Evening star., 1899-10-14
velop a plentiful crop of ignorance concern

II such Is the result OF efforts to instruct
the Americans about their new possessions,
what can We expect the FIlipinos to know
of us? Their opportunities of studying the
Americans have been immensely less. What
newspa pers they possess are inferior In
character, and such information as they
give is far from impartial. In any case,
most OF she natives under arms could not
read them, and would have little oppor-
tuuity to do so II they could, under present
conditions. Their papers have no corre-
spondentS in this country, and what little
they have to say about America and the
Americans Is small in quantity and very
apt TO be ding in character.
why They Distrust Us.
With this prevailing ignorance concerning
the people and government of the United
States, and with the false conception of the
Americans and thelr purposes given them
In the proclamations of Aguinaldo and
leaders, the Filipino leaders could
Sc ,rSely be expected to welcome the new
comers with open arms. Even the leaders
themselves have formed wrong conclusions,
through lack of correct knowledge of the
American character and institutions. Were
1t not for this the war now waging would
be impossible. We cannot Justly be sur
prised that the Filipinos oppose American
control of their land. Their past expert
ence OF government from without has not
been reassuring. They have the best of
reasons for doubling and hating the Span
lards, and have no means of knowing that
the United States would treat them any
peter than Spain has done. In short, they
look upon al the white race as alike, and
have had such bitter experience with one
nation of whites that they do not propose
II they can in any way avoid it. to fall
again under the dominion of what they
CONSIDER faithless and cruel race of op-
pressors.
Once gain their confidence, prove to them
ina .nat american control means that the ma
ives are 70 be protected in their religious.
Social ana business life. and it will be dis
covered that a more submissive and loyal
people 10 honest government methods are
not to be found
Inis, however. is somewhat aside from
my main subject. and 1 must return to the
description of Spanish methods, of which
much remains to be said.
During the whole history of the Philip
pines cruelty to captives taken in battle
and fafthlessneSs to their leaders have been
the rule. After the insurrection in Leyte
in 1922 the leaders were all executed, many
of them. in the ruthless Spanish method
at that date: being burned at the stake. In
the outbreak of 1919 treachery was added
10 cruelty The chiefs of the revolt who
surrendered on promise of a full pardon
were hanged as soon as the Spaniards got
tdlei mem IN hand The same was the case in
1000 ana In various later revo,ts The ma
tlves were first driven into rebellion by
oppression and then shot down in cold
blood like so many mad dogs
Revolving Sight.
AIthough we are now at the end of the
nineteenth century. and many lessons of
human kindness have been learned by the
world, they seem to have failed to enter
Spain. During the recent tnsurrection that
country showed itself to be mediaeval in
her methods. Prisoners were shot down by
hundreds and solemn obligations broken
with inpunity. But l cannot better show
OPpuni41 nv
opaniards IN this era of enlightenment than
10 describe an execution of rebel prisoners
at Manlia-an exhibition of inhumanity
than which nothing could be more revolt
ing TO any person of feeling.
Ine day of an execution was made day
OF jubilee, as well to the elite of the CITY
OF Manila as to the masses. In honor Of
the coming event the Drominen- hnusas
We're decked with flags and the whole citv
put on holiday aspect. The Luneta the
beautiful promenade on the bay shore south
or the city walls, was the scene of this
grewsome spectacle, and thousands of peo-
pie f1ocked there to enjoy it, women as well
as men, rich as we'll as poor.
The executions usually took place in the
morning. The condemned, with bound
hands, were marched to the spot and made
to stand on the old sea wall. facing the wa
ters of the bay. Behind them stood long
llne OF armed soldiers. Still further in the
rear thronsed the multitude, waiting with
mute expectancy the event. Then came a
SO4iSS u 'AiSi4 y COuIHItIlS, answered Dy the
rattle of musketry; and the unfortrnates
standing on the wall of death fell pros-
rate, many lifeless, others writing in az
Ony. " 90
Horrible as this was, 1t was not the great
est horror Of the affair This came in the
action Of the spectators, who seemed to look
on this scene of murder as a spectacIe GOT
up Tor their special enjoyment The groans
OF the dying were drowned in the cheers
OF the multitude. Men excitedly flung thar
mats into the air; ladies, fashionably dress
ed, waved their handkerChiefs and claimed
thelr hands in delight; the band broke ont
mo uIuhphal music, and the dire event
seemed the elimination of a deIigbtfuI en-
tertalnment- And this was at the end of
the nineteenth century, not In the days of
oIo Rome These We're the promenaders Of
1iie huhe.a' not the audience of the Coli
scum A light of gladiators who ware
given a chance for their lives must have
been an inspiring spectacle Compared VIII
this massacre of prisoners whose onIv
.LIlle e.. was love or country and hatred of
Oppression. 70
Lies or Satire
Such was the salute of noble snai, &"
Whe' as we are told by AguinaIdo, warmed
the Philippines with the breath Of her
own culture and civilization" The Fiji
pino leader can plead no ignorance of tbts
He knows thoroughly what Spain is and
now Spain has acted. When he speaks of
the depth of SPANS affection and love for
her ungrateful colony. he is either onenTv
!ylnS for some deep purpose. not apparent
TO the writer or indulging In what he In
tends for transparent satire. -
w ny Is 1t that Spain has had so ,,,o,
lnsurrections TO deal with? No other coun.
Iry mas had so much trouble with its colo
MES; The explanation is that the natives
oI me philippines have been Systematically
1ppP[essea. taxed, robbed, ill-treated in a
hundred ways. while most of the monav
raised by taxation has found it's way into
the pockets of officials, and very little Of II
mas ma Peen expended for the benefit of the
DeyOutfy tn Ra U;sIo5