The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-04-11
THAT sUPPREssED REPORT.

1t is not surprising that Mr.. Root,
the Secretary of War, delayed sending
to the Senate Committee on the Phil
ippines the report of Maj. Gardener,
civil Governor Of the Province of Taya-
has, until he could hear from Gen.
Chaffee in regard to it. The report
was placed before the committee yes
terday by its chairman. Senator Lodge.
| 1t was not forthcoming. however, until
the Democratic members of the COM
mittee insisted upon having it. and
| they would not have known Of its exist
ence if Gen. Miles had not referred
to it in his recent correspondence with
Secretary Root.
The report shows a pretty bad state
Of affairs in the province of which Maj.
Gardener is Governor. 1t seems that
the officers and men Of the army sta
toned there apply an epithet to the
natives which indicates that they have
a feeling of contempt for them. and
which has the effect of making them
hostile to American rule. 1t seems
also that in it's efforts to punish in
surgents the army does not distin-
guish between friendly and hostile ma
tives, the homes Of friendly natives
being burned with as much Indifference
as are the homes of insurgents. The
natives are tortured in way that is
barbarous. and which is calculated TO
inspire hatred for the Americans. The
tenor of the report Of Maj. Gardener
is to show that the army has no re-
spect for the rights and feelings of
the natives, but treats them as so
many cattle.
Of course conduct Of this sort on the
part of the army can have but one re-
suit. and that is to make the natives
sullen, and to delay the pacification
of the islands. The truth probably is
that in many localities inexperienced
officers are in charge of the soldiers,
who are permitted to do pretty much
as they please. If that is the case the
wonder is that there are not greater
manifestations of hostile feeling.
A question which Mai. Gardeners
report suggests is whether or not the
conduct of the army in other provinces
is pretty much the same as it is in the
province of which he is Governor. If
it is, there is an explanation of the
frequent outbreaks of hostility to
American rule. There ought to be no
delay in finding out just what the con-
duct of the army is. If there is bru-
tally in the treatment of the natives
and If there is little or no respect
shown for their lives and property the
recommendation of Maj Gardener,
namely, that the army be withdrawn
from contact with the natives to as
great an extent as possible, should he
adopted.
It may be that Maj. Gardener has
exaggerated the evils to which he calls
attention, but the probability is that
he hasn't. As far as can be seen he
has no motive for doing anything Of
that kind. AS a matter of fact his
report confirms statements made in
letters received from soldiers to friends
at home.
1t is regrettable, of course that
there should be ground for any such
charges as those which Maj Gardener
makes, but 1t is better that the coun-
try should know the truth. If the
natives are being dealt with in a way
calculated to make insurgents of them
public sentiment will insist that the
government shall take steps at once
to correct the evil.