Newspaper Page Text
pTHE PHILIPPINE QUESTION AS
| THE DOMINANT ISSUE.
' A DEMOCRATIC VIEW—By Clark Howell.
(From Harper’s Weekly.) z
, With the meting and adjournment of
the three national committees, and the
fixing of the tim e and place for the na
tional conventions, it may be said that
the natlnoal campaign t>f 1900 is fairly
tender way.
This campaign is, In many respects,
(unusual in its presentation of new is
sues. Regardless of former campaigns
Arnd of old Issues, the two great par
ities face each other In battle array on
■nes which have developed since the
Hast national campaign. This condi
tion is the result of the Spanish-Amer
■can war, and no human being could
Bhave predicted four years ago, with
Adequate reason for so doing, that be-
Hon< Clark Howell,
Wween the last anti this campaign en
tirely new issues would arise, on which
■the campaign of this year would be
■ought.
f Thedomlnating issue of the campaign
(pf ’B4, which firstm ade Mr. Cleveland
b' esident, wc# the tariff. The cam
paign of ’BB Substantially the
came grounds, with different results,
«he pendulum swinging from tariff re
.tform, pledged, but unredeemed, to a
protective tariff. The money question
fcvas injected into the next campaign,
challenging the tariff for
supremacy, ana resulting, four years
ater, in a cleavage in both the Demo
cratic and Republican parties. The
i ilstory of that campaign is fresh in
jthe minds of the people. Whatever
je*.ay bo seid of the Democratic cohten-
the Republican jiositlon during
Visit campaign, there can be no doubt
4 (ihat the action of the Republic Con
/kress has fixed- the gold standard at
feast for a time, and a (Jme longer
"than the life of the administration
Ivhich will be created by the elections
|>f this year.
( The money question becomes of sec-
Cndary importance in this campaign,
"because other questions have thrust
'themselves more acutely before the
(public mind, and because of the realiza
jtion of the fact that the triumph of the
standard, as much as it may be
approved or condemned, cannot be
oyerthrown by anything that can be
accomplished as the result of the cam
t-ign or this year.
Unquestionably the leading feature
tof this campaign will be the contention
over the control and disposition of the
lerritlry. which has been brought un
d,-r the dominion of the Stars and
Stripes as the result of the Spanish-
American war. The money question
will figure incidentally, the Democrats
reaffirming their platform of 1856, and
the Republicans defending the action
jbf their administration in the adoption
if the gold standard; but the voter will
cast his ballot with the knowledge that
whatever may b e his oonvicition for or
Bgainst the gold standard, the result
pf the election cannot alter the status
created by this administration, at least
before the people have had opportuni
ty to to the ballot-box in another
.Tiatlonajp election.
Democrats", who have -differed with
their party On this issue are therefore
returning to the fold, and joining the
biajority of their party in other lines
cf thought in which there is less room
for divergent opinion. So it may be
said that many of the Republican mi
nority, who left their party on account
cf its attitude on the currency ques
tion, will renew their affiliation Vith
It this year. On the other hand, there
Democrats and come Repub
licans who, while acting with their re
spective organizations four years ago,
•nay be found in other association in
this campaign, as the result of the re
nlignpent growing out of the question
of expansion—or, as termed by some,
Imperialism.
The-""e are two controlling lines of
thought In the consideration of the
paramount issue of this campaign; one
Is farnajed around the purpose to hold
and administer the affairs in the Fhil-
Kpplnes and Puerto Rico as an integral,
Bverlesttng part of our government: the
Bfrer is upon the theory tii.it
transpacific islands which hav
providentially brought under 1b
of our flag should lie held < n
a trust, and that their govern -
ggjjH should be administered with flu
■■of securing the ul*l\ : -
■■of their people.
policav would put the world on
the Philippines arc ours, to
have and to hold forever, regardless of
cost or consequences—the other would
extend the same guarantee 6f ultimate
independence that has been accorded
the Cubans, but it would condition
such guarantee upon the complete and
peaceable acquiescence by the Filipinos
in the authority of the American flag
an<3 the supremacy of American juris
diction.
