Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1902-05-14
HARD UP EoR AN ISSUE.

statesmen and organs are ~endesyor.
ing to make as much as possible eut
Of the war in the Philippines. To &C.
complish their purpose they spare no
pains to magnify the excuses which
have been resorted to in some in.
stances in dealing with the Filipinos.
IS usual, this places them in the
d%esplcable attitude OF opposing the
government and vilifying the soldiers
and their commanding officers. But
as the Democratic party played this
role once before, when the fate Of the
Union was at stake, It's conduct at
present occasions very little surprise.
Then they were properly termed
fire In the g a copperheads," some.
thing far more to be abhorred than the
enemy in the field. II a milder ap-
pellation can be used now II Is be-
cause the issue is not so grave; the
animus and object is Just the same.
While no one will defend barbara
ties on the part of a civilized soldi.
cry, and while very little has been
p%racticed by our army as a whole in
the Philippines, the few exceptions.
IL must he admitted, were resorted
10 under the greatest ~proyocation.
Soldering under the hot sun of the
tropics against a t~reacherous and
s~emi-savage foe is something quite
different than discussing the ethics
of war in the midst of mellow lights
and plush upholsterings of the fed.
oral senate chamber.
Those who have read In detail the
story of the campaign in Samar will
not wonder much at the order OF
General Smith or the promptness Of
its execution by Major Waller. by
ing of hunger and by inches, a de-
tachment of marines was lost in the
Jungle. Covered with hideous ulcers
and gasping for water, the soldiers
fell in the narrow trail. During the
hours of their suffering, says a cor
respondent. the ~cowardly packers de-
serted in a body and as they moved
away they tainted the weakened men
with such words as these: You will
die here; then Lucban will get your
rifles and ammunition. All Ameri.
cans are bad and all who come to
Samar will die.
These packers were in the employ
Of the government but purposely be.
trayed their trust and led the men
into a trap. And II is said that after
the supply of food was lost In fording
the numerous streams which became
swollen from frequent rains the ma
tiyes would find ~palatable and nutri-
cious roots upon which to subsist. re.
fusing to give them to our soldiers.
The latter dare not dig them for
themselves owing to so many Of n pol
sonous nature. In this campaign a
dozen brave boys lost their lives part
ly through the treachery of these ma.
tive guides and packers.
But this Is only n Of the many
aggravated instances that called for
stern measures in the opinion of
those in command. Men had had
their ears cut OFF. had been disembowl
ed, had been driven into streams,
and while drowninL. shot to death.
had been tied to trees and stoned Ia
death by women and children and
buried alive. Sergeant O'ilerne HAD
been burned ut the stake over a slow
fire. Is il strange then. that men
even who are supposed to be free
from the savage instincts. who have
enjoyed all the refining influences Of
civilization. who are of superior orig
In and environment should seek Il
cvcnge the death of their fellow
soldiers by swift justice for such un
~speakable atrocities.
The soldier who does not love his
comradc In arms. the officer who does
not have a fatherly regard for those
In his command are not fit to weal
the blue, and cannot be relied upon
TO defend the flag.
We cannot as a Christian natioI
defend only civilized methods OF con
Quoting a war, but when dealing will
savages. some latitude will be giver
for the gravity Of the situation. WheI
In possession of a better knowledg,
of all the facts the oifense does no
appear so grave. Though Genera
Smith may have issued a drastic or
der II was not carried out In full. 81
his offense was not as great as SOM
of his accusers would have the coun
try believe. lie has been tried an,
the findings Of the court have beer
forwarded To Washington. 1t Is be
lievcd he will be acquitted. Colone
Woodruff who defended Genera
Smith closed his address in the fol
lowing words:
we claim that the Samar cam
paign. just brought to a successful
termination. while pursued actively
vigorously and energetically. was ey
, er conducted within the limits Of wal
J During the last few months II ha
seemed popular to criticise the arm.
In the Philippines. People seem I