Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-05-31
Persistent Advertising
Brings Success.
OUR WAR OF CONQUEST.

lntelllgencer attempts TO correct the
Register as to statements of fact, as
we'll as to palate the campaign now
with the approval of, the American
people.
The Intelligencer disputes the state
ment of the Register that the destruc-
lion of the Spanish feet and
the capture of Manila ended
Spanish rule in the Philippines,
and then claims that even Dewey's
victory was not the destruction of
Spanish power in the islands" and that
"Spain was still in military and civil
power" Further along the Intelligen-
Ger says:
Before the war was declared between
the United States and Spain, the insur-
rection had been suppressed and Agui-
naldo was an exile Spanish civil officials
were administering affairs everywhere,
and there was practical peace, with only
few bands of Tagals IN remote places,
with Spanish prisoners in their posses
sion"
And again.
Had Dewey departed after the fleet
left Spain still in power. though tempo
rariy deprived of a few warsnips.'
This Philippine war is a serious bus
mess, and is worth talking about.
1t is beyond dispute that the de-
struction of the Spanish feet in the
harbor of Manila and the capture of
that city, ended Spanish power in the
Philippines, completely but it is nec-
essary to go back of the Dewey victory
to get at the case properly. War was
expected with Spain long before it was
officially declared, and the government,
realizing that Spain had a consider
able naval force in the Philippines, and
that this feet might first seriously
damage our Pacific merchant ships and
then, perhaps, appear off the California
coast, wisely gathered fleet at Hong
Kong and on the outbreak of hostilities
these ships sailed for Manila. That
was good business. With the destruc-
ton of the Spanish feet there was no
longer anything to fear from Spain in
the Pacific. With the resulting cap
ture of Manila, Spanish power ended,
summarily, in all but the name. AS to
the Philippines, Spain was then as i'm
potent and helpless ashore as she was
at sea, and every Tagal of ordinary in
telligence knew it. The Registers
contention is, that this accomplished,
the army and navy should have left
the islands, valueless to us alike either
as mere territory or for commercial
purposes, and allowed Spain and the
natives to have settled things as best
they might. We might even, with en-
tire propriety under the circumstances,
have guaranteed the natives American
protection until they got on their feet.
But our legitimate business in the Phil
ippines was ended when Manila fell.
AS to the Intelligencer's claim that
before war was declared with Spain the
instruction had been suppressed, and
that there was practical peace" we
respectfully beg to dissent ''The few
bands of Tagals in remote places" held
more than twelve thousand Spanish
prisoners of war. and not only that,
but they hold most of them to this day.
They had thousands of captured Span
ish arms. vast quantities of Spanish
ammunition and supplies, many Span
lsh cannon, and were practically in
possession of the Island of Luzon.
When the Americans took possession
of Manila there was no place to which
the Spanish garrison could withdraw
with safety. If the Americans had not
taken the city, the Tagals would soon
have had it, for Spain could send Meth
er reinforcements nor supplies. And so
numerous were these few bands O
Tagals, that when the existing hostil-
tiles with them broke out. they sur
rounded the city of Manila in many
thousands, with their lines right up to
the suburbs. The war has now lasted
for some months, we have thirty-fi
thousand good troops in the field, but
Notwithstanding an unbroken series of
victories, the enemy appears quite as
numerous and fully as determined as
ever, and more men and more millions
will be needed. and more American
blood must be shed before the now in
visible end is reached
The Intelligencer says Aguinaldo
never had recognizable govern
ment." 1t means he was never recog-
nized. He had native Congress. a
staff of officials, and an army. He had
money and arms. He had carried on
a successful war with Spain for two
years, the motif being independence.
He held twelve thousand prisoners,
and since he has given us a lively
tussel, although he has met better sol
diers than Spain could put in the field
against him. He is now fighting for
liberty, as he did before the Spanish
war with America. and outside of. and
above and beyond all else, remains the
incontrovertible fact that we had no
quarrel with the natives. no business