As the result of developments of the
past year, one factor in this discus
sion has been practically eliminated—
that which favored the immediate
withdrawal of our troops from the
Philippines, and which boldly announc
ed that American soldiers were there
as Interlopers and conquerors, hnd that
they would get their just deserts if
they were driven into the sea. This el
ement, with headquarters in Boston,
and with its ramifications extending
with spasmodic breaks from there to
the United States senate and else
where, was particularly noisy at first,
and while not less vociferous now, it is
inflinitely less harmless. It is a non
partisan aggregation made up of re
publicans and democrats, and it would
be unjust to it to withhold the full
creit to e which It is entitled for having
been the chief source of inspiration to
Aguinaldo and his insurrection. The
answer of the American people, re
gardless of their opinion as to what
should become ultimately of the Phil
ippines, was firm and emphatic. They
declared that the flag must be upheld:
that the insurrection against the Am
erican authority in the Philippines
must be quelled: that the acquiescence
of thenatives to American control must
be secured: thfet the strong right arm
of Uncle Sam would bo backed with
all the men and all the money neces
sary to bring about this condition.
While partisans have differed, do dif
fer and will continue to differ as to the
policy that should be adopted concern
ing the future of the Philippines, It is
worthy of note that the representatives
of all parties in Congress have patriot
ically rallied to the support of the gov
ernment in meeting present conditions
in the Philippines, and the world has
been put on notice that American man
hood could be depended upon to pro
tect and defend the flag where it may
float.
There was at one time a disposition
in some quarters—and it canont be
said to have disappeared now—to mis
construe and misrepresent the purpose
of those democrats who, yielding to
none in devotion to the flag, nor in the
arfloß of its defence when attacked,
would say to the people of the Phil
ippines that they should live in hope of
a government of their own —that when,
in God’s appointed time, they are cap
able of meeting the demands of civili
zation and of administrating a repub
lican form of government, with jus
tice to their own people and to the
vast interests identified with the isl
ands, they should be given opportun
ity to establish and maintain such a
government. On the other hand, there
has been a similar disposition to mis
represent the attitude of many of
those who believe conscientiously that
it is to the best interest of our gov
ernment to retain the Philippines as a
permanent possession. There is a vast
difference between “imperialism” and
“expansion,” and it is entirely consis
tent that the latter can be accomplish
ed without the former as a necessary
corelative.
The advantage of commercial expan
sion to the people of this country is so
apparent that argument is not neces
sary to sustain the contention that we
should leave nothing undone to open
new avenues for the extension of our
commercial facilities. We are now at
the open gates of China, and our hold
on the Philippines puts us in a posi
tion where we can take such advantage
of our oportunity as would not have
been possible had we not obtained the
unexpected footing given us when Ad
miral Dewey sailed into Manila har
bor and raised the Anglican flag
above the wreck of the Spanish fleet.
Nobody denies the great benefit to ac
crue from our increasing trade in the
Orient, and it is an unjust argument
which seeks to make it appear that
those who would hold out the hope of
ultimate independence to the Filipinos
fail to understand the importance of
the extension of our commerce to the
Asiatic market.
Many of those who are keenly ap
preciative of the riches offered in the
development of this market believe
that it can be better secured to Amer
ican commerce by dealing with the Fil
ipinos as we have dealt with the Cu
bans than by proceeding with them on
the unjust basis that we have the right
to tyrannize over them, as was boldly
declared, in effect, that we proposed to
with. Puerto Rico, whose people were
formally put on notice by the repre
sentatives of the dominant party in
congress that the Spanish yoke of tyr
anny which had been taken from their
throats by American Interference was
to be substituted with another of Am
erican make, the only difference being
that the new one was to be of some
what different character than the old
one. There can be no doubt that this
new venture Into the uncertain sea of
colonial experiment has already had a
very nauseating effect upon the public
mind. The people of this country will
never be satisfied to hold Puerto Rico
in discriminating bonds, and if we hold
it—as we ought to .do—it must be as
a Territory—and ultimately as a state
with full and free access to American
ports, and with American commerce
given an open gate to the Puerto Ri
can market. Any other course would
be cruel, conscienceless and defence
less, and the party or the power re
sponsible for It will be repudiated by
the American people.
