The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1902-10-04

put down and ended the great instruction
which has ragged throughout the archipela-
80 against the lawful sovereignty and just
authority Of the United States. The task
was peculiarly difficult and trying. They
were required at first to overthrow organ
isedl resistance Of superior numbers. well
equipped with modern arms of precision.
intrenched In an unknown country OF noun
tain denies. Jungles. and swamps, apparent
ly capable OF interminable defense.
when this resistance had been overcome
they were required to crush out general
system or guerrilla warfare conducted
among a people speaking unknown tongues.
nom whom 1t was almost impossible to OBJ
tain the Information necessary for success
Jul pursuit or 10 guard against surprise and
'The violent OF all attacks was made
upon the army. which belongs to no party
and is but the instrument OF policy In
which It has no part. 1t happened that In
the long course Of guerrilla warfare against
savage and treacherous foes who observed
none OF the rules Of civilized warfare, there
were instances OF cruel inhuman treatment
OF the natives by our men. The water
cure so called. was administered to ex-
tort information.
Acts Were Few.
''These acts were not justified and they
could rot be justified; but spread over a
Long course Of years OF conflict, over a vast
extent OF territory, over thousands Of en-
gagements and skirmishes and expeditions,
In which, first and last 10000 of our troops
were engaged. they were few and far be-
tween, exceptions In uniform course OF
self-restraint, humanity, and Kindness.
"Rumor magnified them many fold. Each
new witness to the same case seemed to be
producing a new case; published In thou
SANDS OF newspapers day after Gay. and
week after week. they seemed to be multi
justify the acts. All of these stories, False
many were grossly exaggerated. All were
published without the background Of provo
cation. often dreadful provocation. of
exigency, often desperate exigency, which
existed to palltate though they could not
Justify the acts. All of these storise, false
as we'll as true, were paraded in congress
and discussed. and the officers and men
charged were denounced. the innocent as
well as the guilty, without an opportunity
for hearing while they were away on the
other side Of the world. fighting the battles
OF their country.
1.-THE whole army and It's generals were
Involved In common denunciation. The gal
liant and fearless Funston was stigma tized
by the senator from Tennessee as a
'blatherskite brigadter'
81 don't know who Gen. Wheaton Is par
ticularly.' said the senator from Idaho,
but imagine he was a charity boy who
was appointed to West Point by some rep
resentative or senator, and was educated
by the government.
Calls Mckinley to Wbimess.
Against these contemptuous and injuri-
Gus asperslons upon the soldiers of the
United States will cali four witnesses.
The first Is William Mckinley:
"Jf any orders of mine were required &c
insure the merciful conduct Of military md
naval operations they would not be lacking.
but every step In the progress OF our troops
has been marked by humanity which has
surprised even the misguided insurgents
THE second is President Schurman. and
Joining with him Admiral George Dewey
and the other members of the fist Philip
pine commission:
:" To those who derive satisfaction from
seizing isolated ccurrences-regrettab BILE,
indeed, but Incident to every war-and max
ing them the basis OF sweeping accusations.
this commission has nothing to say. Stip
less do we feel called upon to answer idle
tales without foundation in fact. But for
the satisfaction of those who have found II
difficult to understand why the transport
Ing OF American citizens across the Pacific
ocean should change their nature. We are
glad to express the belief that a war was
never more humanely conducted. Insur.
gents wounded we're repeatedly succored
on the field by our men at the risk OF their
lives. Those who had a chance for life
were taken to Manila and tenderry cared for
In our hospitals. "
IF churches were occupied, II was only
as a military necessity, and frequently
after their use as forts by the insurgents
had made It necessary to train our artillery
upon them. Prisoners were taken when
ever opportunity offered, often only to be
set at liberty after being disarmed and fed,
Up to the time OF our departure. although
numerous spies had been captured. not a
single Filipino had been executed. Such
wrongs as were actually committed again 81
the natives were likely to be brought to our
attention and In every case that we investi-
gated we found a willingness on the part
of those in authority to administer JUS
tice'"