The times., 1898-12-19
MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1898.
Facts From General Merritt.

Facts From General Merritt.
Major General Wesley Merritt, of tie
United States Army. the first military
governor at Manila, has returned to this
country by way of Paris, in time to add
to the misery of the un-American few,
who include a decayed statesman or two.
but who are mainly men without any
love or admiration for our political in
stitutions and who hardly conceal t:seir
contempt for the American people. Gen
eral Merritt, the adviser of the Peace
Commissioners in relation to Philippine
matters was intimately associated with
the great naval hero. Admiral Dewey,
and the two agree so entirely about the
conditions and prospects there that Mer-
ritt says he must have acquired most of
his ideas from Dewey. Yet it is known
that he made a point of cultivating the
acquaintance of leading and trustworthy
people of nearly all classes at Manila in
order to learn all possible facts about
the country and the character of the
various inhabitants. In a long and inter-
esting statement, he throttles the lsad-
fng objections raised b. the un-American
minority. At a meeting of what may be
correctly called the Deform Club of New
York. Saturday night. one of the family
of that far-seeing expansionist. william
H. Seward. won the applause Of the un
Americans by asserting that this country
could not. under the peace proto oil, take
sovereignty of the Philippines from
Spain To the question, What are we to
do them which is evaded by most of the
few. he replied: Give the Philippines
back 10 Spain, To whom they belong" He
IS the only one of the number who op-
pose the retention of the islands b. this
country who has the courage to speak
his mind on this point But anybody who
Knows the conscience of the American
people cannot consider this advice as
practical. However logical, it is an OBJ
Nious fact that they would never permit
the restoration OF the Filipinos to the
cruel rule of Spain against which they
have 50 often rebelled and which would
acd revenge 10 the cupidity that has hith-
erto marked it. 1t is out of the ques ion.
Others not more considerate, in fact,
of the welfare of the island people and
quite as regardless of our responsibility
for their future, urge the independence of
the colony The opinion of General Mer-
ritt. which is also that of Admiral Dewey,
the two Americans who know best about
the people. is this: THE Filipinos are not
capable of self-government. There are
many intelligent men among them, but
to give them independence would be to
put the islands out as prize for Europe
to scramble for. Spain can never rule
these islands again. We must keep them
under our flag, and l don't think We'll
have the least difficulty in governing
them The Spanish residents viii GER
dainiy welcome US. No one is so heart
lily sick of Spanish rule. They believe
their property interests will be better pro.
tected under the American flag than un-
der the Spanish flag. 1t looks to me like
very plain sailing in the Philippines for
the United States. The annexation of the
Philippines will advance our China trade
undoubtedly. The Filipinos respect our
authority, and l believe will welcome it
permanent thing If they are con
WINGED it will be exercised for their good"
General Merritt added that the strength
of the Filipinos' army Is twelve or four
Teen thousand. many of them mere boys.
Aguiaaldo he regards as no general, but
a sbrewd man who takes good advice.
He has advisers who are far ab,er than
himself. General Merritt refuses to say
who they are. but the inference is that
they are Europeans.
The assertion is freely made by the un-
American few. and it appears in the CIR
cuiar of the Reform Club. that no white
people can live in these tropical islands.
but they must be forever the exclusive
home of an inferior race and an inferior
civilization. General Merritt says: "The
climate is excellent and the Ang o-Saxon
can live and thrive in it. There are hun
dreds of English families there now, some
of whom have lived there fl en- years
and expect to live there the est of their
lives. l do not think the rnarta ity has
been or will be great in the p. ilipp:nes
Death and sickness increased among tn.
troops after the capture of Manila. be-
cluse1he men failed to take the same
care OF themselves that they had taken
before that time That the volunteers
share TINS opinion is shown by the state
nent OF Admiral Dewey that a large pro-
portion of them have organized business
companies and will remain in the islands
after their discharge from the army.
If President Mckinley were in need
of anything 10 strengthen his purpose to
carry out the expansion policy, the COM
ing of General Merritt would be very
grateful. Even as 1t is-with the Pres
dent now as an aggressive expans,onist-
he viii be warmly welcomed. All his in
formation, which is more extensive and
far more exact than that of any other
American except Dewey. warrants the
challenge President Mckinley has flung
at the un-American few: THAT flag has
been planted in two hemispheres and