Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1902-06-04

and Freedom the Object For Which
Our Soldiers Are FIghtinr-Thcir Vic
tories the Really Effective Means OF
Putting Stop to Cruelty.
Washington, ID. C.-Justice for our
living soldiers was President Roose-
vcltS theme in his Memorial Day ad-
dress in Arlington Cemetery. The
president referred to the men now
lighting the country's battles In the
Philippines as the worthy sons and
younger brothers of the Civil War vet
Grams who crowded to hear him sneak
He said that under the stress of ter
riblc provocation from very cruel and
very treachcrous enemy" some had 80
far forgotten themselves as to counsel
and commit in retaliation acts of cru
city These would be punished but
the President in terms of whitening
Scorn denounced the men who. because
of the acts of n few black sheep, would
blacken the fame of the entire army
Decoration Day was observed here
perhaps more generally than ever be-
fore. AT Arlington, where the princi-
pal exercises Were held. n national sa-
Lutte was fired at II o'clock by United
States field artillery Music was given
by the Marine Band and by the Memo
rial Choir.
The amphitheatre where the serv-
ices We're conducted was crowded to
It's utmost capacity. President Roose-
velts arrival was the signal for an out
burst of applause. which continued for
some time after he had taken his seat
on the platform. After the invocation
and music +. b. Hay read Lincoln's
Gettysburg address. President Roose-
welt followed. His remarks received
the closest atteLtion and he was fire.
quently interrupted by bursts of ap-
plause.
Mr. Roosevelt began by saying it was
IA good custom to have certain. SOL
emn holidays in commemoration of our
greatest men and of the greatest crises
in our history" referred ut length to
the splendid services of the men who
saved the Union, and continues:
lust at this moment the army of
the United States. led by men who
served among you in the great war is
carrying to completion Il small but pe-
culiarly trying and difficult war in
which is involved not only the honor of
the flag. but the triumph of civilization
over FORCES which stand for the black
chaos of savagery and barbariSm The
task has not been as difficult or as i'm
portant rs yours; uut. oh. my COM
radcS, the men in the uniform of the
United States who have for the last
three years patiently and uncomplain-
ingly championed the American cause
in the Philippine Islands are your
younger brothers. your sons. They
have shown themselves not unworthy
of you. and they are entitled to the
support OF all men who are proud of
what YOU did.
These younger comrades OF yours
have fought under terrible difficulties.
and have received terrible provocation
from very cruel and very treacherous
enemy. Under the strain of these pro-
vocatlons l deeply deplore to say that
some among them have so far forgot
ten themselves rs to counsel and COM
init in retaliation acts OF cruelty The
fact that for every guilty act com
mitted by one OF our troops hundred
acts OF far greater atrocity have been
committed by the hostile natives upon
our troops or upon the peaceable and
law-abiding natives who are friendly
to us. cannot lie held to excuse any
wronGdoer on our side. Determined
and unswerving effort must be made
and is being made to find ont every in
stance of barbarity on the part of our
troops TO punish those gull V OF it. and
TO take, If possible. even stronger
measures than have already been taken
to minimize or prevent the occurrence
OF al such instances in the future.
"from time TO time there occur in
our country to- the deep and lasting
shame OF our people, lynchingS car
ricd on under circumstances of inhu-
man cruelty and barbarity-a cruelty
INFINITELY worse than any that has ever
been committed by our troops in the
Philippines: worse to tho victims. and
far more Drutalizing 10 those guilty OF
ii. The men who fail to condemn thcs,
lynCn!nGs and Vet clamOr about what
has been done in the Philippines are
indeed guilty OF neglecting the beam in
their own eye while taunting thch
brother about the mote in his. These
lynchings afford us no excuse for fail
ure to stop cruelty in the Philippines
Every effort is being made. and will bt
made. to minimize the chances OF cru
city occurring.
'But keep in mind that these cruel
ties in the Philippines have been
wholly exceptional. and have bccu
shanslcssly exaggerated. We dCcpiy
and bitterly rejrct dat any such cruel
ties should haJc been committed. nc
matter now r;lrcly. no matter under
what proVOcaubn. by American trOopS
But they afford far less justification
for general condemnation OF oui
army than these lynchings afford fol
the condemnation of the communities
in which they have taken place. In
each case il is well to condemn tn,
deed and it is we'll also 10 refrain from
including both guilty and innocent il
the same sweeping condemnation"
After telling of the freedom the