The Savannah morning news., 1903-02-10
VIAL OF HIS WRATH
SENATOR CARMACK UNCORKED 1T
FOR SECRETARY OF WAR.
A REIGN OF TORTURE.
DESCRIBES CONDITIONS IN PHILIP
PINES, SENATOR SAYS.

With Cutting Sarcasm Democratic
Senator Talks of Horrible Crimes
Committed by Men who Wear
the Uniform of the United States.
Murder so Common That 1t win
Not stand Observation-Disclosures
of War Called "NObIe, and Gener-
Gus, and Humane" Roosevelt
Given "a Dose of Same Medicine.
Washington, Feb. Sin the Senate
to-day Senator Carmack spoke on the
Rawlins resolution, calling on the Sec
rotary of War for the proceedings in
certain courts martial. He charged
that murders in the Philippines by
American soldiers had become so COM
mon that they would not bear investi-
cation, and that this answer was en-
tirely satisfactory to "our noble, gen.
erous and humane Secretary of War"
He also criticised the President for
never having heard of the Capt.
Brownell case after having announced
his intention of probing crimes in the
Philippines. The best army that ever
trod the earth, Mr.. Carmack said, could
be sent to a distant tropical land, but
when it became known that crimes will
go UNPUBLISHED, awful consequences will
ensue. Just these consequences have
existed, he said, and the charges have
been met with stoical and cynical in
difference.
system of Torture.
Senator Carmack said there was an
organized system of torture in the
Philippines. 1T is a further fact"
said Senator Carmack, that though
this was notorious throughout the
whole army, it was continued for
months and years. No effort was
made to suppress it, and no single tor
tuIer was ever punished for the crime.
1t is a fact that men of high character
and standing, the representatives, CT
leading Republican administr alton
newspapers, went in person to the
commanding general and told him that
they had not only seen a perfect orgy
of looting and plumber, but that they
had seen wounded prisoners butchered
before their very eyes; and though he
did not deny it, he ignored it.
sit is further true that this fact was
brought to the attention of the Secre-
tary of War in letter over the sigma
ture of Robert M. Collins. the chief
agent and representative Of the AS
ISOLATED Press in the Philippine ISL
ands, and it did not suggest the pro-
priety of any inquiry or any investi-
cation"
Travesty OH Justice.
Murders by American soldiers in the
Philippines had become too common,
Senator Carmack said, to bear investi-
cation, which answer seems entirely
satisfactory to our noble, and gener-
Gus, and humane Secretary of War"
COurts-martial in the Philippines had
been a travesty on justice, he said, and
he cited the case of Lieut.. Preston
Brown, whom he charged with muir
dering an unarmed and unresisting
native Filipino, and whose sentence of
five years had been mitigated by the
President to a nominal fine and a
slight reduction in rank.
The every wicked, vicious and deprav-
ed ruffian in the army, ne said, the
order of Gen. Jacob Smith, to kill
and burn in Samar, meant that there
was no law no restraint, and no pun
ishment, and yet the President calmly
surveys the ruin he has wrought, and,
like another great imperialist, he is
astonished at his own moderation"
TOrturing of Priest.
He inquired how it happened that
the President,\ who had declared his
intention to probe crimes in the
Philippines, never heard of the Capt.
Brownell case, when Father Augustine
was tortured until he died.
The President in speech, while
Governor of New York, had said that
our indifference to the welfare of the
people of Alaska had made them pre-
fer annexation to Great Britain, and
the same condition would result if we
showed like indifference in the Philip
pines. The Filipinos are starving, he
said. The same vigilance that enables
the President to discover them as "en-
joying the greatest prosperity" should
cause him to see that they are starving.
Time" Senator Carmack said in
conclusion, will demonstrate the folly
of this business and / hope it will find
some cure for the blunder we have
made"