The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-06-07
Whitney & Marsh. Ltd.
ROOSEVELT in
DEFENSE OF ARMY

WASHINGTON. May 3o.-In a stirring
speech to the Civil war veterans at the
Memorial Day services in Arlington ceme-
terry today President Roosevelt made a
vigorous defense of the army in the Phil
ippines. denouncing those who been at
lacking il for alleged cruelties. Com
plimenting the Civil war veterans on their
part in that struggle. the President called
attention to the valiant service of the
army in the Philippines.
These younger comrades" said Roose-
Welt. ''of yours have fought under ter
rible difficulties and have received terrible
provocation from very cruel and very
treacherous enemy. Under the strain OF
these provocations ! deeply deplore TO say
that some among them have so far for
gotten themselves as TO counsel and COM
init. In retaliation. acts OF cruelty. The
fact that for every guilty act committed
by one OF our troops a hundred acts of
FAR greater atrocity have been commit
ted by the hostile natives upon our
troops. or upon the peaceable and law
abiding natives who are friendly to us.
cannot be held to- excuse any wrong
docr ON our side
The President said that the crueIties
In the islands had been shamelessly eX-
aggeratcd. and referred also to the lynch
ings in the United States. which had fail
ed OF the same general condemnation by
the men now crying down the army in
the Philippines.
The rules OF warfare which have been
by the War Department and
accepted as the basis OF conduct by our
troops I'm the field the rules laid down
by Abraham Lincoln when you. my hear
ers. We're fighting for the Union" Roose-
Welt told the veterans. These rules pro-
vide. OF course. for the Just severity
necessary In war. The most destructive
u all forms OF cruelty would be To- show
weakness where sternness Is demanded
by iron need. But all cruelty is forbid
den. and all harshncss beyond what is
called for by need.
THE guilty are to- be punished: but in
furnishing them let those who SIT ut ease
~ home who walk deiicately and live i'm
the soft places OF the earth remember
also To- do them common justice.
1t behoovcs US tn keep a vigiiant watch
len prevent these abuses and To punish
hose who commit them: but II because OF +,
hem We finch from finishing the task
in which we have entered we show our
selves cravens and weaklings. unworthy
u the sires from whose loins we spranE.
There were abuses and To spare in the
Twill war. Your false friends then called
;rant butcher and spoke OF you who
re listening To me mcrcenaries. as
Iincoln's hirelinGs.'
Verify these men who thus foully
iandered YOU have their heirs today in
hose who traduce our armies i'm the
who fix their eyes on individ-
al deeds OF wrong so keenly that nj last
hey become blind to the great work Of
eace and freedom that has already been
ccompiished." .
He continued further that the soldiers
n the Philippines Were fighting for\p peace
nd freedom. and their object was to es-
lblish not military but n civil govern
ncut FOR the natives. When the Fill
inos have shown n capacity for self
overnment IL will then he possible 10 de-
de whether they shall exist independent
y as a nation.