The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-04-28
The Philippines.

These Islands, twelve hundred or more in
number. contain from eight to ten millions.
OF people These people, docie, ignorant
and terribly oppressed by Spain, grow to-
bacco, hemp and sugar in great quantities.
The public revenue is about $14 900 900. The
people pay taxes, but they get very little in
return. They do not get even protection for
life or property, much less public education
or any other feature of good government.
The brutal Spanish official uses his oppor-
tunities to first enrich himself, and then TO
secure revenue for the home government.
1t is cruelty, oppression and robbery car
ried to the limit
Docile as the natives are, they have again
rebelled, and the latest reports go to show
that they are gail erng in the neigl borhood
of the capital of the islands, Manila, and
that defeat of the Spanish troops may oc-
cur. Protected by the American ships, the
native islanders may indeed be able to Sc
cure control of the islands.
The United States fleet consists of nine
ships, commanded by Commodore Dewey.
The fine cruisers, Baltimore and Olympia,
are supported by the smaller cruisers, Bos-
ton and Raleigh, the gunboats Concord and
Petrol, and the revenue cutter, McCuloch.
All of these are modern ships, well equip
ped for battle. They will have to meet be-
fore Manila more vessels, but most of them
are of the ancient type. Spain has two
small protected cruisers there, the Isle de
Cuba and the Isle de Luzon. Her largest
cruiers in Asiatic waters is the Reina
Christiana with protective deck, resem-
bling the Alphonso XII, now lying in Ha-
vana harbor.
Altogether Spain has seventeen vessels at
or near Manila, but none of them are a
match for the Baltimore or Olympia. The
task in hand is not so much to help the in
surgents, as to defeat the Spanish fleet,
and hold Manila, so that Spain will not
have base in Asiatic waters. The natives
would welcome any change.
But the islands would not, in any event,
long remain in the hands of the United
States. This country has no colonial sys-
tenn and wants none The Philippines will
come to the United States as a prize Of
war, to be held as a part of the indemnity
that this country will demand. They can
be disposed of after the war is over, to the
best bidder who will treat the native peo-
pie humanely and properly Either Japan
or Great Britain will take them at big
round figures. Great Britain once captured
Manila, and held 1t against a ransom Of
s., 900. The islands are very valuable, and
there may be no other way of securing the
war indemnity that this country will be en-
titled to, except by selling them as security
for it. The people are not fitted for self
government but in the hands of either ia
governed and kindly treated. The advance
ment of these millions can be secured with
acquire upon the islands. Whatever change
| occurs will be gain to the native people Of
the islands, and the happier the change the
more the people of this country will be
pleased. Bad as Spain has treated the Gu
bans, they have Jared well in comparison
with the natives of the distant Philippines.
| Spain has there, out of sight, shown the
| depths of the misrule she is so readily ca
| pable of.