The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-06
pines and Atrocities Committed
by the Natives.
TRIBUTE TO GEN. CHAFFEE
CRITICISMS OF DEMOCRATIC SENA-
TORS STRONGLY RESENTED.
American Soldiers Humane in their
Treatment of a T~reacherous Foe
Secretary Root Praised.

WASHINGTON, May Sin vindication of
the American policy in the Philippines Mr..
Lodge, of Massachusetts, chairman of the
Philippine committee. addressed the Sen
ate to-day. Long before he began TO speak
the galleries were thronged with people,
and the attendance on the floor Of the
Senate was unusually large. Mrs. Cowles,
the Presidents sister. was an interested
auditor His review of the situation in
the islands and of the utterances of the
minority in criticism of the conditions there
was notably interesting. forceful and ef-
fective. He spoke with deep earnestness
and at times became eloquent. Mr.. Lodge
warmly resented the imputations cast on
the President. the secretary of war and
the army for the alleged cruelties and
atrocities said TO have been practiced in
the Philippines. He said every effort had
been employed by the officials in authority
to prevent such cruelties as had been re-
ferred to, and measures had been taken to
punish those guilty of them. Such things,
however, were incidents of every war, and
could not be prevented absolutely. He had
no defense 10 make of many of the cases OF
torture which had been cited, but the men
of the American army had been provoke
almost beyond human endurance. He re-
cited scores OF instances OF crueltleS ana
tortures practiced by the Filipino insur-
gents on American prisoners. Many had
their ears cut off, had been disemboweled,
had been driven into streams and while
drowning shot to death, had been tied to
trees and stoned TO death by women and
children, and buried alive. Others had been
shot and boloed treacherously while sue
coring the wounded. In the face of these
horrible atrocities some of the American
troops had been guilty of administering the
water cure" but the instances of this
kind were isolated and nc part of the gen.
eral policy in the Philippines. He warmly
defended General Chaffee for his conduct
of military affairs in the islands, and paid
a brilliant tribute to his heroism and pa
triotism. AS he concluded his defense of
the American army and the American adj
ministration drew cordial applause from
the galleries.
RAWLINS REPLIES.
In a brief reply Mr.. Rawlins, of Utah,
declared that the charges which had been
made were not against General Chaffee or
the American army, but against the sena-
tor from Massachusetts, Mr.. Lodge. and
others who were responsible for the pres
ent Philippine policy.
Both the sundry civil appropriation bill
and the bill for the purchase of the Rose
bud Indian reservation were passed. Other
bills were passed as follows: Relieving
Harry c. Mix from the payment of $1,000
rocOgnlZanCe given Tor the appearance In
court of A. F. Holt; authorizing the con-
%structiOn of a bridge across the Savannah
river from Aiken county, South Carolina,
TO. the mainland of Richmond county, Geor-
gia; changing the terms Of the circuit
courts of the United States within the
first circuit.
A resolution offered by Mr.. Proctor, of
Vermont, was adopted, directing the Secre-
tary of war TO furnish the Senate with
copies of all reports of all officers of artil-
lery and Of the inspector generals depart
- - 49, H. FOnn
dition of the magazines and emplacements
of seacoast guns mounted on disappearing
carriages.
1t was 2 o'clock when the Philippine gov
eminent bill was taken up. and Mr.. Lodge
arose TO speak. One of the objects of the
bill, he said, was to help the development
of the island Tn opponents of the bill,
ne said, had charged that it opened the
way TO eXploiters, syndicates and carpet
baggers. He was aware of the general
hostility of the Democratic party to any
man who has made money or is making
money.
Mr.. Lodge. discussing the testimony of
Governor Taft, declared that he was one
of the most candid, fair-minded of men.
who had made great sacrifices to go to the
Philippines. He had labOred there disin-
tereStedly, and, although in impaired
health, proposed to go back to the islands.
He paid a high tribute also to acting Gen.
Luke Wright, and declared that If he and
Governor Taft were not TO be trusted no
American was to be trusted. TIL attack
OF the HlifOTllN, however, na0 nor been
confined to the Philippine Commission.
Democratic senators had made an attack
on the American army because it was
| charged cruelties had been committed on
Filipinos. The army had been victorious,
and in the Philippines it now meets the
same abuse the Union army met after Ap-
pomattoX. Chaffee. like Grant, is called
a butcher. The country had been told that
the alleged barbarities in the Philippines
were the most horrible in history. He de-
clared that this terrible imputation was
The senator from Utah had grossly exag-
gerated the situation in the Philippines,
1t was a source of bitter regret to him
Uodge) that any American officer or en-
listed man should have tortured any Fill
Pine. or that any order had been issued
that on its face seemed revolving.
HORRIBLE ATROCITIES.
But" said he, there must be some
reasons for these alleged cruelties." He
then told of three American soldiers who
were captured by the Filipinos. They were
stripped naked and told that if they would
cry Long live the Filipino Republic
they might run away into the bush as they
were. One of the men stood there naked
in the midst of the hostile band and criec
Long live America" The Fflipinos tiec
him TO a tree and the women and children
stoned him TO death. The other two los
heart and cried Long live the Filipino
- IL DLI - IlAAo AAltN
were cut to pieces with bolos. After that
said he, 1t is no wonder the comrades o.
these men went into battle with cries o.
vengeance.
Mr.. Lodge said it had been charged by
Mr.. Rawlins that General Chaffee had re
ceived his education lin Savagery" in
China. Against those cruel words, he said
he cited General Chaffee's official record
1t was General Chaffee. the senator said
who, ia n conference of generals, had de
Clared his purpose TO march at once upoI
Picking TO save the legations. The Jap
anese general expressed the hope that h,
American leader. The march was mad,
and Chaffee had won lasting fame. In tn,
Philippines, he said, General Chaffee haC
conducted warfare in the most human,
manner possible I'm the circumstances.
He declared that President Mckinley
lone of the most humane and generous o
men," had directed the army TO show tn,
Filipinos the greatest kindness. That polio,
had been carried out in the main. From
that policy the successor of President Nc
Kinley had not deviated. Within a few
days orders had zone from the White Hous,
for the investigation of alleged crueltie,
and to punish any found guilty of atroci
ties.
Mr.. Lodge made a warm defense of tn,
secretary of war, asserting that in tn.
long list Of distinguished men who had oc
cupied that office there never had been al
ADLER, more public-spirited or more patri
otto man than Secretary Root. Th.
secretary, he said. as q man of distin
guished ability and high honor. had don,
his full duty in probing TO the bottom
charges of cruelty or maladministratio
made TO him. All he had provided 10