The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-05-01

would inspire or any act of
cruelty, be annualled."
General Miles directs attention to the
acts of recontration by General Bell
and claims hat they were in direct
yioltion OF the law. He says the law
vas also violated in handling and buy
ing large quantities of rice which was
Sold at a profit. The people who were
in The recommendation camp, says Cen
eral Miles, were considered prisoners
of war. but were compelled to buy food
from those who held them al a large
profit" General Miles characterizes
this as unprecedented.
Judge Advocate General Davis has
made a reply TO the foregoing In which
he says the instances of atrocity were
made the subject of special investiga-
tiOns, resulting in administrative action
as in ~court-martials. AS TO some phas-
es of these inquiries, says General Da-
Wis says, was a military necessity. and
the profits were turned over to the in
sular treasury for use in further relief.
OF the Moros General Miles says:
THE problem of reducing or controll-
ing these people in case of continued
hostll1ties does not appear to be a diff
ficult one. They are very poorly armed.
and have no means Of Withstanding our
mountain artillery and field mortars.
Their forts possess but slight resisting
power, and can easily be destroyed BY
modern artillery"
Of the roads to Lake Lanao, he says:
AT the time of my visit there were
600 of our men al work on this road
The heat was intense, and there were
at the time seventy men sick, and some
200 men on the sick report. Unless there
be some great military necessity and I
know of nOne-thiS work should not
be performed by troops. There appear
ed TO be very great dissatisfaction and
just ground for complaint"
The more important observations and
recommendations of General Miles are
as follows:
The general condition of the troops
in the archipelago was creditable to
themselves and to the country. The
officers and soldiers made a good ap-
p~earance.
The effect of the climate is a most
serious detriment to the service. The
men go there in perfect health and in
the prime of manhood, but as a body
are seriously affected in the course of
two or three years service. Very few
escape, but the majority are deliberat
ed.
AS the military stations, with but
few exceptions, are very remote, and
the troops are required to be in commu-
mites that are neither beneficial nor
congenial to them, the service is de-
pressing, and, to some extent, has a
demOralizing effect. During my visits
to the garrisOns it SO happened that 1
did not see a single soldier under the
influence of liquor.
LAS the result of my observations it
is my judgment that the discontinuance
of the liquor feature of the canteen has
been beneficial to the army. Now that
the temptation has been removed from
the immediate presence of the young
men of the army, they are less likely
to indulge in the use of liquor.
The number of troops that will be
quired to occupy the Philippine islands
are still problematical. While it is
claimed that the people are pacified,
evidences of hostility toward American
sovereignty are apparent. The news
papers published in both Spanish and
English contain almost daily accounts
of hostilities, d~epredatiOns or disturb
ances of the peace. Against these arm
ed bands the civil government is en-
ploying the constabulary, a force of
about 5000 men.
4 found a large proportion of the
roop occupying church property, mon
asteries, colleges and converts. This I
believe to be entirely wrong, and it
should be discontinued without delay"
OF the supplies furnished troops he
says:
while the supplies have as a rule,
been abundant and of good quality.
there is, in my opinion too much cold