Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-08-18
MADE TRIP
AROUND WORLD
Ernest Young. Who Fought in
The Philippines, Has
That Honor.
WAS STATIONED AT
PANAY TWO YEARS
Believes That Education Is SOlu-
ton to The Philippine
Question.

L
the Philippines some time ago and
was bonorably discharged at Fort
Levenworth, Kansas, gave an interest
| ing account of his two years service
to representative of the REPORTER.
"We left New York for the Philip
pines by way of Suez canal. On the
way we visited GibIalter, Malta, Port
Said, Singapore and Columbo. 1t took
us ffty-six days to reach Manila.
From this city we went by boat south
to Calibo, on the Island Of Panay,
which is the third largest island of
the Philippine group.
''I belonged to company G, 9Th U. S.
infantry. The island of Panay is
thickly settled and'we were compelled
to march almost continuously during
the first eight months in order to quell
the einsurrection.
"Our company was in two import
ant engagements, both Of which were
favorable to the Americans. We call
them the engagements of Rosario and
Mount Bird. The engagement of
Rosario lasted two and one-half hours.
Eight Americans Were killed and three
wounded. Mount Bird was difficult
to capture. The insurgents were
stationed on the top of hill. the sides
of which were almost perpendicular.
By the aid of an artillary, companies
A and K, of the Sixth, were able to
take the stronghold. The rebels at
this point had detied the Americans
for three months
"The inSurrectiOn is now practically
at an end. The only troublesome
people are the Ladrones, or robbers.
They are something like the Jesse
James band of this country. The in
telligent people are especially full of
sympathy for the Americans and will
make good citizens. Schools are now
icing established in all parts of the
island. Education is the only solution
to the SO-called Philippine question.
Educated Philippines will always be-
come loyal citizens.
lone of the curses of the Philippine
islands is the friarS. These people
Eave much influence over the ignorant
and many of the crimes may be laid to
them. The friars are priests who pre-
tend to belong to the Catholic church,
but their methods are very unlike
those of the priests of civilized
countries. Fortunately the Catholic
church is now supplanting the friars
with intelligent priests who arc doing
all in their power TO uplift the natives.
''The Philippines had reason to fear
the Americans. The friars had
educated them to believe that the
American soldiers were like the
Indians who scalped the Spaniards
and French in colonial times.
sit is very difficult to learn the
language spoken on the island Of
Panay, as there are different dialects
about every ten miles. The natives
work very cheaply. Ten cents day
is considered good wages. But then
it costs very little for the native to
live-eating and sleeping are about
the only things he thinks Of.
''The water cure was seldom resorted
to on the island of Panay. Sometimes
when a prisoner refused to work we
would put piece of bamboo in his
mouth and pour him full of water.
That would cure his laZiness.
"We arrived at San Francisco July
| Is, after twenty-eight days trip
across the ocean in the transport
Sherman. l was discharged at Fort
Levenworth Sunday, August g."