The Washington times., 1902-04-19
GENERAL CHAFFEE PUTS
NO FAITH IN THE FILIPINO

General Chaffee informs General Hughes
that he has ordered General Smith to
command a brigade in Samar and Leyte
and concludes his letter with the follow
ing postscript:
Il was glad to note the reply you made
to the peace party in Cebu We are glad
OF their services to assist in getting hold
of the insurrectos, but. by the great horn
spoon. we will not wait for their move
ment nor their palaver. 1t is my opinion
that CebU in the past has been petted al
together too much and that the Island of
Bohol needs strong cathartic.'
1t has been generally supposed that the
order issued by Gen. Jacob Smith. on the
2ith Of December. urging an aggressive
campaign, and instructing officers to adopt
policy that would create in the minds
OF all the people "a burning desire for
the war to cease" originated with that
officer. II appears from the correspon-
dence sent to the Senate committee that
Gen. J. Franklin Bell issued, early in De-
cember. an order which General Smith
seems TO have followed almost verbatim
several weeks later.
General Bell was in Batangas province,
some distance from General Smith, and it
is apparent from the comparison OF the
orders that one was copied from the
other
General Smith Counsels Generosity.
General Smith reached the conclusion
in February that the active opposition to
American occupation of Samar had crum-
bled away. and on the 22d of February
issued another order. in which he coun-
seled generosity and moderation toward
the FiliDinos. He said:
We have in the past compelled them
to respect our prowess in arms; we must
in the future compel them to respect our
generosity Of heart toward a vanquished
foe and our purity OF purpose in waging
war upon their misguided leaders and
their followers.
"Henceforth. then, it must be the
labor of our officers and men to assist
the loyal natives in repairing the ravages
OF war. No opportunity should be lost
TO instruct them that the Americans have
come among them not to take from them
any of the good things of life, but rather
to give them more and in greater meas
ure than they have ever enioyed before
Our troops must always keep in mind that
the standards of the natives of Samar
were announced to the world at Baiingiga.
" NdtCHiuIHtSS anu klullintSS hencefOrtl
must go hand in hand"
General Bells Order.
At the time that General Smith issued
his order telling his officers TO harass
and annoy the enemy, in Samar, General
Bell. in Batangas province, was directing
his troops to make the state of war as
insupportable as possible" by keeping the
minds OF the people in such a state of
anxiety and apprehension that living I'M
der such conditions would soon become
unbearable. He said:
Let acts. not words convey intentions
officers are again cautioned, however, not
to judge or be misled by words alone
They must rely solely upon acts in order
to form a correct judgment of sincerity.
The benefit every doubt should be
given to the Government"
General Bell closed his order with this
caution:
While it is intended and desired that
the policy to be enforced shall be as
rigid and relentless as 1t possibly can be
until the people have come to their senses
and completely turned against the insur
gents, the brigade commander relies upon
the sense of duty of every officer and non
commissioned officer and the personal
pride and gentility of every enlisted man
to effectually preclude looting and other
abuses committed for personal advan-
tage.