Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-18
Errors in His Recent Speech
on the Philippines.
COST OF THE ISLANDS
REGARDING Elk.
PENSE AND LOSS OF LIFE.
Inaccurate Assertions Concerning Con-
ditions in the Acknowledgements
This Country Has Accomplished.
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

WILLIAM T.. CURTIS.
Written for The Evening Star and Chicago Record
Herald.
When those anti-imperialists from Boston
went to Esopus last Saturday and asked
Judge Parker If he intended to give inde-
pendence to the Filipinos, he should have
said:
Gentlemen, from long judicial experience
know how unwise 1t is to decide a case be-
fore hearing the evidence and arguments.
l would like to have your votes, but can
make no pledge, except that 1 will try to
do my duty and obey the Constitution and
the laws. If elected President I will make
thorough inquiry into conditions in the
Philppine Islands and the needs of the
people, and will do what seems to be right.
To this time have had no opportunity to
inform myself, and have had no time for
reflection. AS a matter Of principle I be-
lieve that governments derive their just
powers from the consent of the governed
but should not include inmates of
prisons. asylums or almshouses. the deni
zens of tenement houses in the slums, I'M
educated Indians or Filipinos who cannot
read or write and do not wear clothing. AS
an eminent friend has said, 1t is a condi-
ton and not theory that confronts u.s.
and before declaring policy must ascer-
tain whether the Filipinos are capable of
judging what Is best for themselves, and
If so, whether they consent to the exercise
OF authority over them by the United States
or whether they prefer another form of
government. l will do what think is just
and right and for the welfare of all con-
cerned I would rather be right than be
President!
If Judge Parker had made such a speech
as that he would have commanded the re-
spect and confidence of every sensible man
In the United States and would have made
many votes for. the democratic ticket but
IN order to please a few admirers 10 de-
cided the destiny and imperiled the welfare
OF several millions of people without regard
to the facts or considering the conse-
quences. He accuses President Roosevelt of
reckless speaking. but Roosevelt never
made half as reckless speech Judge
Parker demonstrated with his own tongue
and assume the responsibilities of the
President.
He is either a demagogue without con-
science, or else the victim of malicious enc
mics or foolish advisers The statements
he utters are so false and absurd and ride
ulous that he deserves more pity than
blame. For example, he tells us that I'VE
have wasted over s65O,O0O,OOO of the peo-
lives in the Philippines. Mr.. Bryan, Mr..
Hill and several other gentlemen have as
serted that the Philippines have cost the
people Of the United States $500 900, 600. Mr..
Olney puts the figure at S700,0OO,O00. Judge
Parker splits the difference. 1t would be
interesting to know where he gets his fig
ures.
Cost of Philippine War.
A resolution was introduced in the Senate
in the spring of 1902 inquiring of the War
Department to the exact amount of
money expended for military purposes in
the Philippine Islands from the LIST of May,
1898, and detailed statement was then
submitted by the Secretary of War, which
foots up $17O326, 5S6.11. The principal
items are as follows:
Quartermasters department......$74 ,344, 1856
Subsistence department. .......... H,252 272
Pay department. ..................... 63,926.262
Medical department. ................ o,SIS, lo6
Ordnance department.. ........... 4SO2Oo
Signal service .-......-............. 1oZz,tlZ
That brings the accounts down to April
80 1902. Since that date the expenditures
have probably been $10,000,0OO a year. At
the outside figures, the total expenditures
of the United States government since Ad-
mlral Dewey entered the bay OF Manila
with his feet have been under $225,O 100000
Including the SOC, 600 paid to Spain under
the treaty and every other charge, direct
or indirect that could possibly be construed
as connected with the acquisition and reten-
ton of the Philippine archipelago, civil,
naval and military. If Judge Parker should
add to this total all the money that has
leen spent since May 1. 1898, for the sup
port of the army and navy. for the con-
struction of ships, Notifications and navy
yards. and for the pay of the clerks in the
war and navy departments, at Washington,
he could not pile up the figures as high as
he makes them in his speech.
The Loss of Life.
His assertion that 100000 lives have been
sacrificed is even more absurd and sensa-
tioral; and it would not be true if every
man. soldier, sailor and civilian, who has
gone to the PHILIPPINE archipelago for any
reason since the 1st of May. 1898, had died
and was buried there. The total number of
soldiers. regulars and volunteers, that have
served in the Philippines at any time does
not exceed 10000 l cannot get the exact
figures since the islands were turned over
to civil authorities, but between June 30
1898, and July 4, 1902, 4,O67 officers and 1922
4ol enlisted men We're sent to the islands.
or these 2,1S5 officers and Al 1867 enlisted
men were volunteers. and S82 officers and
u, 534 were regulars.
OF these the entire death list including
the killed in battle, those who died from
wounds, disease, accidents, homicide, sui
eide, drowning and all other causes, was
40 officers and 4.234 enlisted men,
The mortality for the year ending June 80
1903, was ID officers and 457 men, and for
the year ending June 80, 1904 it was 2
officers and 7S men, making the total num-
Der of deaths In the army in the Philip
pine Islands during the six years of Ameri-
can occupation, 155 officers and 4,769 enlist
eG men.
The number of pensions applied for by
soldiers who were engaged In the Spanish
war in Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philip
pines, and by the families of those who died
in battle or from wounds and disease up to
date is g. 193 This includes men, women
and children.
Hence you will perceive that Judge Par
ker has either been betrayed or is guilty of
gross prevarication. Whichever way Won
look at it, everybody will agree that such
absurd and reckless statements do not
recommend the man for President of the
United States.
Statements Concerning the Islands.
Judge Parker quotes some anonymous
person who has been giving him informa-
ton about conditions in the islands, II
he would name his informant the public
might judge Of the value of the
statements but he appears to vouch for
them, and may, therefore, be held RESPONSE
BILE. Some of them are infamous; some of
them are ridiculous. and some are too pre-
posterous to deny They are quite as reck-
less as Judge Parker's own assertions to
which l have just referred 1t would be
difficult for anybody to crowd so many
falsehoods into the same space. l will take
some of them seriatum:
No /. 1.-THE officials of the government
are dishonest, corrupt and despotic. The
Islands seem to have succeeded in getting
the very dregs of our people"
No government in the world has a more
employees than are serving under the Philip
To-