New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-11
MISTAKES OF MR.. EDMUNDS.

Regard for ex-senator Edmunds's high char
acter and eminent services must now be coupled
with regret for some Of the statements which
his latest published letter afirms will not be
disputed by any intelligent person" Some OF
these regarding the Philippines will strike every
fairly intelligent reader with Amusement:
q, They are. as all human experience has
proved absolutely incapable of being colonzed
and built ND into communities OF Americans or
OF any Of the people Of cool climates
There has been no such experience. Under
Spanish rule the effort has never been made,
but in spite OF that rule considerable numbers
OF foreigners. especially of Germans, have
chosen TO reside OH the islands.
ca The FIVE or six islands Of the group OF any
considerable size are already fully populated by
the races and mixtures above mentioned.
There seems 10 be much evidence to the con-
trary. The Encyclopedia Britannica says:
THE larger islands are in several cases only be-
ginning TO be properly explored or Luzon II
saws: "The figures Of the censuses often give no
Idea OF the actual native population of the re-
"moter districts" or Mndoro. one of the larg-
est Of the islands. only ten miles south OF Luzoh'
# SAYS: Its interior, peopled by about thirty
thousand Manguianes n race or doubtful ANN
city. is practically UNEMPLOYED or the popuia-
ton in general It says: There are no accurate
statistics Of the whole population OF the Phil
"ippines and even the number or spanish SUD
''jects was up to 1877 only estimated according
"fo the number Of those who pay tribute
Again, Mr. Edmunds, speaking OF the time
when Admiral Dewey destroyed the Spanish
deet. states:
"a Nearly oil beyond the bay and city OF Ma
Mia was in possession OF an organized rebellion
against Spain
The fact is that there was no organized insur-
Gent government until June II, more than n
month after Dewey's battle But, referring to
the same battle. Mr. Edmunds says:
a. At that time and long before an active
and powerful rebellion was in progress In the
islands.
He seems 10 ignore the fact that the insurrec
ton had been suppressed by purchase OF its
leaders In July. 1897 and that Agunaldo was In
Hong Kong until Dewey sailed. The extracts
from the official reports of United States Con-
suls which have recently been published show
how far from accurate his statement Is. Mr..
Edmunds further says:
"a The people Of the Islands do not
desire 10 be annexed and to become n territorial
dependency OF the United States OF any kind.
and that they intend 10 resist annexation APP
pears TO be indisputabIc
There is no evidence 10 that effect. What the
people OF the islands want or how they feel
about il nobody knows. but In respect to the
lending men and their assertions about the
wishes Of the people there is abundant tcstl-
mony In the consular letters from which We
have already made ample quotations. The fact
Is that the temper OF n portion of the leaders
and Of the bands which are under their imme'
diate control has obviously changed. but there
is really no evidence whatever that the DISPOSE
ton Of the great body OF insurgents and iuhabi-