New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-19
THE PHILIPPINE SITUATION.

The Stars and Stripes may before these lines
are read he floating in triumph above the clta-
del OF Manila For the last fortnight the iate
Of that city has depended solely upon the Will
Of Admiral Dewey 1t would have fallen Whell-
ever he gave the word He did hot give the
word because he wanted TO have American
troops there TO take possession Of the place
and 10 establish beyond dispute American goS-
erpment. We said yesterday that General Mer-
ritts troops would surely be there IN Few
DAYS An hour later there came report that
they had arrived. 1t came from shanghai the
chief existing source Of canards Neverthe-
less. II may be true. II not 1t was mere an
+,c,nat,on OF the truth 1t was on Sunday
morning that Admiral Dewey fiaunted the Stars
and Stripes above the "shot shattered navy OF
Spain." 1t would be a happy sequel if this
Sunday morning should see the United States
Army raise that flag over the vanquished
fortresses and captured Government House or
Manila
However that ray be In point or time mat
flag must surely be raised there in token or
supreme and lasting sovereignty. Nothing is
more clear than the right Of this country 10 take
possession OF those Islands and to shape all their
future destiny No one, it IS well believed.
recognizes tlAt TACT UOlP CItuIIH IMAM 49, ~
trenid insurgent leader General Agunaldo. lie
knows that before Spain went to war win us
the lnsurgent cause seemed hopeless He nm
self had left the islands In despair. HAD SPAIN
instead of trying to fight the United States
withdrawn her forces from Cuba and sent them
to the Philippines. she could easily nave main
tanned her authority there. II was only he
cause Of our attack upon Manila that the IN
surgents plucked up new courage ana resumed
their operations. 1t was on an American snip
that General Agunaldo returned to Luzon. IT
Is an American conquest, and America must
dispose of the spoils as she wishes. The naiu-
raj rights Of the natives will be respected.
Their desires and ambitions will he carefully
considered But whether the islands are 10 be
made a Federal colony of the United States or
are to be permitted to make the experiment of
self government under American protection ana
suzeraintv. with General Merritt playing such
a part as Lord Cromer is playing in Egypt, Is
matter for this country 10 decide for itself and
for them.
Whatever Is done with them. the islands will
ever be reminder of Spanish misrule at It's
worst Spanish sloth and neglect Spanish IN
tolerance and bigotry, Spanish tyranny and
cruelty Spanish bcmbast and rhodomontade.
and Spanish negligence and lack of preparation
for war; have all been displayed there In their
supreme degree. The wild rantlng Of the Arch
bishop about his communication from God
against the Yankee pigs" and the pitiahle plant
OF the despairlng Captain-General, who feels
himself forsaken and doomed, may well be the
last notes Of that imperial and imperious voice
that once rang round the world In indsputable
authority The voice Of free men and OF prog
ress and civilization may now well take its
place among the green isles and echoing straits
OF that Australasan paradise.