The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-02-10
American Traitors

American Traitors.
The details of the battle of Manila
are terrible III their stories of blood |
and slaughter. Hundreds of Ameri-
cans and thousands of insurgents are
among the killed and wounded. mol
one can but deplore this awful sacrifice
of human life We have tears alike for
the brave Americans and for the no
less brave but misguided natives. But
what shall we say of those Americans
who have famed the fame of strife.
who by denouncing their own people
as nation of robbers and mercenaries
have aroused suspicion and distrust in
the minds of the natives. What shall
we say of these dirty birds who have
befOuled their own nest. who have cast
the vilest aspersions upon their own
honor. who have furnished their own
flag, who have set at naught all our
glorious history of freedom and liberty
and civilization and said through pub
lie press and public Office that they be-
long to q nation Of thieves.
Let us ask upon what grounds these
c0pperheads of the present war base
their attacks upon their native land
Do they find cause for calling us rob.
bers in the fact that, reused by the in
humanity of the! spanish government,
we sacrificed our own interests, our
own blood and treasure and went to
war with Spainp
Do they find US mercenaries because
we sent thousands of dollars to the re.
lief OF the. starving Cubans? Do they
find the blemish in our history, in that
We prevented the natives from pillaqe,
plumber and murder in the cities of
Havana and Santiago and Manila?
Do they find us vengeful in not de.
m'f'ding large indemnity from fallen
Spa u?
y they find us a nation of slave
d'i ers in that the first acts Of our
government after the capture of the
Cuban cities was to reopen the courts
ana markets, and attend to sanitation
and the relief of the sick and hunpryY
DO they find US usurers because We
appropriate So, 900 GOO to aid the Cuban
soldier in returning to pursuits of
peace.
% what grounds then do they find
this terrible bill of indictment against
their native land?
These are the grounds: III.
Owing to the necessities Of war Adj
alral Dewey destroyed the Spanish
heet In Manila bay. Later American
troops entered and captured the city of
Manila During this time portion of
the people Of the Philippines had been
afrayed against the power ,of Spain.
The Spaniards had proven themselves
masters OF the situation until Dewey's
victory destroyed their naval force. and
the presence of American troops and
ships forced them to retain, All their
soldiers in the vicinity of Manila
This gave the insurgents their oppor
tunity and they occupied the greater
part OF the Island of Luz0n.
ASSAs ~ssAAAO suO PAOtUCOl ana tQ0 C9N.
sation of hostilities between the u. s
and SPAN. The protocol did not men
ton the Philippines as it did Cuba and
Porto Rico. In point of fact until the
ratification of the peace treaty on last
Monday. the rights of the Americans
In the Philippines were those Of an in.
vadlng army only. We had no right to
Stale what we would or would not do
with the islands for we had not even
the shadow of a title. The mere fact
that the city of Manila was occupied
ny American forces. did not give us tn.
right to dispose of their future. Until
Che treaty Was ratified we had no more
authority to outline plans of govern
me I than had Germany or Russia or
Great Britain
During the time between the protocol
ami the ratification Aeuinaldo had
grown strong. He established a pre.
TENSE ots goyfrhnept and proposed to1
lgnreth~ United States entirely. He
dId mt ask what VIZ would do. but
stated what wa must do. The pres,
dent very wisely k p' within the Limits
]f his authOriiv AMI declared no policy
ii't'l lie had something upon which 70
BASE policy, disposed of no territory