The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-07-01
.The Charges OF Cruelty.

The charges Oh cruelty" E"-
III advocating their: scheme of abandon
r1cnt the democracy have taken special DE-
light and found a. LUXURY in. traducing our
army by hunting for and proeialnlns' WIN
intense zeal land satisfaction. isolated cases
and instances where some of our officers and
soldiers, goaded by the cruelty and saVagery
of the enemy. have transcended the methods
of civilized warfare. The fact that a few OF
our officers and soldiers have transgressed the
rules: of war: can have no valid bearing on
the Justice or wisdom OF the policy OF retain
ing. the islands. Such transgressions occur
and are liable to occur in any war; IN fact;
occurred, in the civil war, and yet no one
ever undertook to measure the justice OF that
war by isolated cases OF cruelty on the part
of a few men In our. great army. Ne1tner mas
it appeared Or been shown that me president
or. the war department has been negligent IN
bringing before military courts for investlga-
tion: trial and. punishment all eases OF cruelty
and :uncivilized warfare brought to their at
tention. go: .....>.. ~.
army: to exploit . few, of its shortcoming s
without giving 1t! credit for it's patience; 1ts
yalor and Its manifold acts OF generosity ana
kindness, manifest "a spirit OF sheer pa Pal
wan tonnes, unpro wicked and unpatrlotic, Tor
they have no bearing. on the policy OF reten
ton, nor are they justified by. any negligence
Of the president or the war department In the
- :- = =
President MCKINLEY had himself participated
in: war, was familiar with all its hardships
and drawbacks, and was most humane anu
kind-hearted man. The, same is true Of Pres-
ident Roosevelt. And neither of them would
for q moment tolerate, or permit to 90 I'M;
punished, anyracts: OF; cruelty contrary to the
rules and customs OF: civilized warfare :..
..:...*~,S Traducing the Army. = -
-
The American army is part OF our own
people, of the same race, training ana blood.
The rank and ole are q fair representauve
of the average of our~culture, the intelll-
gence and the moral status of: the American
people. and, as whole, superior In these
respects to the rank and file Of any other
army. They are all, in a certain sense, vol
unteers, for we have no CONSUMPTION or en-
forced military service in this country. as
they. have in the old world. They are as
humane and. as kind-hearted as any troops
ever :marshaled in battle array. Their rec
| ord in Cuba and In China bear undisputed
| witness; to this fact; and in the Philippine
| islands, barring a few Instances OF cruelty
|, provoked lby the savage and barbarous meth
DDS of the enemy, their conduct has been
| on the whole, brave, patient, kind and fof.
hearing. The savage enemy has often mis-.
taken: this forbearance Tor Tear or want o.
courage, and they have often encountered
great perils and suffered manning and slaugh
ter because Of their kindness, generosity ant
| forbearance. - .s=<5s -
The democracy have shifted their spleer
against the policy OF retention to spleer
against our little army In the islands. true
| friend never. takes pains to hunt for gu,
shortcomings or, finds delight therein, but Il
ever ready to see and proclaim our goot
qualities. No democratic orator in congress
! has found occasion to see or laud or MAX
known any Of the good and noble qualitie
| of that army. He has uttered no kind o
sympathetic word in its behalf, s :. :
Such conduct is worse than unpatriotic; !
is positively cruel to our army. The lot Q
the soldier in war Is most hard, dreary an,
trying. His scanty pay IS no stimuiant: ]
is the fact that he carries ethe flag and up
holds the sovereignty and authority Of ou
country: in places where. without him, mel
thers would exist; that gives him heart t
brave trial, hunger and danger: As our sol
ifers cluster around their bivouac at might
after long, weary march through swarm
and jungle in pursuit OF treacherous an
| elusive enemy. with a scant supper, foot
sore and too tired to sleep, the one thin
above all that cheers and comforts them ]
the Thought that their country uphoidss them
cherishes and loves them and takes a pffd
I IN them; in short, that the country's hear
is wholly theirs for veal or woe.