In dealing with the Philippines, It Is
well to keep in view the fact that
American sentiment, without regard to
party, is determined to maintain the
commercial footing already established
there. Viewing the matter from a
party stand-point, the Democrats are
no less emphatic in their endorsement
of this position than are the Republi
cans. If the Democrats contend, as
they will, in party convention, that our
government must put down the insur
rection in the Philippines; formerly es
tablish our authority, and administer
the affairs of the islands with the view
of giving their people ultimate inde
pendence, as we have pledged the Cu
bans, it will be because they think that
our commercial interests will be bet
ter conserved by such a policy than by
a declaration for colonial administra
tion as a permanency. Whether or
not the Republicans declare openly for
the permanent retention of the Philip
pines, and the administration of their
affairs l as a vassal possession, they
must defend such a policy in the ap
proaching campaign, Just ns its repre
sentatives in congress have defended
the theory of permanent possession in
antagonism to the Democratic conten
tion for ultimate independence.
Around these two contentions the na
tional campaign of 1900 will wage. All
other Issues will be of secondary Im
portance—the trust question, the cur
rency, and tho tariff —excepting In so
far as the Puerto Rican tariff brings
up the whole question of protection as
an Incident to the main Issue.
If the Republicans succeed In Novem
ber in electing their president, return
ing a Republican house of representa
tives, and guaranteeing a Republican
administration to succeed the one now
in power, there can be no other pos
sible alternative to the conclusion that
it will mean that we are to keep the
Philippines as a permanent possession,
maintaining our hold on the 8,000,000
people of the islands by the same pro
cess of colonial administration by
which Great Britain is enabled to hold
India; that our government is to be
committed to the establishment of a
large standing army, a half hundred
thousand of which must be retained In
t&e Philippines to insure our suprema
cy; that we must keep across the Pa
cific, 7,000 miles from our own shores,
a formidable armada, ready to cope at
any time with the fleet of any nation
with which we may have cross pur
poses; that, wc must make a sweeping
change .In our system of government
for the purpose of adjusting it to this
r.ewly created condition, and that the
tax-payers of the country must be
prepared to go down into their pockets
to indulge their demand for tills luxu
rious departure. It may develop into a
profitable investment, and the tax-pay
er may ultimately revel in the expen
diture, but the assurance is, to say the
lest, rather vague and uninviting.
If, on the other hand, the Democrats
should win the fall elections—if they
should elect their president, or, fall
ing in that, should capture the house
of represntatfves, the verdict would be
susceptible of only one construction
and that would be that the American
people are unwilling to commit thetr
government, the strength of which has
been proved by a century of crucial
tests, to a new departure in the realm
of colonial administration, the basis of
which is government without the con
sent of the governed, authority main
tained by force, subjection without
votion, and submission'without patriot
ism. Governments have been so admin
istered and people have been so held,
but not until this day has It been es
tablished that such a system of gov
ernment Is best, either for those who
govern or for those who are governed.
