The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-07-28

LAhE GEORGE, N. Y, July IT.
At a meeting of representative anti
imperialists held in New York city last
spring a committee was appointed to
investigate army conditions in the Phil
ippineS. That committee has since then
been prosecuting its inquiries. Presi-
dent RooseVeIts recent review of the
courtmartial of Gen. Jacob H. Smith
seemed to the committee to demand
some reply and at a meeting just held
at Lake George an open letter to the
president was adopted. The letter was
signed by Charles Francis Adams,
chairman; Carl Schurz, Edwin Burrit
Smith, MoOrfield Storey and Herbert
Welsh. 1t says:
I'VE desire to express the gratifi-
cation afforded us by your review of
the 14th inst, as commander in chief,
of the findings of the courtmartiaI in
the case of Gen. J. H. Smith. Taken in
connection with the previous memoran-
dunn of April Is, that review will, pro-
Vided it be followed by corresponding
general action, in our opinion, do much
toward the establishment of the ma
tional prestige and the restoration Of
the m rale of the army. Esl ecialIy op-
perfume, in our judgment, is your very
commendable reminder to fficers in
high and responsible positions that
in warfare with national dependents
such as that recently waged by US in
the East it behooVes all such officers
to be peculiarly careful in their bear
ing and conduct so as to keep moral
check over any acts of an improper
character by their subordinates.'
Lofty Level.
GtTNI,a 1oI,ol boro ,.oooLoa
in healthy contrast with that spirit
which seeks excuse, if not justifica-
ton, for the excesses of the present in
every instance of inhumanity which
can possibly be exhumed either from
colonial history or for the regretable
records of our Indian warfare
while thus, however, expressing
our sense of obligation, we wish most
respectfully to call your attention to
certain conclusions which we have in
our own inquiries found ourselves COM
PEELED to reach.
Coming directly to the point, and
speaking historically, our investiga-
tions have led us to conclude that the
generalization of the officers and SOL
diers of our army in the Philippines
including all branches of the service
and all grades Of rank, was far more
general, as well as pronounced, than
might be inferred from your review Of
the cOurtmartial findings in the case
of Gen. Smith. The essential facts
charged in this case, we believe we
nave reason to say, were rather notori-
Gus than exceptional. Demoralizing in
fluences, very prejudicial to any high
standard of military morale were, under
the circumstances, inevitable This led
to lamentable results, calling for the
firm hand and stern correction found
and most fortunately applied, in your
orders of April Is and July IA.
Meanwhile we would respectfully
submit that the good of the army and
the future of our Eastern dependencies
demand that investigation should not
stop at this point. or with results al
ready reached. The inquiries we, as a
committee, have made, necessarily i'm
perfect, have yet been sufficient to sat-
isfy us that Gen. Smith and Mai Wal
Ter were not the sole culprits nor
should they suffice in the character of
scapegoats.
Generalization General.
In your review of July IA you say
that these cases were exceptional.
Your means of information on this
point should unqueStionably be infin-
itely better than ours. Meanwhile it
is always to be borne in mind that
one side only of this painful story has
been heard, and that side only in part.
The testimony of representative Fill
ipinos has been jealously and system
atically suppressed. Judicial and i'm
partial examination on the spot has
been denied or pronounced impractical
bic. In the present case, occasional
ly, and by accident merely, have frag-
ments of information come to general
nowledge-broken glimpses only
have been permitted to reach the pub
lie eye. To our minds they indicate
Enthusiastically a condition of great and
general decentralization. Of this, the
findings of the court martial referred
to afford conclusive evidence, as also
do the published orders of commanding
officers and the reports of provincial
governors"
The letter then discusses the kill
and burn" order, and says:
LAS the not unnatural result of mil
itary- operations so inspired, an Off
cial report indicates that out of a to-
tai population in a single district of
100000, not less than 100000 perished."
The letter then alludes to the water
cure, saying that the first reports of it's
practice met with denials, while evi-
dences before the senate Philippine
committee proved conclusively that
this and other forms of torture had
been used, and adds:
Suggestive Finding.
Where inquiry revealed the system
attic use of torture by subordinates, the
officer in responsible command is pro-
nounced free from blame on the ground
that his praiseworthy absorption in
other duties of his position was so
complete that such trivial incidents