Washington sentinel., 1899-12-23
LAW TON.

LawtOn has fallen-OraYeSn Snoole
typical soldiers citizen OF the Re.
public, hero OF two great wars for
liberty, the war that freed the
slaves and the war that freed Cuba.
This sacrifice, concentrating in
one person and one event all the
nations sacrifices, drives into the
public mind and the public con-
science the folly and the crime Of
Mr.. McKinley's war in the Philip
pines.
A year ago today there was
peace in the Philippines-peace
with a promise OF a sunrise Of lib
erty, peace with the Filipinos as
our allies and friends, peace with
our army and navy saluting the
flag ol the Filipino republic, peace
with the Filipinos trusting, in spite
OF strange silences and delays. that
they would yet get that for which
they had been fighting against the
Spaniard for three centuries.
A year ago last Thursday, with
out warning, without consultation
with our own officers in the Phil
ippines, without consulting the
Filipinos, who had established a
government Of their own six
months before with not a word Of
protest from US, Mr.. Mckinley
issued a proclamation calling upon
the Filipinos 10 lay down their
arms and become the vassals, the
political slaves of the United
States. He held out no hope Of
self government. He carefully
avoided mention OF their political
rights. He uttered not a word Of
recognition or explanation. In
thinly disguised language of arro-
giant and contemptuOus d spotism,
he gave the alternative OF political
slavery or death.
A war iollowed-"this damna-
BILE war" as Major Gen. Lawton
called it with the simple bluntness
OF the honest soldier. Homes,
churches, school houses have been
burned by the thousand. Tens OF
thousands OF men, women and
children who ought to have lived
to bless the name OF the Republic
have died-ot wounds, of famine,
OF fever, on battlehelds, in the
depths OF jungles, by the ashes Of
their destroyed homes.
More than a tho Isand American
citizens have been sacri6ced-each
a life OF use and value, each life
dear to friends and family. Five
times a thousand have been Grip
pied or invalided tor life by wounds
or disease.
And now the nation loses Law
ton = 4 hero-name standing for all
this virtue and courage and USE
fulness that is irreparably lost to
the Republic.
Lost for what7
Not for single purpose oil power
or commerce or aggTandizement
that could not and would not have
been gained without the shedding
OF a drop OF blood, without the
sacrifice OF any principle.
And the war goes on.
Major Gen. Lawton was killed
in battle only thirteen miles from
Manila, within reach Of a shot
from the big guns Of our navy rid
ing in Manila Bay.
And OTIS is saying and McKin.
ley is repeating: THE war is
over"
Must these sacrifices go on and
onl Must slaughter be heaped
upon slaughter, SORROW upon sor-
row9 Is there no conscience, no
courage in CongressP Is there no
clarion voice to ring out the gos-
pei Of truth and humanity and
justice so that it will stir to action
those so-called representatives OF
the people who groVel before the
President Autocrat9 Is there no
one to say in the tones that con-
vince and compel:
In the name of the Republic and
its principles, in the name OF hu-
manIty, in the name OF justice, in
the name of common sense, stop
this folly and this crime!