The Topeka state journal., 1899-10-12
Thinks War Should End by Next
March.

Chicago, Oct. IA special to the
Herald from San Francisco
says:
4 see no reason why the Americans
should not be sole masters of the Phil
ippines by March next year"
This is the opinion of Br1gad1er Cen
eral Funston who arrived at the home
of his wife in East Oakland last night.
The situation in the islands, he said
has reached a stage where 1t IS very
easy to Sc how to cope with it. There
must be no tempOrizIng, no wasted
sympathy, no foolish sentiment 1t must
be a case of fight. The F1Hp1nOs are
now in such a frame of mind that they
will not yield until they are thoroughly
thrashed and convinced that it is use
less to oppose America
Il do not say this unadvisedly. have
given the matter many months of deep
study and my knowledge of Spanish en-
abled me to converse freely with ott1-
GERS and prisoners on the rebel side.
I'VE arrived at Manila last December
which was two months before hostili-
ties began. During those two months
the officers of the Filip1nos frequently
came within our lines and discussed
with them every phase OF the situation
They were very high minded and gave
me the opinion that they were we'll able
to look after themselves and that 1t was
all very we'll for the Americans to de-
liver them from the prosecutions Of
Spain, but that, having performed that
service. we should be satisfied and let
them alone.
Occasionally L found smattering OF
education. But they are absolutely an
ignorant race and quite incapable OF
self-gOvernment.
1T is true that they possess much
shrewdness and are cunning, but in
reality the chief trait in their character
is treachery. 1t is this which has en-
abled them to make as good a showing
as they have made, but this is no argu-
mr. n q
are capable of governing themselves.
Suppose that they were left alone.
The islands would be a scene OF 1nsuf-
rectiOn without any posi- 1b1l1ty OF re-
storing peace. Only a strong power
can take hold of those islands, subdue
the various factions and place them on
a solid footing.
L am convinced that the best way to
govern the islands is to give them
firm, stiff-necked colonial government,
nodded on the same lines as the gov
ernment of colonies of. Great Britain
There should be a governor general who
should have absolute power over the
civil government and also the COM
mand of the United States troops and
any native troops that it may be con-
sidered judiciOus to organize.
This may seem strange but am
convinced that as soon as the rebellion
is crushed there will be an entire
change of heart among a large percent
age of natives and they will be quite
willing to carry arms under American
officers
with the 35. 900 men now down there
and the additional 3, 200 that will be on
the ground when the November campaign
opens there viii be ample soldIery TO walk
through the islands. Sixty thousand
troops will teach these Filipinos the les
son they deserve. But It must not be
campaign of tempOrizing. 1t must be ag-
gressive and persistent from the start.
Ihere must be no let up ana no Opportun-
ity must be given the rebels, once routed
The FiIipinos are no match for Ameri-
cans on the battlefield In one instance
at CalOOcan, where the Kansas troops
were engaged We IOSt Two men WniIe L
personally counted 112 dead EilipinOS. This
is. of course, not a fair comparison but
the Americans are certainly as much sup
erior under arms to FflipinOs as six to
The seat of all the trouble at this
time is the Filipino junta at Hong. Kong.
war alive. 1t is in communication with
the insurgents. and it supplies Aguinal-
lives 1t sends out reports of fearful dis
aSter to our troops that never occur. 1t
the world over toward the Filipinos 1t
assures them OF al kinds of outside sup
ner keeps their spirits alive
'TheFtHpinos are busiest just now cir
opinion in this country is against the
American procedure in the islands. They
aSainst he Toltc[S of the 80
and that they have only to wait until the
next general election when the United
States will grant them their indepen-
"Aguinaldo himself Is shrewd but not
clever. He circulates and corroborates
al that the junta sends out and adds to
It all that his cunning imagination can
devise. With him the campaign is great
confidence game If his people could be
would desert him tomorrow
SO long as those fellows think they
have a ghost of a show of holding up
their end they viii maintain the rebel
lion and if the American army fights
them at every hand I believe they will
turn as a whole and come focking in
our camp and will have no further use
do