River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1904-11-03

K dFkeG 10 ACCOUNT III the CfliCdbO ISGt
which has not always been fair to Roo
u. c., October 18th, Mr.. Curtis says:
Gin order to please a few admirers
he Parker) decided the destiny and i'm
periled the welfare Of several millions of
people without regard to the facts or con-
sidering the consequences. He accuses
President Roosevelt Of reckless speaking,
but Roosevelt never made half as reck-
less a speech. Judge Parker demonstrate
ed with his own tongue that he is not fit
to exercise the authority and assume the
responsibilities of the presidency.
He is either a demagogue without
conscience or else the victim Of malici-
GUS enemies or foolish advisers. The
statements he utters are so false and
absurd and ridiculous that he deserves
more pity than blame. For example, he
tells us that we have wasted over $780,
100000 Of the peoples money and sacri-
feed over 100000 lives in the Philip
pines. Mr.. Bryan, Mr.. Hill and several
other gentlemen have asserted that the
Philippines have cost the people of the
United States $60O,OO0OOO. Mr.. Olney
put the figure at $700O00,000. Judge
Parker splits the difference. 1t would
be interesting to know where he gets his
igures.
"A resolution was introduced in the
Senate in the spring Of 1902 inquiring
of the War Department as to the exact
amount of money expended for military
purposes in the Philippine Islands from
May ], 1898 and a detailed statement
Was then submitted by the Secretary of
War which foots up $17O,326, 596 II.
The principal items are as follows:
Quarternasters department =. $74, 344, 800
Subsistence department ......... q, 232, 272
ray department ................ 63,926,2 62
Medical department ............ 3,S1S, 1856
Ordnance department ........... 4,SO2, Obj
Slgnal service .................. ,322, III
Amazing Exaggeration.
''That brings the accounts down to
April 30, 1902 Since that date the ex-
penditures have probably been $10,OOO,-
900 a year. At the outside figures the
total expenditures of the United States
government since Admiral Dewey en-
tered the Bay of Manila with his fleet
have been under 1928, 100000 including
the $20,O00,000 paid to Spain under the
treaty and every other charge, direct or
indirect, that could possibly be construed
as connected with the acquisition and
'etenton of the Philippine archipelago,
civil, naval and military. If Judge
Parker should ad to this total all the
money that has been spent since May /,
1888, for the support of the army and
navy, for the construction of ships, for
ificatiOns and navy yards, and for the
)ay Of the clerks in the War and Navy
Departments at Washington, he could
NOt pile up the figures as high as he
aakes them in his speech.
His assertion that 100000 lives have
cen sacrificed is even more absurd and
9nsational, and it would not be true if
very man, soldier, sailor and civilian,
no has gone to the Philippine archi-
elago for any reason since May 1, 1898,
ad died and were buried there. The
ytal number of soldiers, regulars and
olunteers, that have served in the Phil
,pines at any time does not exceed
$4,000. / cannot get the exact figures
nee the islands were turned over to
vii authorities, but between June 30,
S9S, and July 4, 1902, 4,O67 officers and
22,401 enlisted men were sent to the
,lands. OF these 2,1S5 officers and
1857 enlisted men were volunteers, and
$50 officers and 1854 were regulars.
Total Is Less Than 4,5OO.
"Of these the entire death list, in
luding those killed in BATTLE those who
lied from wounds, disease, accidents,
omicide, suicide, drowning and all other
auses was 40 officers and 4,234 enlisted
zen.
1.-THE mortality for the year ending
Inc 30, 1908, was thirteen officers and
81 men, and for the year ending June
Q. 1904, it was two officers and seventy
ght men, making the total number of
aaths in the army in the Philippine
lands during the six years of American
,cupation 155 officers and 4,769 enlisted
en-.
1.-The number of pensions applied for
soldiers who were engaged in the
Danish war in Cuba. Porto Rico and
Philippines and by the families of
ose who died in battle or from wounds
d disease up to date is 6S,193 This
cludes men, women and children.
Hence you will perceive that Judge
arker has either been betrayed or is
Utility of gross prevaricatioa. Which
GER way you look at it everybody will
gree that such absurd and reckless
.atements do not recommend the man
)r President of the United States
Too Preposterous to Deny.
''Judge Parker quotes some anony-
tous person who has been giving him
lform alton about conditions in the is
ndS If he would name his informant
,e public might judge of the value of
e statements, but he appears to vouch
Il them, and a.ay therefore be held re-
onSible Some of them are infamous
me of them are ridiculous, and some
600 preposterous to deny. They are
lite as reckless as Judge Parker's own
sertions to which I have iSNt referred.
would be difficult for anybody to
owd so many falsehoods into the same