Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1902-05-07
THE TRUTH AT LAST.


peared to be working so successfully
that imperialists were disposed to ig-
more all criticism OF the course pursued
in the Philippines. There had been not
a few cases where soldiers returning
from service in the islands had told
their neighbors of outrnges on the part
of our army which they had witnessed.
but the war department was always
ready with a whitewashing report,
and imperalst newspapers were quick
to follow its lead by denouncing such
ment of Sergeant Riley. II Northamp-
ton (Mass.) man of good chara cter by
the department and by the press ap-
peared to render revelation of the
truth hopeless.
Senators and representatives of the
dominant party were as contemptu-
Gus of criticism as was the war de-
partment. When the lime came to
take up in the Senate the bill for the
government of the Philippines
n measure of the utmost Importance
the Republicans ostentatiously pro-
claimed their disregard of the pro-
prleties by absentng themselves from
the chamber while the Democrats were
discussing it. When Mr. Money Of
Mississippi called attention to the de-
sertion of the majority. member
who chanced to be present (Senator
Scott of West NirginiaJ, blurted out
the truth by asking this question:
Does the Senator from Mississippi
think for n minute that the arguments
Of any Senator on the floor of this
chamber will change the vote of n sin
gle senator upon this proposition?'
Events have forced the abandonment
of this policy. The testimony of wit
nesses before the Senate committee of
investigation at Washington has so
fully established the fact that the
water cure torture was repeatedly
inflicted by officers of the army that
the war department can no longer con-
ceal the facts. At the same time, the
| tpt ttnI t., 4,
have developed the authenticity of the
most inhuman order alleged to have
been issued. Witnesses are now being
called to excuse these instructions on
the ground that wholesale killing and
burning were essential features in the
policy Of benevolent assimilation"
The imperihlist press is compelled
TO a corresponding change in tone
When men like Sergeant Riley told
their stories year ago last winter
administration newspapers refused
to publish them, and then printed the
statements given out by the war de
partment discrediting honest men and
holding them up TO contempt as falsi
iiers. 1t is impossible to suppress the
evidence of the same men when they
are cited TO appear before Republican
committee at Washington. Nor can
any organ venture to conceal from lis
readers the facts brought out from day
to day In the dispatches from Manila
their news quality is so important TINT
II compels their publication.
The great difficulty about the Philip
pine question hitherto has been the
impossibIlity of securing discussion
The aim Of the administration has
been to conceal the facts about all
barbarous features of the policy, and
the war department has been extreme,
ly successful In Its whitewashng op
crations. The result has been that
the truth could not he got before the
country and as long as II could be KEPT
out of sight the supporters OF imper.
inlism could claim that there was
nothing to talk about. IT really begar
to look as though these ingenious tnc
ties were TO prove successful. and we
were TO see legislation of the utmost
Importance pushed through Congress.
by the brute force of Il party ma iorlty
without the slightest consideration of
any amendment or criticism.
But the truth is bound at last tc
come ont aud to produce Its effect
The period of concea!ment regarding
the Philippines is ended, and even tn,
war department has been compelled
to call for the facts. These facts ar,
so startling aud so shocking that some
thing must be said about them. ant
something must be done about them
The speech of Mr.. Slbley in the Hous,
yesterday expressed a general feelint
which must find voice. It embodie,
demand for punishment of officer,
who have disgraced the army and th,
nation. which grows more inslsten
nVnt,x lnx Tho