The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-05-27
A SUDDEN CHANGE OF FRONT.

| SS~A~ASAN IL
1t appears that President McKinle,
and his evil advisers have had enough
OF fighting in the Philippines and are
now anxious for peace with the natives
who have escaped the Calling guns Of
the invading American army. A few
months ago the unconditional surrende,
of the insurgents was peremptorily de-
manded by the war lord at Washington
No parley would be held with Aguinal-
do and his representatives. The Fill
pino congress was entirely ignored, and
its ENJOYS to this country were spurned
with contempt by William Mckinley
who would not grant them an audience.
Agoncillo and his companion were
threatened with arrest as spies for pre-
Stunning to speak for their countrymen,
and they finally fled into Canada for
safety and thence embarked for France.
The American commissioners ap-
pointed by the president went to Manila
and issued a ukase calling upon the
Filipinos to surrender Internationally
or take the consequences of their dis
obedience. No definite terms were Of
feled them, but whatever the American
government in its clemency might see
fit to give them. In its magnanimity
the commission promised pardon and
amnesty" to the natives if they submit
ted gracefully, but threatened ruin and
disaster if they stubbornly refused.
Aguinaldo and his confederates were
contemptuously ignored. At that time
the imperialists imagined it would be
quite easy to vanquish the unruly insur-
gents. The Spaniards had been easily
conquered, and why not the semi-bar-
barous Malays? "Mow them down"
was the order issued, and moved down
they were with vengeance. But the
fighting was not one-sided. The Fill
pinos' strength and war-like qualities
were underestimate, and some 1900 Of
the brave young volunteers of America
were killed and wounded.
A change has come over the spirit of
McKinley's dream of destiny, and he
has instructed his officials to negotiate
for peace with the Filipino commission
ers Why was not that done in the be-
ginning? Because it was thought the
revolt could be so easily crushed. The
administration now admits its mistake
and realizes that it has undertaken more
than it can accomplish. Instead of Civ
ing the cold shoulder to the Filipino
ENJOYS McKinley's commissioners have
condescendingly submitted to them the
following draft of the form of govern
ment to be given the islands:
"a governor to be appointed by the
president, cabinet to be appointed by
the governor-gereral, all the judges to
be appointed by the president, the heads
of the departments and judges to be
either Americans or Filipinos, or both,
and also general advisory council, its
members to be chosen by the people by
form of suffrage to be hereafter care
fully determined upon. The president
earnestly desires that bloodshed cease,
and that the people OF the Philippines at
an early date enjoy the largest measure
of self-government compatible with
peace and order"
We are told from Washington that
the president cabled his approval of the
plan, but the Filipino agents fear that
there is a niger in the wood pile. They
have evidently been deceived before by
false representations of American con-
suls who secured their aid to defeat the
Spanish troops in Manila In any event.
the Mckinley administration has con-
tossed its inability to whip the natives
into submission. Had it taken proper
steps to conciliate the natives in the be-
ginning, the cffusion of innocent blood
would have been averted. AS one of the
boys says in letter published in the
Pioneer Press, "some enc has Numbered
and terrible responsibility rests upon
his head" Mckinley and his adherents
are responsible for the bloodshed and
devastation in the Philippines, and an
indignant people will hold them to &C
count in the approaching campaign for
the policy of imperialism which has
brought sorrow to so many American
homes.