Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-03-02
HOW THE SOLDIERS FEEL.
A Divided Feeling Among the Troops at
Manila.
Correspondence of the Baltimore sum
Manila, Jan, 1899

Manila, jan, 1873.
Regarding the Philippine question. the
United States volunteers here are not at
all of one mind They can be divided into
three distinct Classcs-those who favor
retaining the Islands regardless of the
right or wrong that might be involved,
those who favor retaining them as It
means to an end, and lastly those whose
view is that the United States has moth
ing further to do with them.
Several weeks ago about 200 representa-
tivcs of the curious regiments had ameet-
ing for the express purpose of debating
the question, should the United States
hold the rhllppincs?" The debate was
decided largely by the hearers in favor
of the negative. but it was aftcrwalIs
said that this only went to show that
part of US were homesick.
Those VINO advocate holding the islands
regardless of right or wrong argue to this
effect: That prior to the beginning of thu
war with Spain the Philippines properly
belonged TO Spain. That we came here
not from any humane incentive Gor many
Of us were actually ignorant Of the exist
encc Of Agunaldo ANA his peopltD but
simply to lessen the power Of the enemy
and To hold ON to what there was in the
line of available indemnity.
That We are so convinced of the great
value which the possession of these is
lands would he to us commercially that
We have arranged for Spain to turn the n
over to US. That in doing this we did not
consult Aguinaldo. because, while his
rights may have been involved to c1r-
tain extent, we did not see that his pr
dicament enabled him TO do anything, :or
he would certainly he better off under our
control than he had been under the Span
iatds.
That if we did not acquire possession Of
! the Philippines in the near future Eng
land, Germany. or some other nation than
Spain would do so. That little England
and little Holland POSSESSED colonies upon
which the sun never set. and that while
the United States can yet boast Of many
miles of unpopulated, unCultiVatcd area
within her present confines, an American
had as much right to possessions in
Eastern waters as a Dutchman or IN
Englishman. That for these reasons
Uncle Sam should proceed at once to I'M
furl "Old Glory" to wave in all time 70
come over Aguinaldo's bones That when
the time comes to divide China we viii de
on the spot aud can Srab for slice
soon the sun will never set on Old Glory,
and then our duty will be commence the
1 colonization of Jupiter.
| Those who favor holding the islands as
a means to an end differ from the first
class materially in their construction Of
the word duty as it concerns us acting in
our present capacity as soldiers of the
United States. They argue as follows:
| While il is agreed that we should nm
Ioucstiorablv retain The Philnnincs. our
reason for doing so Is not a selfish ono 1T
all--in fact if does nor take into consider
alton commerclal advantages to our own
| ueoplc That the part we plnv in his
v.r is NOT directed nv human bands The
United states is simulv an agent That
the world is destined 10 become civilized
and we are here I'm accordance with that
law That now our hounden duty IS to
hold ON to the philippinos regardless Of
protest or cost in order that through our.
cnlicbtened .xa,nrIe mar degree Of ci,.i-
uzntion neculinr tn the tinted safes NAV
also I'm time he eniovod mere This cl,us
reprcserts prol,ahlv wha, is usually term
The third class / have mentioned is on
In tho first Mace men of mis- class on
listed in the United states army not has.
ilv but from a nurcIv natriotic and
tIoro,ipbIv considared ,ro,ivn-tho idoa
tb,t en- holoipr , dovntrod,1on ,,oor va
right AT o,ir door we wero simnIy m
holdine that fundamental nrincinIe IF oir
povernment constitutine, ,hc Mnnroo doc.
trinc This class is Of tho following onin
ian. THAT thc pbilinninc islands nronorj,,
hoion,, tr tho niro ~. t.,, ,,il,iop az "a
1.-Two inbabitante wbor, Goa cboso In ,ho
horinnin, to Mace bare Thnt viii,
Dewey Xvas r;eht in aa.tro,ino tbn c,,,-
ish scot stationad ar Manila yot ,bat an
Tho dav after tbe hattie bn dtJ not Win,
draw from mo nav 70 return No no"o
no NOR" rlsLi' 10 assume possession OF
n W. lf -