Personally, I am inclined to think
that the American flag now In Cuba
and in the Philippines will never be
substituted by any other. I think It Is
there to stay, and that as it was put
there by the hand of God, so will It
bo kept by divine direction. I believe,
however, that it Is not force which will
shape this end, but that it wtiMf oma
about as the voluntary act
ple of Cuba and the Philippi|B|p Like
the republic of Texas, Cuba, if* .: ever
attains independence, will instinctively
turn for admission to the American
sisterhood of state; it is inevitable. As
to the Philippines, when we have put
down the insurrection, the end of
which IS now apparently In sight; when
we have established our right to pro
ceed to the work of reconstruction,
even to the satisfaction Of Aguinaldo
himself; when peace and order shall
prevail; and the people of the Islands
shall have turned once more Into the
almost forgotten paths of prosperity—
we will bring to their hearthstones
such a practical illustration of the ben
efits to accrue to them from our sys
tem of government, so strikingly In
contrast with the oppressive methods
of Spanish tyranny under which they
have bowed for centuries, that, rather
than risk a return to old conditions,
they will invite the perpetual domina
tion of American ideas by insisting
upon the permanent retention of the
American flag.
It will take time to bring all this
about—-years perhaps—maybe decades.
In the meantime we should deal fairly
and frankly with tl. • people of the Is
lands, holding before them, as a guar
antee of our good faith assurances of
ultimate Independence when, In the
opinion of this government, they are
able to maintain a government of tholr
own. They will accept this guarantee,
and had It been made by the last Con
gress the rebellion against which we
have contended for moro than a yeAr
would never havo begun. Millions of
dollars would have been saved, not to
speak of the thousands of lives which
have been lost, the hearts which have
been broken, and the homes which have
been darkened. It is never too late to
THE AUGUSTA HERALD
The Pretty Hat That
ny Lady Will Wear.
The Spring flillinery That Has Been
Brought to Augusta This Year by
the Buyers Just Returned From
the Fashionable Centers of the East
v\s spring advances, tho thoughts of
lovely woman naturally turn to mat
ters millinery, and tho question on ev
ery tongue is, what Will be worn this
year? ■
The Augusta milliners will not have
their openings until the first week in
April and they decline to give before
hand hints regarding the exclusive
styles they wijl bring out; but the
pages of the fashion journals are al
ready bright with tulle, feathers, flow
ers? and lace, and there are prophecies
lrfnumerable regarding the modes for
the spring and summer of the last year
In the century. An undoubted author
ity says:
•‘The spring hat of 1900 occupies a
unique position In tho mililnery world.
It Is approved by the radical dress-re
formers hecause of its lightness, and
by the most fastidious society girls be
cause of Its beauty. Never have the
spring hats been so light in weight and
so artistic In shape and coloring, Airi
ness is the key-note of the early spring
models. Heavy coarse straw Is no
longer used, and tho big floxver-garden
picture-hats have also been relegated
to the jast. The most aprpovcd hats
are of medium size, and the straws
which are used are of the lightest pos~
sible texture.
, “Itis to be a season of tulle and flex
ible straw braids. The Tuscan, Cuba,
nnd wood-fibre braids are all seen_jn
the pastel shades, and form many of
the spring hats, but they are used in
various ways as a trimming. Many
of the newest rosettes ate composed of
tulle, or mallnes edged with straw
braid, and appliques of Tuscan straw
braid are a feature of many of the
smartest net toques.
“Although straw hats are not fash
ionable until Easter, already the new
styles are being exihibited, while most
fascinating combinations of tulle, tnf
fota and, lace and velvet are turned
out that are suitable for wear at the
present moment.
“The woman who has the happy tal
ent of always looking well gowned
spends np end of time and thought, not
to mention money, in hats. She is
most careful never to buy ofta that is
of unbecoming shape or color, and is
also most careful that the side and
back views suit her particular style as
does the front. Fortunately this re
sult is not so difficult of attainment In
these days when there is such a variety
of shapes to choose from. To be in
fashion this season it is not necesary
to wear one’s hat flaring off the fore
head, regardless of whether it is be
coming or not, neither is it the edict of
(the season that all hats shall be worn
tipped over the nose. In buying her
spring hat the woman of taste has ac
tually the privilege this year of taking
into consideration the contour of her
onwn face In making her selection.
There are as many hats worn off the
face as over it.”
