New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-05-31
THE PRESIDENT SPEAKS.
SLANDERERS OF THE ARMY
REBUKED.
FREEDOM IN THE PHILIPPINES
CRUELTIES SHAMELESSLY
EXAGGERATED.
lay TELEGRArH TO TIE TRIBUNE.I


Memorial Day exercises here was President
ROosevelts address Arlington National
Cemetery. where he spoke on the administra-
tiOn's policy in the Philippines and replied 70
the charges of cruelty which have been so freely
and recklessly made against the army He said:
Mr.. Commander comrades. and you men and
women of the United States who your being
here TO what was done by the men OF the great
Civil War greet you and thank you for the
honor done me in asking me to be present this
day
1t is good custom for our country 70 have
certain solemn holidays in COmmemOratiOn OF
our sIealesl men ana OF the greatest crises IN
our history There should he but few such holi-
days To increase their number is TO cheaper
them. Washington and LincOln-the man who
dld most TO found the Union. and the man VINO
did most to preserve it-stand head and shoul-
ders above all our other public men. and have
by common consent won the right to this pre-
eminence. Among the holidays which cOnmem-
crate the turning points in American history.
Thanksgiving has a significance peculiarly it's
own. On July 1 we celebrate the birth of the
nation; this day, the Both of May. we call to
mind the deaths of those who died that the na-
tiOn might live. who WageTed all that life holds
dear for the great prize of death in battle who
poured out their blood like water in order that
the mighty national structure raised by the far
seeing patriotism of Washington. Franklin.
Marshall, Hamilton. and the other great leaders
of the Revolution. great trainers of the cOnsti-
ton, should not crumble into meaningless RUNS.
SOLDIERS SAVED THE UNION.
You whom I address to-day and your COM
rades who wore the blue beside you in the per-
1l7us years during which strong, sad. patient
Lincoln bore the crushing load of national lead
ership performed the one feat the failure to per-
form which would have meant destruction TO
everything which makes the name America a
symbol of hope among the nations of mankind
You did the greatest and most necessary task
which has ever fallen TO the lot of any men on
this Western Hemisphere Nearly three centuries
nave passed since the waters OF our coasts We're
first furrOwed by the keels of the whose
children's children 10 inherit this fair land
over century and hat or colonlal growth
followed the settlement; and now for over
century and quarter we have been nation
During four generations of national life
have had TO do many tasks. and some OF
them of far reaching Importance; but the only
really vital task was the one YOU did. the task
of saving the Union. There were other crises
in which 10 have gone wrong would have meant
disaster. bur this was the one crisis in which TO
have gone wrong would have meant not merely
disaster but humiliation. For failure at anr
other point atOnement could have been made:
but had you failed in the iron days the loss
would have been irTeparable. the defeat ire
trievable. Upon your success depended all the
future of the people this continent. and much
of the future OF mankind a whole.
You left US a reunited country You left US
the right of brotherhood with the men in gray.
who with such courage and such devotion Tor
what they deemed the right. fought against YOU
But you left us much more even than your
achievement. for YOU left US the memory OF now
il was achieved You, who made good by your
valor and patriotism the statesmanship OF Lin
coin and the SOldiership of Grant have set
as the standards for our efforts in the future
both the way YOU did your work in and the
way in which when the war was you
in peace alike your example Will stand as the
wiseSt of lessons To and our children and our
children's children.
THE ARMY'S PRESENT TASK
Just this N Imeut the army of the United
states. led ny who served among You fu
the great war. IL carrying tn completion "a
small hut peculiarly trying and difficult war
In which il Involved not only the honor of
the naG bat the triumph Of civilization over
forces W which stand for the black chaos OF
snVaSery and barbarism- The task has not
been "a difficult important ~ yours.
hut. oh, comrades, the men in the uni
form of the United states wh0 have for the
last three years pr ticntIy and uneOmplain-
ingIy chRmpiOned the American cause IN the
Philippine Islands, your younger broth
your They have shown themselves
Il unworthy you. and they entitled
the support of all men who proud OF
what you did
These younger comrades of yours have fought
under terrible difficulties and have received ter
treaCherOUs enemy. Under the strain Of these
prOvoCatOns deeply deplOre 10 say that some
among them have far forgotten themselves as
to counsel and commit in retaliation acts OF
cruelty. The fact that sOT every guilty act COM
Uitted by one of troops a hundred acts OF
far greater atrocity have been committed by
the hostile natives upon our troops, or upon
the pedCedble and law abiding natives who are
friendly To us cannot be held to excuse any
WrongdOer ON our side. Determined and un-
sWerVing effort must be made. and is being
made 10 find out every instance Of barbarity on
the part Of troops. To punish those guilty
OF it, and TO take, if possible. even StrOnEe-
measures than have already beer taken 10 mini
mize or prevent the occurrence of all such in
stances in the future,
PHARISEEISM DENOUNCED.
Is il only in the army of the Philippines that
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