The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-04-27

o. ,cial Correspondence OF The Sunday Republic
] Manila, 2. l.. March 2l.-When the news
OF the massacre at BalangiGa and all the
horrible details Of the atrocities conmitted
there. including the mutilation of the living
as well as the dead was received in Manila
for once there was unanimty of opinion
among all Americans civilians and military
alike. Indignation. righteous as We thought
then bridged every personal and poiltlcai
difference. On all sides the hope was eS-
pressed that General Chaffee would act
not only with energy, but with the severity
tlzs the occasion demanded. This feellng
immcdiGtcy found expression in the uis-
patches which were exchanged at the ufhe
between General Chaffee, General hugheS
and the post commanders near the scene
+ OF the slaughter In Southern Sanar.
OF course l do not refer TO the original
dispatches exchanged. which l did not see
bit to the copIes that were published in all
the Manila papers alike. with the announce
rfent that they had been handed out lor
publication by the Adiutant General OF 'he
division. They excited the warmest ap-
proval. II these dispatches were authen
TIC and have not the slightest doubt that
they were. as otherwise an official denial
would have been published, General Chafiee
ordered Colonel de Russy and other ofncers
having troops within striking distance Oh
Balangiga "to send out punitive expeuitiois
and chaSttSe the SaVageS. am
from memory. but l believe | am qrotihg
The order correctly 10 the letter. - l..
These expeditions burned many towns IN
Southern Samar and destroyed all the BOATS
and all the supplies that they could lay
hands on. As far as the eye coulo see
Southern Samar was converted INTO VII
derness and this IL should be remembered,
was several weeks before General smith.
and more than a month before Major war
Der, reached the island.
From Bottom To Top.
- f,,-
So the new policy certainly was not IN
augurated by them. hope the senate COM
iIlittee will get at the bottom OF TINS WHoie
Samar business; but, at the same time, IN
simple Justice to those WHO'S whose ,,ar naihd do not
deserve in the daily press. they snoula &c.
at the top of the matter also. ana make ~
plain who the responsible authorities really
are. II is a curious commentary on me @
short memory of the public that in an tne
columns OF discussion which the cnarsss
made during the Waller court-martiai nave
provoked there has only been here anu
there a reference to the massacre OF nlty o.
our own men, who were cut TO pleces VIII
helpless no mercy was shown. And yet TINS
was the occasion of the change IN the pisn
of campaign, from extreme slackness 10
reIl-rcgulated rigor.
1 went TO Samar with General Smith and
remained with him almost constantly LOT
tire first month Of the opcralioi; DurS n,, Sndne
severity exercised upon women and emil.
dren. nor did / hear from the mouths OF
credible Witnesses VI any sNeA
acts having been committed. General
smith plotted the island into districts ana
appointed commander for each OF these.
This commander. under instruction from
General Smith, ordered the concentration or
all inhabitants OF his district at places des-
ignated by him for their residence; THOSE
who did not come in. but remained out In
the hills with the insurgents, were warned
that after the delav granted of fifteen DAYS;
IL they did not come In. they, too, would
BE- regarded as insurgents.
Incidents of Hcroism.
Putting to one side all questions that will
be submitted for decision to the court which
General Chaffee has been instructed TO con-
vene. let me recall some incidents of hero
ism and of matchless daring which have
been displayed by our officers and our men |
IN this distant part Of the globe &C Certain st:-I /
which shows the indomitable qualities of |
our race to better advantage than do some
will pass unnoticed unless 1 am able to |
I record them here. ... >.s l n
II has been a war with sayages, and vet |
With such intelligent and subtle savages |
that while behind our men has been the |
best equipment and all that money can buy |
IN the way of engines OF destruction. there |
which 1t could not be said. We'll. the Sa-
narite savages were better equipped for |
we're" Everywhere their weapons, bolos Of /
beautifully tempered steel. have given them |
Ihe advantage In the only conditions under
N hich they would fight.
iIt can be said without fear of contradic-
tion that since the day when the first Amer
can pioneer crossed the Blue Ridge we have |
iever been confronted by more inaccessi- |
tle and forbiddng country than that with |
which our men have been confronted In Sa-
mar. No one can describe II quite so well 1
Is soldier of the Ninth Infantry. who said
q me. shortly, "Samar? 1t looks like
shall attempt to describe It, though I have
20 doubt. so small is our present real knowl-
edge Of the place. that in a few years, |
when the more perfect knowledge comes.
ny description will be found in many ways
Inaccurate.
Thirty Garrfsons Along Coast.
There were thirty garrisons scattered
long the coast, OF which visited some ff- |