Another authority informs us that
toques are made for the most part in
wide, large shapes, fitting closely over
the hair at the back and turned up in
the center of the front, where the trim
ming consists of fruit, flowers or lace,
an ( j ribbon formed into soft rosettes.
These toques are built on the same
lines as those of feather and fur which
were so popular all through the past
Season. Barge-brimmed hats follow in
the lines somewhat of those worn in
the late winter, and the made of taf
feta, chiffon, mousseline, and are shir
red, 'tucked, corded or draped. Barge
hats more often have a fancy facing
than not, and many of the black and
dark blue straws show a facing of
white chip, which to the woman of
dark skin is almost a necessity. Some
of the new shapes in stratv and other
materials that show quite a high
and Rather pointed crown, Ihe
outlinetof whlct®is covered with soft
trimming. To the fresh young face a
facing cf black is worn with charming
effect, hut white or colored facing must
'come to the rescue of women who are
.not sure of their complexions or skin.”
Also “that “rose du Barry Is one of
"the most popular rose shades this sea
‘son In gowns as well as millinery, and
can be worn by almost every one If
black or white is judiciously usc-d to
tone down the color. Many white hats
.of fine straws and chips are simply
.trimmed with white ostrich tips or
white flowers and ribbon for children’s
wear.
“The sailor hat, as usual, Is out In
varied shapes, and is worn both much
trimmed and nuite plain with a simple
band and quills.
“Fewer shapes droop over the face
than last year, and more of them roll
up at the sides and front. In making
your own millinery remember that the
fewer stitches used the prettier the ef
fect. Millinery this season is so very
pretty and tasteful that It takes a
really clever woman to find an ugly
hot.”
An exhibition recently mode of twen-
~ - - - |_ _ 4
do right, 'and It la not too late now to
declare our purposo, and when this Is
done, to work to that end.
Along theso lines the forces for the
great battle of 1900 havo been formed,
the bugles have been 1 sounded, and the
smoke from the picket lines already
announces that the tight Is on«
ty new spring hats, Included the fol
io-wing varying styles:
Toreador hat with pompons of pltsse
chiffon and silk pierced with pointed
quills.
Poke-shaped hat trimmed with two
feather and a velvet bow. Chou and
strings of chiffon.
Straw toque with Louis XVI. bow of
velvet ribbon and wreath of small roses
at one side.
Round sailor hat, faced with flowers
and trimmed with Empire wreath and
chou of ribbon.
Girls’ leghorn hat, shepherd shape,
simply trhqmed with black velvet rib
bon.
Draped toque of straw and plisse
mousseline-de-sole fasted with a high
bow of velvet.
Toque with plisse chiffon, bell-shaped
crown, Empire brim and bow of chif
fon.
Shape ala Napoleon. The trim
ming consists of a pair of wings clasp
ed by a buckle. «
Round toque of coarse straw. Brim
covered with wings, two birds form
ing .entire trimming.
Little girls’ hat, trimmed with field
flowers, tied with stiffly wired velvet
ribbon.
Marie Stuart bonnent trimmed with
bluets, grasses, ribbon and chiffon
strings of velevt.
Ilat trimmed with crepe-de-chene
with a buckle from which spring two
wings.
Sailor hat with loosely sprayed
wreath of (lowers and chou of velvet
fastened to the crown.
Pompadour hat of coarse straw trim
med with velvet, through which a quill
Is thrust.
trimmed with bow of velvet and two
stiff quills.
Bonnet toque of straw faced with jet
anrl trimmed with a large gauze but
terfly.
Picture hat of white straw with vel
vet facing. Ostrich feathers caught
with a jet eahochnn.
Round toque of soft milan straw. Tho
trimming consists of a stiff round
wreath.
Capote of straw, entire side covered
with wild roses. Large bow of velvet
on crown.
Toque with crown of lace over chif
fon, finishing in front with bow and
two curving quills.
