The record-union., 1898-08-03
FULL OF DIFFICULTIES.

The insurgent Aguinaldo is behaving
posed to resent our advance upon the
mainland, and to dictate to our troops
under General Merritt The fellow is
neither warrior nor a diplomat. He
is. as we read of him and estimate his
character, a man of very ordinary ca
pacity, but inspired by vaulting ambi-
ton and unconquerable hatred. He
has had success in investing Manila
and conquering outlying towns, because
he has operated under the shelter Of
Deweys guns. and has been armed by
consent of the Admiral, against whom
he now turns with characteristic in
gratitude, precisely as he did against
the Spaniards, after he had traitorousiy
sold out to them and taken their gold
for betraying his cause.
Latest advices are that our Govern
ment instructs it's representatives in
Manila Bay not to antagonize this in
surgent leader Evidently it is appre-
ciated that we are not strong enough
as yet in the Orient to cope with
Aguinaldo and the Spanish, or, for the
matter Of that, to take the risk Of
lighting either one or the other alone.
except on the shore line under shelter
of the guns Of our fleet.
All in all, the situation in the Philip
pines is anything but satisfactory, and
promises to develop surprises at any
1f
that Aguinaldo represents the people Of
the Philippines who are fighting upon
their own soil, and that we have no
moral right to take possession Of their
land without their consent. Neither
had we the moral right to dispossess
the aboriginal tribes Of America, but
destiny drove US forward in that di-
rectton Nor had we the moral right
to take Texas from the Mexicans, while
we justified the acquisition Of Califor-
MIA by force Of arms and without ask
ing consent of the resident people Of
the territory acquired.
In the case, of Aguinaldo, however, he
represents bat a portion Of the people
Of Luzon. The hill tribes assert their
tribal sovereignty, and each Of their
chiefs has refused to do obesance to
him. The F1llipinos proper have large
ly repudiated him, and a considerable
section Of them have openly asked the
protection of the United States and
favor our retention Of the island.
If we acquire Luzon, or any portion
of it, we will take title from Spain in
the first instance, who has held 1t in
sovereign grasp for over 200 years,
and secondly by right Of war as a
spoil Of victory in indemnity. Our con-
tention in the Philippines has been the
opportunity Of the insurgent chiefs
They are to be the larger beneflciaries
of our acts, and are most to profit by
the withdrawal of Spanish domination,
or the institution Of reforms. However
looked at, therefore, we cannot con-
slider Agulnaldo in a friendly light The
man is treacherous, ignorant and vim
dictive If we assail the Spanish in
Manila and refuse him admission TO the
city, we will assuredly have him as an
open foe If we do not prevent his
entry into the city we Will become
particeps criminis in any horrors
which may and are likely to follow
since except for our interference
Aguinaldo could not have penned VI
the Spanish as he has. Under the cir
cumstances our position at Manila is
one fun Of difficult problems, demand
ing the greatest caution in movement
the wisest counsels, and the most
adroit handling.