The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-02-05
|LIUINALDO'S POLICY
SAWS HE IS RESPONSIBLE
par GuERILLA WARFARE.
,u.aGED WITH LUNA's DEATH
orNTs ALSO PINNED THEIR
uoPEs TO BRYAN.

oi. Defeat They Begun 10
we oren-Mr. Taft Charges the Fill
With Cruelty, but Admits
,erican soldier Is Not an
-The War Crime Against
EQUATION, He Declares = Fill
Have Worn Out Right to
PM ,+,ent but That which Is
Any Treatment
severe.
rosbington. Feb. 4.-Gov. Taft to-
.nt;nued his narrative before the
@ committee on the Philippines
ling conditions in the Philippine
'O .,ro,aoo. Gov. Taft analysed the
Of the army in the islands. He
had that as soon as Gen. Otis had
endorsements sufficient for
,rnose. the Philippine army had
nm and scattered into guerrilla
'OA nv. ON this point Aguinaldo and
a a had differed, Luna advocating
continuance of the war on the old
so sharp was this difference, he
"a that Aeuinaldo had directed and
"a rod the assassination of Luna, thus
ssvipg the way open for the carrying
a =. If his own plans. The presence
. these guerrilla bands rendered it
Il .oo.sarv to place garrisons every
4 harp there being at one time as many
500 of them.
81 .orbe condition of activity continued
S,nti the last presidential election in
he United States" said the Governor.
Iorhs Insurgents believed that if Mr..
XRrvan should be elected there would
h. A change of policy and the islands
surrendered, placing those who were
s In insurrection in charge, but when
\ Mr Mckinley was elected there was a
Feeling that there would be an indefi-
Snte retention of the archipelago, and
HAT the system then in force would
HE continued.
Little Tricks OF the Soldiers.
Gov. Taft said one of the traits of
+he Filipinos is cruelty. He had been
Mold by American officers of many in
ktances of mutilation of the corpses of
bur soldiers. This being true, it was
hot surprising that there had been
home retaliation on the part of small
bands of American soldiers. He had
beard Of no charge of mutilation, but
Ehere probably were some cases of un-
kecessary killing, some cases of whip
hing and some cases of what is called
The water cure" this method of pun
Eshment consisting of pouring water
Down the throats of men until they
|swelled up, and becoming frightened,
HOLD what they knew, as, for instance,
where guns could be secured. If these
|nfractons Of propriety had occurred he
Twas sure they had been in the face of
|dreCt orders to the contrary.
Gov. Taft said that Notwithstanding
DE was not in an attitude of favor to
military rule, it was still his deliberate
Judgment that never had a war been
conducted in which more compassion,
more restraint and more generosity had
been exhibited than in connection with
the American war In the Philippines.
In this connection Senator Culberson
made inquiry concerning the effect of
the policy of concentration in the Phil
ippines Replying, Gov. Taft said
Gen Bells order for concentration had
been published since his departure from
Manila. He had. however, talked with
|Gen. Bell on that point, and had told
him that he did not consider such an
|Order necessary.
After reading a part of Gtn. Bells
|Order, Senator Culberson asked if he
|dill entertained the same opinions pre-
|ylously expressed as to the military
Policy in the Philippines. To this,
Gov. Taft replied:
Calls FiIipinOs Criminals.
"The war which remains is crime
gainst civilization. It is also a crime
%ainst the Filipino to keep up a state
q war under the circumstances They
have worn out the right to any treat
T'ent but that which is severe and
within the laws of war"
This statement led Senator Patterson
toask whether the witness did not con-
sMer that even a small number of peo-
pie who were waging a war for indie
pendence do not deserve consideration
at the hands of the American army In
response Gov. Taft said that the great
majority of the people of the islands
desire peace, and that the instruction
ISIS were by their acts preventing the
mass of the people from settling down
ana earning a. quiet living. Instead of
oelng allowed to do so they were kept
under system of terrorism which
should be stopped.
Taft Differs From Macarthur.
Democratic members of the commit
zee read statements from Gen. MacAr-
.lur and others, expressing the opinion
mat the hostility of the Filipinos to
american institutions is due to innate
g,Iinerences and is general, but Gov.
tdl replied that he had approached
me question at issue from a different
STANDPOINT from these authorities, and
s su mat most of his conclusions were
themselves.
=. IN conclusion Gov. Taft was ques-
Goned concerning the acts of the Phil
~ ,ppine Commission for the punishment
VI VI treason, but he expressed a desire
=. 20 postpone discussion of this matter
~ time when more attention could
given it. He had not, he said,
oeeh present when this law was en-
aC.eu' but he had an opinion on the
subject which he would be glad to