The Massachusetts Horticultural So
ciety is to hold Its annual exhibition of
spring flowers, plants, fruits and veget
ables in Horticultural Hall, Boston,
from March 20 to March 23 inclusive.
Prizes to the amount of SI,OOO are to be
distributed among the exhibitors.
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The Alexander Drug Company,
Augusta, Ga.
Corporal Benson in
the Enemy’s Country.
He Eats Two Acres of Sugar Cane,
Engages in Hard Hardies and is
Where He is Likely to Have Some
Pretty Sharp Fighting Soon.
Montolupa, Cavite Province, P. 1.,
Jan. 9, 1900.—1 had to go on guard over
(the prisoners Christmas eve, and
’Christmas dinner was beans, an d
La Loma church, giving them and the
guard, a treat of bananas, and was a
little Ita for dinner getting back.
Christmas fllnenrw ns beans, bread and
coffee, and Wfe had to rush through
that, for there wa9 another move to be
made. The prisoners were turned over
to Co. B, ami we hiked out to the
south In light order. At regimental
headquarters a battalion was formed
of Companies A, D, I and D, and we
continued the march south under com
mand of Major Johnston. Capt. Lid
dell had been siek in bed for a week or
more and so had Major Almand, our
lieutenant, but they trudged along just
the same, over the roughest of rough
Voads. Tho captain was for
tunate enough to get hold of a horse
somewhere, or he would probably have
dropped out in a few miles.
1 Aftertwo miles of this rough road we
ipuddenly turned Into a fine macadam
ized highroad,anil marched nearly east,
In column of four. All the marching on
tho rough country roas and path 3 is
done in column of twos, and mostly
files, as there is only one narrow beat
en path In a road, the roadbed being
cut up by teams In the wet season, and
drying in ruts and furrows of hard
mud, that are impostble to walk over.
About the middle of tho afternoon
we came to the “Depository,” an ord
nance depot and General Hall’s head
quarters. We halted here and rested
nearly ail hour, drawing two days'
travel rations of bacon, hardtack, cof
fee and sugars, which we put In our
haversacks, stuffed in our shirt bos
oms and pockets and tied on with
strings—anything to carry all we could.
Lieut. Almand had kept up so far,
but was ordered back here by the sur
geon, and as we marched off he turned
his back and wept like a child, and 1
felt like crying, too, for I knew how
hard it was.
From the Depository we followed the
highway, now lying a little north of
east, and passed four of five camps of
cavalry and infantry, guarding tli
great iron pipe that brings water from
the Mariquina river to Manila, a dis
tance of at least ten miles- We arrived
at the waterworks on the Ilarlquina
river shortly before sunset, getting our
■first view of the beautiful valley from
th t > heights over the little town of of
ficials’ and workmen's houses sur
rounding the pump-houses anq other
buildings of the plant, half hidden by
the tropical foliage In tne streets,
squares and courts. Beyond was the
swift river, gleaming in the slanting
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Price.
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tion. and beautifies tbo com- fl Iff I
plexioa naturally, . , "•v/ V/
Mme. Ruppvrt'n Kgyptlan
Balm, a ▼■limblo alcia food, and -g
axed in connection with the I fl 0
Bleach romovoe wrlnklos, . ** • v v
rays of the sun, cool, c.*jur a.*J fresh
front the mountains, so very
from the sluggish, miSrky streams we
w r ero acquainted with In the level
country uround Mania, an ideal halt
ing place after our ten mile march in
the hot sun, over the rough country
roads and dusty military road, with
llttlo cr no water to drink.
* * •
To the north the valley extended, a
green, level plain traversed by the
winding ribbon of the river, with a
network of bamboo hedges enclosing
and separating fields of rice and cane,
and backed by great, rugged moun
tains clothed in verdure of all shades—
not the faint blue outlines we were ac
customed to see from the breastworks
nnj outposts around Manila, but stand
ing clear ar.d bold In plain view across
the valley, a few short miles.
