The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-05-06

and the authority of the United States.
put not one word of sympathy for the
F1l1pinos, men of the same race, who
are friendly to us and who asked only
to live in peace beneath our flag. Has
IL come to this that it is a crime to
be friendly to America, and that the
men who die and are cut down and
mutilated because they are our friends
aer to have no sympathy? If we get
out of those islands and leave these
friendly Filipinos to fates like that, we
are unworthy of the name of a great
nation. 1t would be a greater infamy
than any cruelty that has ever been
proved.
BE just to Our Army.
Il did not arise to defend in the re-
hottest way any cruelties practiced
upon helpless prisoners. 1 regard them
as have said over and over again as
bitterly as any one can. But as l
have listened to this debate l confess
1 have felt shocked beyond measure at
the attacks made upon the American
army. 1t is not a Republican army; it
is not Democratic army; it is the
army of the United States Their hon
or is our honor If they have done
wrong, let us punish it. Don't let us
condone a single proved offense. Don't
let a single man proved guilty escape.
But let us be just as least to our own.
when we condemn Waller for shoot
ing treacherous guides, when we think
of that little band of his that strug-
gled through the wilderness of Samar,
where no Spaniard had ever gone and
came out on the other side delirous
with Sufferings so that he was reported
when he first reached Manila to be out
of his mind-let us remember the cir
cumstances ere we condemn. Think of
those five or six hundred posts scat
tered all over those islands, little
squads of fifteen or twenty men
under the command very often
of sergeant or a young lieu
tenant, perhaps just out from
West Point, or who has graduated
from some American college, living
there among people apparently friend
ly. The first thing this boy in COM
mand or the sergeant knows is that
one of his men has been assassinated
in the night.
These are the things that have
hardened their hearts and made them
feel that there is treachery among
them. There is but one testimony as
to their treatment of the friendly ma
tives. Soldiers and officers alike
treated them as we should expect
Americans to treat people of that kind,
generously and humanely. 1 don't
seek to defend any cruelty, but 1 do
want to have justice to the American
army. l want the country to know,
when it reads of cruelties to hostile
Filipinos, what the provocation has
been 1 want them to think of what
our men have suffered and endured.
Not "A Political Football.
THE scheme has been to raise this
cry of cruelty in the Philippines in or
der to make it react upon the party in
power. The American army ought not
to be subject to experiments like that.
1t is not made to be the football of
politics, and what it does or does not
do ought not to be used to raise up or
pull down any political party 1t is the
army of all of us. When justice is
done: when the guilty have been
punished of proved offenses; when the
whole story has been made up-when
that day comes / believe that after all
that has been said and all the denun-
citation that has been heaped upon our
troops and our officers has fallen into
silence, we shall find that in the history
of the country the record of that army
cleaning with victories from Trenton
to Manila will shine brightly in the an
mails of the republic when those who
vilify it are but noteless blots on a re-
membered name"
Charges 1t to Lodge.
Mr.. Rawlins exonerated Gen. Chaffee
and all other American officers from
responsibility for the results of the
administration policy in the islands
They and the men under them were
the victims of that policy. He de-
clared that he had not made his criti-
cism of that policy to attain partisan
ends, but to vindicate the honor and
Integrity of the country. He did not
lay such charges as he had made at the
door of Gen. Chaffee, or at the door OF
any other officer in the Philippines
They were performing a most thank
sibility for the policy being pursued
lay at the door of the senator from
Massachusetts (Mr. Lodge and at the
door of other senators who were sup
porting and endeavoring to vindicate
that policy.
The President pro tenn then laid be-
fore the Senate the resolutions of the
House announcing the death of Repre-
sentative Otey of Virginia.
Mr.. Daniel of Virginia presented a
resolution expressive of the sorrow OF
the Senate at the death of Represen-
tative Otey and providing for the APP
pointment of a committee of senators
to attend the funeral. The president
appointed as that committee Senators
Daniel, Martin, Bate, Clay. Gallinger
Clark of Wyoming and Willard.
AS an additional mark of respect the
Senate adjourned.