Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1902-03-12


sand years of repentance and restI.
tuition would not have satisfied"
Evidently replying to charges that
American soldiers are guilty Of bar,
barities and conduct unbecoming a
civilized government General Funston
said: All sorts Of men get into the
army. There are good, bad and in.
different, but | believe that 95 pei
cent OF the American soldiers are a
brave and humane lot OF men. The
other 5 per cent. who have been writ,
ing letters to the newspapers. have
ornamented the insides OF a grog
house for a longer time than they
have distinguished themselves in the
field"
That is probably true in a large
measure. and even II men should
prove brave in action, they did not
shed their party affiliations when
they enlisted and II they felt disposed
could easily prejudice people against
the government in communicating
with their friends at home. Some OF
the bitterest enemies Of the north
and the Union sause could be found
in the federal army during the civil
war. They were in the war for per.
sonal gain or to cover up some evil
doings of civil life, or possibly may
have been drafted.
In the following he shows the in
fanny OF making political capital out
of the efforts of the government to
restore order In the Philippines:
"All of these men who have fallen
since December. 1900, have been the
victims of a lot of misinformed and
misguided people here in the United
States. 1t is perfectly proper for us
to have all sorts of opinions as to
what we should do with the Philip
pine islands. but, for heavens sake,
let us keep them to ourselves until
every square inch of that territory
recognizes the sovereignty of the
United States"
General Funston related many in.
stances to show that the Filipino
leaders not true patriots, which
should dispel the delusion of the
"aunties." He related the circum-
stances of the Staying of General
Luna. whose life was taken by order
OF A~guinaldo. General Funston says
the latter told him he had him killed
simply because he would have been
dictator instead of myself" Funston
very properly asked his listners II
they could imagine George Wash
ington doing anything like that
The general said there was not one
of the so-called Filipino patriots who
could not be convicted of murder II
he vas tried by a jury. He declared
that there had never been a wal In
the worlds history where soldiers
had shown such humanity as had the
American troops in the Philippine
islands. He then told of "a American
soldiers who had Joined the Filipinos
and who were afterward captured
and executed as traitors, and then
said:
There are many men in the Unit
ed States who did more with their
mouths and minds to aid the insur-
gents than did these poor men with
Krag-Jorgensen rifles. | would rather
see those men hanged for treason
than to e one of our soldiers dead
on the field of battle"
The general then declared the Fill
pinos could not be classed with the
Cubans, and he said that If the Unit
ed States troops should 10Y leave the
Philippine islands there would be
half a dozen different kinds OF civil
wars there and tnat the world would
hold the United States responsible
for them.
The general said he talked with
A~guinaldo On their way back to Ma
Mia on the Vicksburg. and that Agui.
naldo told him that neither Dewey
nor anyone else had promised him
anything, but that he and his people
had faith in the Americans.
The ''aunties" may not like these
Funstonian pellets any more than
their Filipino pets enjoyed the hard.
er variety. but they will give the lit.
tie Kansan credit for candor, at least.
What becomes OF old man Hoar's
unselfsh patriot. Aguinaldo? He
killed General Luna because nc
thought he would stand in his way
for the dictatorship. Dictators are
poor material out Of which to mako
martyrs and patriots. Evidently
buckets of tears have been shed in
vain by the weeping Willies,"