Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1902-06-05
WHAT rs BEHIND?

WHAT rs BEHiND2 |
ssWhat is behind those army
stories?" asks an exchange, refer
ring to the debate in the senate on
the atrocities committed in the
Philippines by soldiers in the SER
vice Of the United States.
There is this behind il: That |
Gen. Miles. the commanding gen.
eral of the United States army, on
December 10, 1901, charged that
the war in the Philippines lie being
conducted with marked inhuman-
ity," and asked permission Of the
secretary of war to carry out his
plans for the pacification of the
islands, and was rebuked by our
warlike president. There is the
report Of Maj. Gardner, provincial
governor Of the province Of Taya-
bas, which was kept secret by the
war department for seven months,
and was finally dragged to light by
the democrats OF the senate. Maj.
Gardner says:
"The course now being pursued
in this province and in the prov
inces Of Batangas, Laguna and Sa-
mar isein my opinion, sowing the
seeds for perpetual revolution, or
at least preparing the people Of
those provinces to raise up in rev.
olution against us hereafter when
opportunity offers. = x 4 The
attitude Of the army is decidedly
hostile to the provincial and muni-
cipal governments in these islands
in general. In Manila it is espe-
cially 80, even among the higher
officers. The work of the commits
sion in the establishment Of provin-
cial governments 10 ridiculed, even
in the presence OF natives. 1t is
openly stated that the army should
remain in charge for the next 20
years. Outrages committed by SOL
diers against natives in an organ
lied municipality are not often
punished. 4 y I have found
that just and kind treatment, uni
form and continued, is the only
way by which these people can be
made permanently our friends and
satisfied with United States SOW
ereignty."
1t is not charged that the out
RACES complained of are committed
exclusively by the genuine Ameri-
can soldiers who are now in the
islands. The vast majority Of
these offenses are committed by the
Macatebe scouts, of whom Gen.
Lloyd Wheaton long ago testified
a. follows:
"These scouts whom we have
employed are liable to commit
murder, and many will rob and
ravish whenever they have the OPP
portunity."
1t is also demonstr ated that our
articles Of war are constantly vio-
lated by our troops in the conduct
Of the war. Torture is expressly
prohibited, and yet there are thou
sands Of instances corroborated by
ample testimony that, the "water
cure" has been inflicted for the pur-
pose of obtaining Information from
insurgents and loyal Flipinos alike,
When Gen. Macarthur was be-
fore the senate committee he was
asked:
Az whole, general, / believe in
your report you speake of the Fill
pino people in an appreciative way,
AZ people OF considerable native in.
telligence, quick and apt, and gen.
erous, flexible and peaceableg
Gen. MacArthur-I believe that
is the general tenor.
Mr.. Carmack II understand you
TO say that you would be willing
to give them y very considerable
share in the general government?
Gen. MacArthur-Yes.
Mr.. Carmack DO you think
they should have Il now?
Gen. MacArthur-I would be
glad to give it to them now, as ]
have said. have become attached
to these people and have good
deal Of faith in them.
The inhabitants of the Philip.
pines are the only Christian people
in the orient, and have ahown
Themselves to be as fully cempe-
tent to conduct governments Of
there own as the Japanese pagans
and idolators. The republicans
have completely changed front
since the late president set the ex-
ample by repudiating his own
"Plain Duty message. Before
the contamination Of the treaty
with Spain which gave us these
islands every republican senator
committed himself to the PROPOSE
ton of giving the Fiiipinos self
government. They were to be
treated precisely as the Cubans
have been treated. But sinister
influences. by which the republic
can party is controlled, caused an
abandonment Of the righteous pol
icy which President McKinley at
first proposed. That is what is
behind these army stories, and we
have the testimony to support it.
BUFFALO HUMP CONDITIONS