The silver star., 1899-03-02

Of the oppressed. 1t would be tenn
erity to even hint that the call upon
us for aid and for succor was not
loud and insistent. We all heard it
to the reinotest crossroads of the
country and by our hands and by
our hearts, and by our prayers we
all responded. Party lines were
broken down for the time, and
would have been again, if we had
returned to the hand of the oppres-
sor the land ofthe oppressed. Sure
ly we all agree on this point.
Seeond---All parties would have
questioned the wisdom of giving
these islands over to any foreign
power. The logic of the matter,
appreciated instantly by the nation.
al mind, was this---having fought
for these feeble people and having
conquered their enemies, they be-
come our wards and we were there
fore, in honor, bound to undertake
their betterment, no matter what
the cost or embarrassment to us. A
deed half done is never we'll done,
and a child saved from a fire has but
little cause for gratitude if it is i'm
rhediately thereafter thrown out in
to cold world without friends.
Third---It was equally out of the
question among those who studied
the conditions of the mixed popula-
tion Of the Philippines, to leave
them instantly to their own devices.
The fierce repressions to which they
had been subjected had not even
united diverse peoples into a COM
mon resistance or Spain had been
swept out long before. The Malay
element would not work we'll with
the half-breeds. The vast Chinese
population was out of sympathy
with both. In every direction there
fore were the elements of most
fearful anarchy among ten millions
of people. No civilizing power and
least of all the United States could
bring itself to permit deliberately
the selfdestruction of poor creatures
who as yet had no understanding of
liberty except as license.
Fourth---Therefore when a nom
representative body of men---not
more than 10000 out of 10000, 900
lied by an agitator who had been
bought off by the Spaniards at least
once---opposed every measure for
bringing the Philippine conditions
into the orderliness that is 50 dear
to English speakers, there was moth
ing to be done both for the sake of
the Filipinos we would benefit and
fer the honor and the dignity ofths
United States but to fight this agi-
tator and having started to fight, to
fight the best we knew how.
Not one of these four points is I'm
fair or insincerc. Ibelieve they will
stand inspection and elaboration by
those readers who are able to carry
theiti out more fully than my space
will permit.
600
"a Ur I believe that the dilly.dal-
~ lying in Washington in regard
to the treaty of peace, and the step.
ping down of ouf political leaders to
the old level Of trying to make pol
litiEal capital out Of everything;
even 50 fateful a matter as war and
peace---encouragcd the rtialcontent
Pilipinos to believe that we were
neither united nor stfong---ahd the
blood Of these misguided ones who
fell must rest or Ought 70 rest heavy
Upon all of ds who weakly permit.
ted the Washirgtoti jangles to go
on almost without protest We
have suffered and these dead suffer.
ed because Of OUR own indccisidn.
A strong step along a right way Is
rendered stronger BY ptomptituds'
Nations and men doth prove It.
900 s 80,
rRrnisR, AS 4 Aciosing thought
Of intsnse. practicability, let
us bear III MIND that there Is no very
wondrous weldon, in destructive
I.t.s4sl