The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-05-31


city in this land which we could not
thus condemn if we fixed our eyes purely
upon it's police record and refused to-look
at what it had accomplished for slecenCy
and justice and charity. Yet this is ex-,
| actly the attitude which has been taken
by too many men with reference TO our
army in the Philippines and it is an at
titule both absurd and cruelty unjust
The rules of warfare which have been
promulgated by the War Department and
accepted as the basis of conduct by our
troops in the field are the rules laid down
by Abraham Lincoln when you, my hear
crs, were fighting for the Union. These
rules provide, of course, for the just Sc
verify n scessary in war. The most de-
structive of all forms of cruelty would
be to show weakness where sternness is
demanded by iron need. But all cruelty
is forbidden, and all harshness beyond
V nat is called for by need. The fact
really is that our warfare in the Phil
iIpines has been carried on with singu-
lar hupanity
THE warfare that has extended
the boundaries of civilization at
the expense of barbarism and savagery
has been for centuries one of the most
ity. Yet from its very nature it has al
ways and everywhere been liable to dark
abuses.
"It nehooveS us to keep q Yigilant
watch 20 prevent these abuses and to
punish those %ho commit them: but if
because of them we finch from finishing
the task on which We nave entered. we
show ourselves cray ems and weaklings,
1 LII,
we sprang. There were abuses and to
spare in the Civil War Your false
friends then called Grant butcher and
spoke Of you who are listening to me as
mercenaries. as Lncolns hirelings.
Your open foes-as in the resolution
passed by the Confederate Congress in
October, 1Sf2-accused you, at great
length. and with much particularly, of
; 'contemptuous disregard of the usages Of
civilized war; of subjecting women and
children to 'banshment. Imprisonment,
and death Of murder of rapine,' of
'outrages on women, of 'lawless cruel
ty,' of perpetrating atrocities which
would be disgraceful to savages: and
Abraham Lincoln was singled out for es-
pecial attack because of his spirit Of bar
barous ferocity.
Peace and freadom--are there two bet
ter objects Cor which a soldier can tighto
Well these are precisely the objects for
which our soldiers are fighting ia the
Philippines. The military power is used
to secure neace. in order that it may
itself be supplanted by the civil govern
ment. The progress of the american
arms means the abolition of cruelty, the
bringing OF peace, and the rule of law
and order under the civil government.
We believe that we can rapidly teach
the people of he Philippine Islands not
only how to enj)y hut how to make good
use of their freedom; and with their
growing knowledge their growth in self
government shall keep steady pace. When
they have thus shown their capacity for
real freedom by their power of selfgov
ernmont, then, and not till then, will
it be possible ia decide whether they are
to exist Independently of us or be knit
to us by ties of common friendship and
interest.
Nor. while fully acknowledging our
duties 10 others. need We forget our duty
TO our own country. The Pacific sea-
board Is as much to us as the Atlantic; as
we grow n power and prosperity so our
interests will grow ir that farthest west.
No statesman has 2 right to neglect the
interests of our people in the Pacific;
interests which are important TO all our
people. but which are of most impor-
tance to those of our people who have
built popul JUS and thriving States on the
western slone of our continent
This should no more be q party ques-
tion than the war for the Union should
have bern a PARTY question
General Ell Terrence. commanl9r-in-
chief Of the G. A. r.. followed the Presi-
dent with few remarks and then the
services were brought to close with
the playing IF America" by the band.
The choir and assembly joining, and bene-
dicsion by Henry S. Stevens, department
chaplain
Immediately after the memorial eXer-
cises ut the amphitheatre, the monument
erected to the memory OF Colonel Edgar
O'Connor. of the Second Wisconsin regi-
n.cnt. was unveiled in the presence OF
number of his comrades. The address
o. the occasion was delivered by Repre-
sentative John J. Jenkins, Of Wiscon-
sin.
At Soldiers Home, at battle-ground
cemetery near the site Of Old Fort Ste
ycrs. at ST. Elizabeths, and at other
cemeteries, appropriate services were
held. Secretary Shaw delivered the ora
otNrx