Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-10
A VICIOUS CALUMNY.
Unjust and Unpatriotic View of Our
Intentions in the Philippines.

From the Outlook
Let us have an end of this twaddle
about benevolent, assimilation and all the
rest OF it. 1t deceives nobody. We are sim
ply conquering eight millions, more or less,
of nightly mixed orientals, for what we
think can be made off of them and their
country. We may, after we get done kill
ing, looting, burning and laying waste In
general, try to bring the Tagals and the
others up in the way they ought to go, but
that will be done to crafty our own pride,
and In the hope that it will help toward
lining our own ckets.''-Chattanooga
(Tenn.) Times.
1t is an i'll bird that fouls it's own nest.
1t is a poor patriotism that ISLANDERS its
own people. What have the American peo-
pie ever done that would justify even their
bitterest enemy in saying what the Chatta-
nooga Times here says, and the New York
Evening Post copies without reproof and
with apparent Endorsement.
The American people won liberty for
themselves In the American revolution, and
straightway opened their doors to the op-
pressed of all other lands, and invited the
poor to share the wealth of the new CONT
nent On equal terms with the men who had
won II by their blood and treasure. They
conquered liberty for the African, and the
war over, taxed themselves, the south by
direct taxation, the north by generous con-
education which they gave to their own
children. individuals have robbed and
plundered the Indians, but the nation, as
nation, has expended millions of dollars in
giving to them education and industrial
civilization-not always wisely, but with
generosity. BY purchase and by war Amer
leans have won more than half the territory
which they now possess. They have not
only extended over the Inhabitants the
same free institutions which they them
selves enjoy, but they have offered the land
TO of rolf faf+l Il,
who would occupy and cultivate it.
But this was what our fathers did. Per-
haps we, their sons, have degenerated. We
have emancipated Cuba. We have spent
millions of dollars and hundreds of lives
in this war Of emancipation. And with
what result? 1t is less than ten months
since the armistice with Spain was agreed
on, and less than six months since the final
treaty was signed by President Mckinley.
Has our administration since then been de-
voted to seeing what we can make out of
the Cubans and lining our own pockets? Or
has it been devoted to giving them the
rights which Spain denied to thenl-life, lib
erty and the pursuit of happiness? Here,
in brief, is the record in Santiago; similar
work has been done in Havana, Guantana-
mo, Baracoa, Gibara, Holguin. Santiago
was indescribably filthy. 1t is now as clean
as New York or Boston. Its death rate was
nearly 700 a week; its death rate now does
stores were closed and it's streets idle; now
its streets are full and it's stores open and
full of buyers. 1t was without a market; its
market now is we'll supplied as those Of
our best American cities of equal size. A
year ago there was not cultivated plant
within ten miles; now there is scarcely an
uncultivated acre A year ago there was
not a single public school building in the
city; now there are seventeen elementary
and grammar schools with an average at
tendance of nearly 1900 pupils. Then gov
ernmental corruption was universal; fraud
ulent accounts and the exaction of over
hxyo fficia1S the rnle- thew
are almost unknown.
The courts are reorganized; laws have
been promulgated guaranteeing rights of
person and property which for three CEN
turtles of Spanish misrule have been I'M
known; bull fighting and cock fighting are
prohibited; tradesmen are required to give
just measure according to standard weights
and measures; Cubans have been appointed
not only to minor offices, but as mayors;
under United States supervision and sub
ject to United States veto, local seh-gov-
eminent is already well under way. Mean
while, Christian benevolence has offered to
provide Cubans who wish to teach at home
with free education to fit them for their
work, and has opened free Christian
f1ocking in great numbers. In nine months
one church in Santiago, the Baptist, has re-
ceived hundred and forty members.
What reason has any one to believe that
the establishment of American sovereignty
in the Philippines would not be followed
with similar results? What justification
has the Chattanooga Times for its original
and the New York Evening Post for its
borrowed Islander of Americans? Christ
said: with what judgment We Judge We
shall be judged" This is a right rule of
Judgment. For in judging men impute to
others motives of which they are conscious
in themselves. The man who can see no
nobler motive for the American battle
against despotism In Cuba and anarchy In
the Philippines than desire by Americans
to line their own pockets, by thus aspersing
the motives of men whose unselfish patriot
ISM ne cannot comprehend, affords a Just
ground for suspecting the motives which
dominate him.