Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 May 1903 — LET US COUNT THE COST. [ARTICLE]

LET US COUNT THE COST.

Indianapolis News: We think that it is time for the American people to begin to count the cost of their little experiment in the direction of imperialism. The so-called insurrection in the Philippines began February 4, 1899. Between that date and April 30, 1902, whon the insurrection was practically at an end, sixty-nine of our officers and 936 of our enlisted men had been killed, or had died of wounds received in battle. Of the officers forty-seven, and of the enlisted men 2,535 have died of disease, and including deaths from accident, murder, drowning, etc, we had lost 139 officers and 4,016 enlisted men. There were 190 officers and 2,707 enlisted men wounded. Thuß the total casualties directly traceable to the war were, up to April, 1902, 329 officers and 6,723 enlisted men. Many have been killed and w funded since April of last year. We have been fighting with the Moros, ladronism still continues, and above all, the deadly climate is still ruining the health of our soldiers. We make no argument now, but simply call attention to one factor of the problem which the President and those who agree with him seem prone to push into the background. It is always well to look at both sides of the question. Possibly in this connection we may be permitted to mention the fact that thousands of Fillipinos have lost their lives either in battle or by disease and starvation consequent to the war. Nor should it be forgotten that we paid Spain $20,000,000 for the islands, and that the war up to April, 1902, had cost this nation $170,326,586 in gold. In other words, we have paid more than 7,000 lives of brave Americans, over $200,000,000 in money, and thousands of Filipino lives on account of our experiment in the Philippines. As we say, we make no argument. Our only purpose is to give the people the facts that are necessary to the formation of a sound opinion on this important question. All we ask is that sensible men should think of what the Philippine experience has cost us in precious liveaJand in money. Surely human life is worth something. Even in these prosperous times money is not so easy to get that men can afford to throw it away. Yet the President talks as though there were nothing in this question except the establishment of American sovereignty in the Philippines and other distant regions, for he says we belong to the expanding nations —and never says one word about the dreadful cost.