The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-10-11
ONE OF THE MEN WHO'VE BEEN THERE

and they are swayed by the same I'M
pulses that sway the rest OF US.
think 1t is absolutely necessary to give
the command of the army to one strong
man, under the direction OF one strong
brain. If may be allowed to Suggest,
it seems unfortunate to retain General
Otis in command of the Philippines
"Yettit looks reasonable to me that,
with large and efficient army, order
can be restored and Aguinaldo's army
captured or destroyed.
THE Filipino commissioners VINO
came from Aguinaldo to treat with our
commission out argued us on every
point. They said to us correspond
ents: Gentlemen. is 1t not strange that
we should have any quarrel with you
*Fwe who have fought Spain so
long, even as your forefathers fought
England so long? We feel sure that,
when the people of the United States
once understand just what we are
fighting for. we shall have no trou-
BILE. We rest every claim we make
upon the declaration of independence,
the American constitution and the
declaration of rights. These We want
no more, no less.
1.-The generals of the Filip!nos are
young men. l think the people in the
islands generally would rather have
an autonomous government under an
American protectorate than anything
like colonial or annexation arrange
ment. 1t will be a great deal easier
to restore peace when you have $4,000
or 10000 soldiers in the islands; but
that the rebels will ever give up their
arms, l do not believe.
Cases of Looting.
There have been cases of looting in
the army. General LaWton told me
that he had hard work to stop looting.
He was very good on this. One of the
Kansas boys told me: Funston is hard
nuts on monkeyin' with the dead.
The boys burned the wooden Christs
and stole the brass Jesuses off the
crucifxes.
"Fifth-The Filipinos like their own
priests, but hate the Spanish frlars
as the gates of hell. Everybody met
| among the natives was a good Cath
| Ole. The Spanish friars should go
! home to Spain and American priests
take their places, granting to the FIJI
ipinos padres the full rights of PRIEST
hood, which they have never had UNI
der Spain. Religion should be wisely
| guided. Protestants should have the
same rights as Catholics all through
the islands.
"Sixth-For the Philippines we must
have civil service. There are instances
all over of incompetency.
Seventh-Martial law in Manila
ought to be abolished as soon as Sos
CT, RI he n
grounds for it at present.
"Eighth-The Tagals, who are at the
head of the revolution, are the smart
est, brightest and the best of all the
Filipinos. They have great power with
their tribes. 1t is not true that this
power is gained through terrorism. 1t
is gained, because there is spirit of
nationality abroad in the Philippines
! to-day This is what made 1t so easy
for Aguinaldo's emissaries to gain con.
troll in Panay, Cebu, South Luzon AND
Mindanao. AS far as the relation OF
one tribe to another goes. the tribes
will fight with one another when they
get out of a job. But, as rule,
think the Filipinos, especially the Ia
galogs and Viscayans, are pretty mucf
under the influence of Aguinaldo.
''Ninth-For the present, l should
| think that an autonomous governmen
J with an American protectorate woult
satisfy the people. We might arrang
for a convention at the end of 10 year
to determine by a public vote o
, the Filipinos, what form of government
they wanted.
} These are my opinions and observa
tons They are given without fea
. and without favor, and hope they wi
. be of use to the public in considerin
the question"