The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1899-02-08
1t is asserted with considerable posi-

1t is asserted with considerable posi-
tiveness by some Of our metropolitan
journals that Aguinaldo was urged on
to make the attack upon the Ame rican
troops by his agent, Agonciilo, at Wash
iugton, who was watching the divided
sentiment in this country and in the
senate on the question of ratlfying the
treaty Of peace, and hoped by an attack
OF the FiIipinos upon the American ar
my to create an aversion at Washington
that would etfectually kill ratification.
Ii he SO urged, which ls doubtful, as his
message of u hostile character some time
ago was intercepted by the government
censorship of Manila dispatches, he
m%,sludged American temper wofully, for
such a purse was just the thing to pro-
duce an opposite result. 1t was a ques-
ton OF grave moment whether the treaty
would have been ratified by the present
senate, but when the news of the attack
came ratification was an az sured fact MS
quite a number of senatorial votes are
conceded to have changed as a result of
tne battle. However much Americans
may dispute as to policies, when a for
eign enemy Is to be met they are u unit.
This was too clearly demonstrated by
the late wal with Spain. Whenit comes
to a question of American honor at arms
there is just as much patriotism and
perhaps more of the stubborn kind 10
those who would first prevent their
country from committing = wrong than
IN those who would reckIessly lead their
country into wrongdoing because they
thought it either right or popular. This
trait Of American character Agoncillo
did not consider if he advised the Fill
p;nos' rash act at Manila.
Another accusation some Of these jim
go journals are more free than sensible
10 making, is that the opponents of rati-
tioatlon of the treaty are responsible for
the insurgent attack and the death OF
the American soldiers that followed.
they claim that if the treaty had been
ratified at once that trouble with the
tilipinos would never have arisen. But
in this statement they overlook history
ia the Philippines. While Dewey and
the Filipinos co-operated the latter had
the utmost confidence in Americans and
hailed them as deliverere aud friends.
They felt the dawn of their day OF indie.
pendence was already breaking and they
were encouraged to fight for it. Dewey
gave them arms, ammunition and pro-
lection, and they honored and obeyed
him, even at q distance. But when Gen.
Merritt arrived, all was changed. He
would have no dealings with them. He
snubbed them socially, refused to le5
them take part in the capture of Manila
which had been nearly theirs before be
arrived, and refused them a triumphal
march when the city c%apitulated. It
was then the Filipinos' estimate Of
American character changed. 1t is ever
since then that he has looked upon the
American with suspicion, as an intruder.
a possible new tyrant who would rob
them of their almost achieved liberty.
Had the treaty been ratified in Wash.
the day it was signed in Paris,
the result would have been the same.
This brush would have had to come be-
fore the naughty but ignorant Filipino
would submit. After kindness was
aside, brute force is all that will
now avail. We have got to lick them
iato subsection.
As to the question OF loss of life in the