Evening star., 1899-07-12
AN ENGLISH VIEW.
Friendly Criticism of Philippine Cam
paiGn by IA London Paper.

FROM the London Spectator.
The Americans are too much in a hurry
over their great task in the PHILIPPINES
They imagined. we fancy that, Spanish
government having been so bad, the Taga!s,
the dominant race in Luzon, would well
come them deliverers, or at ali events
after very brief struggle would acquiesce
in their rule. They forgot that though
Theebau's rule was probably worse than
that OF the Spaniards, the Burmese fought
US for four years, not out OF patriotism so
much as out of a desire to be let alone
The Tagals are fighting just as the Bur
mese 'dacoits" fought, with this further
advantage that they are better armed. that
they have in AguinaIdo a general leader
whom they trust or fear, and that they
have a system of forest warfare almost as
skllful as that which enabled the Maories
SO long to hold us at bay. They do not, il
is true, build such stockades as the New
Zeaianders did. but they excavate deep
trenches. which they defend until the in
vaders are actually upon them and then
renew few miles Off. Such defenses are
most difficult to carry, while, when carried.
the victory" does not produce the moral
impression which in Asia as in Europe fol-
lows upon victory in a pitched battle. Such
warfare taxes the best men. and the Amer
leans are further hampered by difficulties
with which of late years we have not had
to contend They have no traditions to
guide them and do not see clearly what it
is they want. Their chief officers are not
always up to their work and keep on fight
ing as if victory in a succession of skir-
mishes would give them hold upon the
country. They do not apparently establish
any kind of civil order. and consequently
whether they win or lose hold only the
ground they stand on.
The English create civil administration
at once, support 1t with troops, cut roads
or use waterways. and thus acquire at all
events the passive support of that general
mass which wants first of all to go on with
its accustomed life and provide its own din
ner in peace. 1t seems probable, too, to OBJ
servers on this side that General Otis is a
bad organizer. He seems to think that
sending detachments to fight their way
through tropical country is equivalent to
conQuering 1t, whereas he should proceed
step by step, establishing posts or forts as
ne goes on cutting roads between them and
setting up a civil authority in every fresh
district occupied. Above ALL he should set
himself to create native regiments, who
will spare his Americans fatigue duty. who
know the country, who will divide the ma
tive interest and. above all, who viii not
die off like flies in winter.
The idea current in American newspa--
pers of raising 100000 men and crushing
the rebels once for all' is most foolish
one Such force would only cost mil
lions and accomplish nothing. You cannot
maneuver 100000 men in tropical forest,
or feed them, either. Ten thousand regu-
lars well led steadily reinforced from home
and aided by 5000 native auXiliaries will
understood that the work to be done is not
to kill Tagals, or hang Aguinaldo or pro-
vide a reputation for General Otis, but TO
establish and protect government in each
district occupied, government intent on
restoring order and prosperity. The troops
should not be there to conquer, but to see
that the orders and policy of the district
commissioner are carried out, so that all
who are quiet and pay their taxes may be
sure of protection.
What specially moves the Tagals in their
struggle we do not know, for, as they
have never been free it can hardly be the
passion for freedom but they are human
beings and Asiatics, and if experience
teaches anything 1t teaches that Asiatlc
peasants. if decently governed, leniently
taxed and struck down whenever they re-
sort to arms, will in the end subside. no
matter with what growlings. into decent
citizens Black men do it even in Africa,
and the Philippine islanders have far more
wish to lead comfortable lives than Afri-
ed by force, and not by force alone, that
the Philippines must be paciied and
changed into semi-clvilized lands, in which,,
though the people are half savage. external
order is complete, and the means of becoTa-
ing prosperous are In all mems hands. The
moment quiet Is secured the Americans can
disarm the people. perfect communications.
organize a police, make agreements with
influential natives and SO render insurrec-
ton next to an impossibi1ity. The Tagais
are not better fighters than the natives of
northern India, nor can we perceive any
thing in their character OF circumsta tances
which should make them more difficult to
govern.