The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-02-10
Who Also Charged "Our Noble, Gen.
erOus and Humane Secretary of
War" with Indifference.
REGISTRY SYSTEM EXTENDED
CHANGES FOR BENEFIT OF RURAL
FREE DELIVERY PATRONS.
Modification of the Postal Laws Re-
garding Use Of Mail Sacks by
COngressmen and Others.

WASHINGTON, Feb. Elm the Senate
to-day Mr.. Carmack spoke on the Rawlins
resolution calling on the secretary of war
for certain courts-martial. He charged
that murder in the Philippines by Ameri-
can soldiers had become so common that
they would not bear investigation. and that
this answer was entirely satisfactory to
our noble, generous and humane secretary
of war. He also criticised the President
for never having heard of the Captain
Brownell case, after having announced his
intention of probing crimes in the Philip
pines"
The best army that ever trod the earth,
Mr.. Carmack declared. could be sent to
the distant tropical land. but when it be-
came known that crime will go unpublished
awful consequences will ensue. Just these
consequences have existed. he said, and
the charges have been met with stoical
and cynical indifference. He asserted that
there was an organized system of torture
in the Philippines. 1T is further fact"
said Mr.. Carmack that this was notorious
throughout the whole army and that it
was continued for months and years. No
effort was made to suppress it, and no
single torturer was ever punished for the
crime 1t is fact that men of high char
acter and standing, the representatives of
leading Republican administration news
papers, went in person to the command
ing general and told him that they had
not only seen a perfect orgy of footing and
plumber but that they had seen wounded
prisoners butchered before their very eyes,
and, though he did not deny 1t, he ignored
it, 1t is further true that this fact was
brought to the attention of the secretary
of war in letter over the signature of
Robert M. Collins, the chief agent and
the Philippine islands. and it did not sug-
gest the propriety of any inquiry or any
Investigation Murders by American
common, he said, to bear investigation.
which answer seems entirely satisfactory
to "our noble and generous and humane
secretary of war" Court-martiai in the
Philippines had been a travesty on justice,
he SAID, and he cited the case of Lieut..
Preston Brown, whom he charged with
numbering an unarmed native Filipino, and
whose sentence of five years had been miti-
gated by the President to a nominal fine
and slight reduction in rank.
To every wicked, vicious and depraved
ruffian i'm the army. he said, the order of
Gen. Jacob III. Smith to kill and burn in
Samar meant that there was no law, no re-
straint and no punishment and yet the
President calmly surveys the ruin he has
list, he is astonished at his own modera-
ton" He inquired how it happened that
the President who had declared his inten-
tions to probe crimes in the Philippines
never heard of the Captain Brownell case
when Father Augustin was tortured until
he died.
The Littlefield antitrust bill was re-
ceived by the Senate to-day from the
House and referred to the committee on
judiciary. The army appropriation bill was
sent to conference.
The following bills were passed: To ex-
| tend the time granted to the Mussel Shoals
Power Company in Alabama within which
| to commence and complete work previously
authorized; House bill fixing time of hold
| ing terms of court in Colorado: Senate bill
| establishing a life saving station at Cape
| Nome, Alaska
Mr. Kean spoke on the statehood bill fol-
| a short time when he yielded to various
| senators who INDUCED in debate over the
| question of the influence of the Mormon
| Church in politics Mr.. Elkins also spoke
| at length in defense of the claims of New
Mexico to statehood After brief
executive session the Senate at $40 ad.
| journed until tomorrow.