Of couro I thought of 'lortez, and
when wo halted on tho brow of the
hill I felt some of the enthusiasm and
acstaey—almost frenzy—which wholly
possessed me two days after. I thought,
too, of home and the teh-thousands of
miles which separated me from it. And
at the thought I half closed my 6ye3
and my imagination carried me to the
Savannah valley as I left It, and I
stood under the sycamore, broad-leaved
and spreading, with tho red river flow
ing silently, lined with willows and
cotton-wood; above, the long wooden
bridges from which came the rumble of
country wagns crossing, and far downt
a fisherman in his boat so intent oh hid
lines that he and his boat and the rip
pits from the bow seemed a picture or
a dream. Then I looked under the
great oaks to the end*of the street, and
there,a t the gate, as I expected, was
my little mother, ar.d as she beckoned
to me—l started forward in rospohse to
the command, “Forward march!” and
home was half a world away. With
tears in my eyes I turned to the man
behind me and earnestly begged him to
kick me good and hnrd.
We tramped down the hill, through
(he town, out on a sand-bar, where we
stripped to the waist and with clothes
in one hand and rifle In the other we
forded the swift, cold river in water at
our waists. On the farther side wo
dressed and rested for a short wklteß
greatly refreshed by the ■#«Gsi3s
Ond in—for we filled our and
drank all we could os we forded.
... - \
The bataiion spent the night in the
little village of San Tomas, about two
hundred yards from the ford, my squad
and I sleeping under a bamboo house
with a pig pen on one side and a chick
en coop On the other, and farming im
plements all around, above and below.
Our supper was bacon fried in meat
cans or plates, and coffee made in tin
cups, and hard tacit, dry or fried in ba
con greaSe—this is what We had on the
wholq campaign, except a few potatoes
and onions we got at Sari Mated. As
we wore eating supper Blnch, Odour
and Bugler Carroll came up, panting,
with wat' 3 r dripping from every fold
of their clothing. They had been on a
pass to Manila, a nd when they learn
ed from the sick men of the company’s
move, they set out hot-foot, two hours
and a half after we left, to- Join us.
My squad and I Went on guard, pat
rol and outpost duty, all In one, at sous
in the morning, and stayed till day
break. When we went down to the
river for water we |>und a battalion of
the Forty-sixth, wlieh had come over
during the night.'’They went on ahead
of us across the rice fields. V
• . »
Major Johnston gave us aloout half
an hour to bathe and get ready to
“hike,” and then, as the sun rose, we
hiked, across a mile and a half of rice
paddies in single file, til! we struck the
military road again, passing mule-wag
ons, a novelty, and cariboo carts going
for rations, through a half-ruined.,vlD
iage, beyond which we began tff> find
pieces of sugar cane, which we/picked
up and chewed on the march. We forced
two small streams, the water not com
ing much above our knees, and on tho
hanks of the second we rested under
the shade of the trees from the fierce
rays of the sun. Here we cookd all
our rations and filled up on sugar cane
from a field a short way down the
creek. I think that in the week we
spent In that valley I ate nearly two
acres of sugar cane.
• • •
Our route lay through many cane
fields and in a march in single file
there nre many "stops and halts of a
few minutes duration, affording amp’e
:imo to select and cut two or thre" 1
good stnlks, that have been trampled
down by the troops ahead; or It is but
a moment’s work and no delay to ste'.
aside and cut a stalk. and -etch up *•
your place. I think we had ample ex*
cuse; we were on nf orced mc.rch, rest
of the t'mo we had r.o water, nn 1 th
can ju'ee was an excellent ruhstltut'".
an i the Maxing sun mode water ah*
lutely neces ary, while the • •hc’i
amount the battalion u-cd (luring *he
week would not be missed frem a t“ -
acre field, and lastly—we wire 1 n the
merry's country.
CHAS. G. nEN”/"''
Co. D, 29th U. S. V. I.
A Boon
TO All
women