The San Francisco call., 1899-02-10
THE PHILIPPINE SITUATION.


viduals or nations. The native bloodshed in
49, the Philippines has brought a situation that
must cause the keenest soicitude. 1t is useless to
seek for evidence of who fred the first shot struck
the first blow. Both have been given and taken, and
our relation henceforth to the Filipinos is that OF
conqueror to the conquered Our conquest is not
complete, but must be pushed to be effective. We
have cleared space around Manila. The poor huts
OF the natives have been burned and all shelter for
hostile force has been destroyed far the
ard torch can reach We have been taught by the
example of Hastings and Give in dealing with
Asatics and by that of Malakof in dealing with the
Arab tribes What followed after Plassey must follow
now for all that our leave alive in the Philip
pines will be Asiatic. Our conquest must be gar
rlsoned and every plantation and compound must be
under military protection. We cannot exchange the
sword for the olive branch Heretofore American SEN
tlment has salued the gallanty OF all native people
fighting for independence on their soil
Masaniello La Rochejacquelin, Riel, Emmett, Tous-
saint Simon Bolivar, Kossuth, Marco Bozzaris
even Mana Sahib, their several stories were told
or sung inspired and thrilled the American heart In
cur literature the hero, struggling for the indepen
dence of his country, has been a priced figure and
in our oratory his name has never failed to make
afhuent the fountain of eloquence. For hundred
and twenty-five years the American spirit has been
determined and fixed that line OF sympathy for all
people who aspired to govern themselves That spirit
created the Monroe doctrine and was the leading
impulse in our declaration of war against Spain. Tie
native Cubans aspired to independence They gasped
on the point of Spanish spear. Their agony
within our range of vision and to their rescue
Cuban women were represented as in arms for inde
pendence and their story told in Senate, sent
of sympathy rolling across the continent In
own Revolution we had one Moll Pitcher, who
fought for our independence, and she has been a
heroic figure since.
The Philippine situation has changed all this
Masanello led the fishermen against Neapoitan state
oppression and national policy. La Rocheacqueln
summoned La Vendee against the Directory. Rie
commanded the red-haired hafbreeds of the north
against Canada Emmet died on the gallows for re-
beling against England. Toussaint captained his
black destroyers against France. Simon Bolivar
stood against Spain. Kossuth defed Austria Boz
zaris and the Suliotes withstood Turkey, and Mana
Sahib attempted to avenge Passey against England
But have reached the parting OF the ways.
far people alien to in race has mistakenly fired
shot in behalf of its independence when its freedom
and sef-government conflict with Our newborn ma
tional policy They rebels against us, and where
i'll all the wide world, is there country to sympa
thze with their aspirations or to mourn their
VINO fe IN aCOn, Sterfly facing our deadly arms and
deadlier aim? Every other powerful nation has done
just we doing, and to be consistent they ap-
paud the success of our arms A light seems to have
gone out OF the world The beacon to which the peo-
pie who aspired to be free could always turn has
gone out. National policy the iron law, has ex-
tingushed it.
In all history there is other such sudden and
complete reversal of national point of view We
have parted company with the memory of the dead
who were trampled under the hard hoofs of French
horses in the Palatinate and the martyrs who were
swept from the Carnatic by the besom of Hyder ALI
and contemplate with composure distant conquest
OF protesting people, and without pang count the
bulet-hoes in the slender bodies of scores of dusy
Moll Pitchers, who fell in the trenches fighting for
independence, but against our national policy, and
perhaps against hope of increasing COM
merce.
1t Halleck, an American, who wrote
But to the hero when his sword
Is drawn in battle for the Free
Deaths voice sounds like prophets word,
And in its hollow tones heard
The thanks of millions yet to be-"
However, trade IS the main thing and, it follows
the flag, woe to those who fire upon that emblem Of
profits.