Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-04-11

troops in the Philippines until theiI
truth was investigated. and that the
result of the investigation ordered was
not at hand. The committee. however.
resolved that. il must have the report.
and the secretary sent it in. 1t is dated
Dec. 1G 1901.
Gardener addresses Governor Taft in
the report and says that previous TO
the date OF this report he knew that
the sentiment Of the people was friend
" To the United States. To prove which
he had travelled all over the province
with no escort except natives. and he
recommends that all military opera
tionS against the natives be carried
on hereafter with native forces. At
the date of the report he says there
is Il decided change in the sentiments
of the people, and he gives the rea-
sons. as follows:
Extensive burning of the berries in
trying to lay waste the country so
that the insurgents cannot occupy il.
the tOrturing Of natives by so called
water cure and other methods i'm order
To obtain information, the harsh treat
ment of natives generally. and the fail
ure of inexperienced. lately appointed
Iieutenants commanding posts To dis
tinguiSh between those who are FRIEND
" and those unfriendly. and to treat
every native as if he were. whether
or not. an inSurrectO at heart" If
these things have to be done he SAYS
let them be done by native troops SO
that the onuS will not fall on the
United States.
He then proceeds: Almost without
exception. soldiers. and also many Off
GERS. refer TO natives in their presence
as 'niggerS.' and natives are begin
ming to understand what the word
.nIGgUpT
committed by officers and soldiers
against natives in an organized mu-
Ricipality and province. when reported
by the presidente or governor To the
military authorities. are often not pun
ished. II has been stated
that Il Filipino or an Oriental
does not appreciate Just or kindly
treatment. and that ne considers IL an
evidence of weakness. AMI that severe
ana narSn measures are the only ones
tliat are permanently effective with
FilipinOS." This he cOntroverts. Gen
orally. all through his report. Garde-
ncr condemns the attitude of the army
toward the natives.
With the report is IL copy of a letter
by General Corbin 10 General Chaffee.
dated Feb. 10 saying he incloSeS the
report of Major Gardener and that
there should he Il complete iuveStiga-
tion. There also iS Il cable message
dated April >. in which General Chat
fee is directed To make the inveStiga-
tion with an speed consistent with
thorOughnesS.
In connection with the report is also
forwarded a telegram from Governor
Taft. dated at Cincinnati. in which he
says he told Secretary Root that Major
Gardener was successful as n military
commander at Tabayas that
he was Il good governor and
that / would believe implicitly any
thing stated of his knowledge; but
that l feared the great friction be-
tween him and those officers succeed
ing him i'm military command had so
influenced his judgment that charges
made by him. necessarily based on
evidence OF others. against the conduct
military affairs in the provinces ought
not to be acted upon without giving
those accused an opportunity to be
heard
General Corbin has received cable
gram from General Chaffee stating
that Major Gardener has been directed
to submit specific charges. but that
these had not yet been received. Gen
eral Chaffee added that when the Spe-
cifications were at hand the inyestiga-
tiOn would be hurried on as fast as