The evening times., 1899-03-25
SATURDAY, MARCH 25. 1899.
UphoIding Our Honor.

The battle of which reports are publish
ed today is the beginning of the end of
Filipino resistance to American authority
The native troops have been deluded as
men never were before. They have been
led 10 believe that American rule means
tyranny more cruel and oppressive than
Jhat of Spain. They have been fully per
suaded that in every fight since the first
attack on the American lines Aguinaldo
has been successful and that mis- retreats
have been strategic, for the sole purpose
of Turing the Americans on to their de-
structien. They do not doubt that fully a
thousand of General Otis men have been
slain and that Manila is mere ruin. They
believe that any display of reluctance TO
fight the enemy would be met by death
under Aguinaldos orders.
Ii is because of these fallacies that they
are Offering a strong resistance to General
OILS advance and it viii be necessary to
make the American victory very positive
and complete to undeceive them Ii is to
prevent suspicious as TO the real situation
that Aguinaldo has given an appearance of
aggression to his movement in this battle.
He saw no means of escape from a series
of conflicts that must be decisive and he
found ii expedient TO assume the pose of
The aggTessor. This brought the scene of
the first clash nearer to the main lines
held by The Americans and inspired his
troops with more confident courage The
end. however, is not doubtful. General
otis who has force of at least twenty
thousand effective men, will keep pounding
away as long as there is anything 10
pound. When the final disaster oyertakes
The rebels there will be no prolonged
guerrilla fighting, as suggested by persons
unaequainted with the Philippines. 1t is
affirmed that starvation must inevitably
be the fate of any Filipinos who fee to
the woods and mountains beyond the
reach of the Americans
While our soldiers are Offering their
lives with a courage and enthusiasm that
challenges the admiration of all mankind
The people at home give TO their cause the
most loyal support. The timid and selfish
Weaklings who have protested against the
performance Of its duty to civilization by
The great American Republic have been
reduced 10 silence. The attempt TO COM
NIT one of the great parties of the country
10 the policy Of narrow provincialism
has met with the indignation and censura
OF The masses composing the party. Even
in Texas. whose representative public men
have been foremost in attacking patriotic
Administration for its care of the national
honor. one of the most prominent of the
Democratic members of the legislature has
expressed the intense convictions of the
people by introducing a ringing resolution
in favor of vigorous prosecution of the
war and offering to Dewey and Otis and
their gallant sailors and soldiers the pro
foundest gratitude and sincerest congrat
uiations OF the people of Texas. Fearless
of the wrath of party leaders, the resolu-
lion denounces in unmeasured terms the
morbid sentimentality and criminal folly
that would counsel concessions to the
enemy that fires on the American flag and
defes the lawful authority of our Gov
ernment. The whole people-for the ex
ceptions are so few as 10 be contemptihle-
are heart and soul with the heroes who are
upholding the best traditions of American
courage and honor