The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-27
MUST KEEP THE ISLANDS.
TALK WITH THE METHODIST BISHOP
OF THE PHILIPPISES.

Puny Arguments of the Anti-ENp ansionists
RiddIed by One whs Knows About the
Observation-Disclosures and His Adhcrcnts
Small Minority of the Whole People.
TOLEDO, O., Aug 26-Bishop James VI. Tho
burn OF tho Methodist Episcopal Church has
been spending few days OF his vacation at his
old Buckeye home. lie is well known as one OF
tho leading evangelical missionaries oil the
world. and his present diocese in the Orient
includes the Philippines. Having visited these
islands many times In tho last fifteen years.
and having Just returned from Luzon. he is ex-
ceptionaly fitted to judge OF the existing con-
dtions.
To the standing argument OF anti Expan-
sionists that Dewey should have sailed away
after tho battle OF Manila Bay. Bishop Thoburn
makes the reply that Dewey had no sails.
Moreover, no had not enough coal to cross the
Pacific and under the neutrality laws, by which
he would have been limited to twenty-four
hours in a Chinese port, he could not then have
obtained n supply.
SILL another question" said he. why not.
after oxpellinG the Spaniards from the Philip
pines. leave tho people Of the islands alone In
peace? 1t seems impossible for some intelli-
gent people to com prehend tho fact that there
arc at least eighty different tribes or races
OF people inhabiting tho Philippines. The
exclusively to the Island OF Lugon. They are
by no means popular among the other island
ers, nor has Aguinaldo or any other man ever
succeeded in winning tho confidence Of the
islanders generally. Like all Mohammedan
Mnlnys, tho people inhabiting tho southern
portions Of the archipelago are treacherous,
warliko and turbulent. In the moro civilized
islands inhabited by tho Visaya race the Fill
pinos constitute worry small minority. and II
tho parties were left to themselves in n short
time bitter enmity would manifest itself
even among the most civilized portions OF the
northern and central islands.
AT every hazard and at every cost it becomes
tho solemn duty OF the American people. a duty
from which the civilized world will never alb
solve them. to put down all warlike opposition
and give peace to tho islands. and also provide
good government throughout the whole archi-
polaRo.
After the event IL is easy to be wise, and
many men can point out measures which
ought to have been taken. and other measures
which ought to have been avoided 1t was
mistake on the part Of the American consul at
Singapore to bring Agunaldo out of his
retirement and send him up to Hong Kong
1t would have been wiser II he had been kept
in mid restraint at the critical time. when tho
Americans were preparing to assault the city
of Manila 1t was a mistake II. as alleged,
arms were put into the hands OF tho Filipnos
before they had fully declared their intent.
Various mistakes can be pointed out in con-
nection with tho plans a1opted for dsposinR
the Filipino army.
But after all it will perhaps become apparent
in the end that the war into which we have so
strangely been led was necessity. No settle
ment would have been permanent which did
not involve IA full and final decision Of the
II ~. 81