Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-09
FUNSTON SAYS HOLD ISLANDS
Declares United States Must Exact Recog-
milton of All Flipinos,
IUsrFIEs ENTIRE COURSE OF AMERICANS
says 20 Have rurnsd Philippines over
20 Mob Law would Have been
Blacklist Page IN Ma
lions History.

NEW YORK, March s.-Brigadier Gen.
eral Frederick Funston was the guest %
honor at a dinner given tonight at the Lotus
club. More than 300 members OF the club
were present. The guests table. which
was spread In the center OF the Diners. was
presided over by Frank r. Lawrence. prea-
ident Of the club. At his right sat General
Funston. Others At the table were Charles
8. Qleed, a prominent lawyer Of Topeka;
Frank r. McLennon. editor OF the Topeka
Journal; Charles Leeds Of Chicago; u. r.
JEFFREY. president Of the Denver 4 Rio
Grande railroad; Captain Charles D. Cokh-
Ian OF the navy; job r. Hedges, Paul Dana
and J. II. Canheld Of Columbia nnivetslty,
who at one time taught a school In Kansas
which General Funston attended when.
boy.
When the dinner was over President Law
renee arose and introduced General Fun.
ston saying:
There are some, things which do not enter
into the realm OF controversy and among
| armies we have sent there. Y have tthhee
pleasure OF Introducing to you one whose
wal, e shs R%Siiip SiHssn' We greet Sssse S tine
Funston Talks OF war.
General Funston said that judging from
the remarks OF the president he was en-
pected to talk about the war In the Phil.
Ipplnes.
ITO talk about war over there is not an
agreeable subject" he said, but what I
may say may aid some OF you In forming
opinions. The army has been doing as
good as II could under the circumstances.
When Manila was surrendered to Dewey
and Merrill some thousands OF spahiards
were in the city. In the eyes Of the world
these people looked to us for protection,
and to have turned them over to the un.
controllabie mob, known as Aguinaldo's
army, would have been the blacklist page
Of American history, one that a thousand
years Of repentance and restitution would
not have satisied.'
General Funston then told in minute de-.
tail Of the Instances which led to the war
fare between the American army and the
insurgents. He said that on the opening
OF the battle between the army ana the
insurgents Major MeteaIf OF the First Kan
sas regiment had com 10 his quarters and
said,
Dance In Progress.
"The dance has begun"
What dancer" asked, and Major Met.
calf replied:
go out and hear It," ana l went out
$50 ~ R1NNNA ~ " HAAS O1Ntu III
that was the beginning Of the war over
there. General Funston then said:
"Ail sorts OF men get into the army, there
are good. bad and Indifferent, but 1 believe
that 96 per cent Of the American soldiers
are a brave and humane lot OF men. The
other s per cent, who have been writing
letters to newspapers. have ornamental
the insides OF q grog house for q longer
time than they have distinguished them
selves In the field"
All OF those MEN who have fallen since
December 1900, have been victims Of q lot
Of misinformed and misguided people here
in the United States. II 10 perfectly proper
for us to have all sorts Of opinions as to
what we should do with the Philippine
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.
Not True Patriots.
General Funston then gave many ex-
amples to show that the Filipino leadeFa
were not true patriots. He mentioned the
Staying OF Antonio Luna, who was ordered
slain by Aguinsldo. General Funston said
that Aguinaldo had told him II regard to
Luna's death; u had him killed simply be-
cause he would have been dictator instead
Of myself"
would you imagine George Washington
doing anything like thati" asked General
Funston.
The general said there was not one OF
the so-eallsd Filipino patriots who could
not be convicted of murder II he was tried
by a jury.
"Thefs are many men in the United
States who did more with their mouths
and minds 10 aid the insurgents than did
these poor men with the KreE.Joresnseh
rines. ! would rather see these men hanged
for treason than to see one OF our soldiers
dead on the held OF battle"
The general then declared the Filipinos
could mot be ciassed with the Cubans and
said that II the United States troops should
now leave the PhIlippine islands there
would be a half dozen kinds OF civil war
there and that the world would hold the
United States responsible for them.
This concluded General Funston's ad-
dress and as he sat dovn he was loudly
cheered. Then President LASrshce said
that all those present would like to have
General Funston tell the story Of the cap
turs Of Aguinaldo. General Funston re-
sponded and told of this in detail.
The general said he talked with AsuinAldo
on their way back to Manila on vioks-
burg and that Aguinaldo told him that
neither Dewey or any one had promised
him anything, but that he ana his people
had faith In the Americans.
General Funston called on Prince Henry
in the afternoon In the princes apartment
and the two chatted for almost en- hour.