'
did wrong! The practice OF Secretar,
Root is one of continuous deceit
Knowing of the cruelties, he declared
that our methods are humane.
The rope cure is modern applica
tion of the garrote, one OF the mos
cruel tortures Of the inquisition. II
il fitting that our benevolent assiml'
Iationn should assimilate the bloody
relics of Spanish barbarities. GU
"civilizing mission" would not D.
complete without them nor could W
impress the natives sufficiently wit
our Christianity unless we employ tn
methods of depraved brutes. Ours
indeed a glorious cause. "The TIA
shall stay put" thunders the lilo
hunter of the Rockies. ''Stay put,
surrounding the slaughter pen an
the torture rack, symbolizing th
dnauisition and undermining the blot
on history's pages.-Dubuque Tele
graph.