The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-07-09
AMERICA IN THE PHILIPPINES.
How tho English View Otis Policy in
Those Islands,

Q
Tho Americas are too much in
hurry over their great task tn the FhiliP-
pines They Imagined, we fancy, that
/ Spanish government having been so Dad'
the Tagals. the dominant race I'm Luzon,
I would welcome them as deliyercrs, or, az
an events. after n very brief struggle.
would acquiesce in their rule. They for
got that though Theebau's rule was PROB
ably worse than that of the Spanards'
the Burmese fought us for four years,
not out of patriotism go much as out Of
a desire 90 be Dec alone. The Tagals are
fighting just as the Burmese "dacolts
fought, with this further advantage. that
they are better armed. that they have IN
Agulnaldo a general leader whom they
either trust or fear, and that they have n
system of forest warfare almost as skill
ful as that which enabled the Maores
so long To hold us an bay. They do not,
il is true build such stoczades as the
New Zeaianders did. but they excavato
deep trenches. which they defend until
the invaders are actually upon them. and
then renew a few miles of. Such de-
fences are most difficult 70 carry. while
when carried The victory does not proc
duce the moral impression which I'm Asia,
as I'm Europe follows upon victory I'm "A
pitched battle. Such warfare taxes the
best men. and Che Americans are further
hampored 10y difficulties with which of
late years we have NOT had 10 contend.
They have no traditions TO guide them,
and do not see clearly what 10 DIS they
want. Their chief officers are not always
uD to their work. and keeps on lighting
MS IL victory I'm "a succession of sldrmishcs
would give them hold upon the coun-
try They do not apparently establish
any kind Of civil order, and consequently,
whether they win or lose hold only tho
ground they stand on. The English create
civil administration at once, support 10
with troops. cut roads. or use waterways
and thus acquire at am events the passive
support of that general mass which
wants first of AN 90 go ON with its poe
customCd life. and provide Dos own dinner
in peace. 10 seems probable too. to Ode
servers ON this side. that General OTIS
is bad organizer Le seems 90 think
that sending detachments TO fight their
way through tropical country Us eQ1Na-
lant 90 conQuering 10, whereas he should
proceed step hy step. establishing posts
or forts as Doe goes ou. cutting roads De-
tween them and setting mp "a civil al-
thority 600 every fresh district occupied
Above all. Dee should set himself 90 create
native regiments. vino win spare IBIS AIMEE
rican fatigue duty who know the couu-
try. who viii divide the native interest
and. above AN. who Will not die off Ake
flies I'm winter. The terrible suferines of
the American troops from disease were
riyaled by our own euncr.nes ODD Che
first Burmese war; and in both instances
The ultimate cause was not climate. as
the Americans believe but mismanase-
mont MS ID, dress. diet. exposure. and saul-
tarv precautions. In the second Burmese
war General Goodwin understood this part
of his business perfectly. and the men.
though campaigning over the elUo
..r,,irI suffered eornu4rrtfvafv NOTHING
al ALL
rrt. i1,, o,,rr.r+ q, American news
,,.,,,.~s III r,i.i,o "a hundred thousand
,,.., and ..,.,ebi,- tbo ranaIs once for
.r,,, d. o.. ,,,.+ f,orlsb ono suah "a force
- ..t,. .'.. ,...r,,.. .....f .,,o-,r,..b
-. ~. ........t ,,,.,.,...,,.ro d. hmm
l..i .i....-.,'4 ,...- g., , tr,rfsal lowest /
80. 81 .,,.-, .f.i,.- T.r Thousand rorl |
f.. o..f fot st...lr,. r,irf.roa1 froo, I
t..,,, and ,flot l,r fre tbousani native /
...l .t nam d.. .l.. ,,....f-. .,,.,.b t.tf.r /
t. ,,...r.....,.f tb.+ .r. /
-... So. ,.., ,o I'm ,~.v,ls or
NM ,-,,f,.l5o mp nroyide "a ranutalion I
f.. .,,.-sr o.fs hint tn establish and /
protao+ 81 government in each district oe- /
c,,,i.d "a government intent ON restoring
.orta~ and n~o.rarifv THE fr0ops should /
..t f. ,i.... b.. ..,.,,,,,.,. t,t Ga 500 char /
,l,.- o,.i,..s and ,,lli.- of rha District Come
...,..... .... ....-l.f (,.t b., thst an yrho /
,,i'. '..., ...,. +li.., ...,.s mad, be-. s,,r.
of protection. What specially moves the
Taeals I'm their struggle we d0 not know.
for. as they have never been free. it
can hardly be the passion for freedom. /
but they are human beings and As.aucs
and fl experience teaches anything. So [
teaches that Asiatic peasants. IL decent.y
governed, ienienuy taxed, and struck
down whenever they resort 10 arms. Hil
ln the end subside. no matter with what /
gr0wlings into decent citizens. Black
men do it even in Africa and the Philip
pine Islanders have far more wish 90
lead comfortable lives than Africans. To
is by good administration supported hy |
force. and not By force alone. that the
Philippines must bo pacided and changed ]
into semi civilized lands. n which. though
the people are half-savage external or
der is complete and the means of Dee
coming prosperous are in all men hands.
The moment quiet is secured the Amcri-
cans can di+arm the people, perfect conc
organize a police. make
agreements with influential natives. and
$50 render insurrecti0n next 90 am im3os-
s.bnity. The Tagals are not better hght-
ers than the natives of Northern India.
nor can we perceive anything I'm their
character on circumstances which should
MAKE. them mora IIffatrIn govern.