The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-07-20
THAT nRouNp nonIN..


The reigning sensation OF the day is the
round robin" OF the newspaper corre-
spondents stationed in the Philippines, in
which has been made public the policy OF
concealment and suppression which has
been practiced in the matter of reports
from Manila.
This policy has been alternating friends
and supporters of the administration. The
Boston Herald, for instance, which was
at first opposed to imperial expansion,
but suddenly changed front. becoming
supporter of the supposed administration
policy In the Philippines, is dlsgusted
with the manner in which the censorship
at Manila is conducted. and wants TO
know what Is gained by It. 1t declares
that the thing best known about affairs
in the Philippines is that we do not know
the truth about them II says:
This administration has undertaken to insti-
tute and enforce a censorship of the press wi;h
respect to those islands that is utterly I'M
American AID insolenty tyrannous. 1t is a
cross improprlety In a free government. Moth
Ing like It oXists outside of absolute monarch
ana countrle, that make no boast OF freedom
md civilization. The public does not yet in-
derstane how completely this republican I'D
ministration has adopted the machinery OF i'm
rcrialism, rs regards the publication OF news,
nor what pains IT has been at to procure de.
@ ton of the people concerning the actual
conditions of the colonial experiment for
which extraordinary taxes are exacted
The Herald says that while many news
papers have sent special correspondents to
Manila they know that their correspond
ents are not permitted to send home the
truth Of events If the truth is unfavorabe
to the policies pursued or uncomplimentary
to the local authorities. II they get the
news to Hong Kong and forward it from
there 1t Is at the penalty OF being ban
ished from the islands or subjected to
some other ignominious punishment.
In or1e" to got any news besides what Is
disseminate! through official channels. news
papers have to be content with such lncom
> ete and coloress reports as 1t suits the great
minds in Manila and Washington to permit To
the news trrNice from Manila has been the
most monger partial and misleading that the
American people have had from any place IA
tae world where important events were occur
ring since The development OF the modern
newspaper. This Is not by fault of newspaper
managers, bu, by reason of the adoption by
the administration of the tactics OF suppress
sloi and oppression heretofore regarded as he
longing peculiarly to the governments of the
car ana the sultan.
Not unadvisedly do we assert says the
Herald. that the people have not been al
lowed TO know the truth, the plain truth,
the whole truth, about affairs in the
Philippines.
We have been deluded by the official stamp
given to larry tales that ARE without substance
OF verify They entertain In a way, each one
until another rs told. the credulous and the
visionary but In the form given they are us
less To serious men who desire to base iust
opinions ON eertainties Of fact Intelligent
readers approhend the unsatisiying conditions
az well ns editors, They know that they are
furnished only with material for forming sucn
an opinion as the administration wishes them
TO nave, and not with the material which en-
aDles them to form confident opinion OF
their own, except the opinion which is forced
upon them, that they are being Knocked an
caioled. 80
The Herald holds that the whole Phil
ippine archipelago, with the realm of
China added would be dear purchase
at the price of tame submission to this
Kind of domestic oppression, this exer
else of Imperial prerogativc by the presi
dent OF free nation.
These are the structures of paper that
has been loyalty supporting the admin
istration In It's policy of "benefcent asslm- |
ilation" of the Philippines.