Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1903-04-30
PHILIPPINE LIFE
IS DEb|L|TAT|N
SAYS GENERAL MILES IN HIS
REPORT.
A DETRIMENT TO SERVICE
censures the Employment OF Troops
for Road sutlding-Ftnds the Aho.
lton of the Canteen Beneficial In
Efect-Soldiers Addicted to Drink.
ing Vino-Cholera a Detriment,

WASHINGTON, April 9S.-Addiuonal
portions ot General Miles report con.
corning his observations in the Phil,
ippines were made public last night.
Speaking IF the troops building a road
To Lake lauo, Miles says he found COO
soldiers at work; 20 men were sick
and 200 men were on the sick report,
He cenSures the employment of troops
ON such work unless in the eNout Of
great military necessity, He says;
Tho effect of the climate is the
most serious detrimont To service.
Men so There In perfect health and IN
tho primo of manhood but as body
they are seriously affected in the
course ot two or three years service.
Very few escape. The majority are
dehilitated,"
During his visit he did not see a
single soldier under the influence OF
liquor and as a result of his ohsorva.
lions considers a diSContinuanCo of
the liquor feature of the Canteen ben.
ehcial to the family Miles considers
II work for troops to occupy church
property, and that II should be discon
tinucd. The damage TO these build
ings, he says, will be extensive ami
will result in claims for millions
against the United States, which viii
have to be paid,
Miles renews tho recommendation
made prior to his visit to the Philip
pines that at least one strategic post
ton be forfeited beyond the possihil
ity of capture by foreign fleets OF
the general condition ho says;
"In my journeys through the archi,
pclago | was frequently appealed 10
to aid in assisting people to obtain a
food supply Of which they will be in
great need in the near future do
not think there Is today n people SO
sorely afflicted MS the eight millions of
inhabitants of this archipelago, Their
country has been devastated by war
and several provinces are suffering
now severely as n result of rcCunCon.
tration In the past In some places
locusts have destroyed the crops Pes,
thence has prevailed, resulting in the
reported death af nearly $4,000 people,
while Il IL estimated the number not
reported Is fully as large" Portions
of Miles reports were sent TO the
chiefs of bureaus, to which replies
have been received,
General Gillespie chief OF the en-,
ginecrs, says no strategic point had
been forced because congress had so
willcd It, The lians have been ap.
proved by the secretary of war md
the final projects are stlll IN their
possession but the work liz not done,
Surgeon General OReilly admits
the bad effect of the climate on the
troops, and says the troops serving In
Texas have shown n greater sick rate
and higher percentage Of deaths than
those in tho northern United States,
and so will sickness and death in the
Philippines be greater than in the
United States. O'Rellly does not
agree with Miles on the canteen mat.
tor and cites the effect that the sol
dlers in the Philippines have become
addicted to drinking vino.
"'rhe value Of the Canteen,," ORollly
says has always been considered rs
means by which the average soldier,
not drunltard, but user Of liquor,
can get a few glasses Of beer at home
and every day IN the month If he so
desires, instead of being attracted to
saloons, where he is tempted 10 spend
his month pay at once for vile liquor,
gambling and women. II Is also very
probable the ratio Of alcoholism In
the Philippines is now lower than ever
before, on account Of the prevalence
Of cholera. The enlisted men have
been so repeatedly warned against tho
danger Of drinking impure water, the
native soft drinks and frequentlng ma
tive shacks that having seen the hor.
rorg of cholera among the natives and
the comparative immunity Of troops, a
decided deterrent effect must have
been produced
at is understood a reply was re.
ceiyed from Gen Hughes, who is the
one officer to whom Miles refers In his
report II was not made public at the
war department and little regarding II
could be learned. Miles, however, who
had been furnished copies OF the re.
plies, sent each a note Of a few lines
stating the replies TO his comments on
affairs IN the Philippines we're all Of
gentlemanly character save that Of
Hughes.