The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-06-02
HISTORIC CURIOSITIES.

Whether the sending of the Philip
pine Commission to Manila during the
time that military operations were be-
ing carried on, was wise move or not,
remains to be seen. How two forces,
civil and military, will strike the Fill
pinos also remains to be seen. The two
heads will certainly appear antagonistic
to the ordinary Filipino, even if Agui.
naldo sees no antagonism.
It is, however, a somewhat anomalous
position which is presented in Luzon.
Professor Schurman is DESTROYS of
bringing the war to a conclusion and is
striving to do it by negotiation. Agui-
naldo's ENJOYS have been received by
him and have been lavishly entertained
by the civil class in Manila. What i'm
preston has been made on the ENJOYS
is not stated by the kilograms, but it is
not likely that any of their expressions
would reveal what they thought. The
Filipino is far too acute for that.
Schurman has drafted out a probable
plan of government, which has very
liberal features, while retaining a
strong veto power in the President,
through the governor.
On the other hand, Otis is also anx-
ious to bring the war to a conclusion,
but he and his officers do not believe one
bit in diplomatic treatment. They
think that the only way to have con-
tinued peace upon the islands, is to
thrash the Filipino so soundly that he
will cry for quarter surrender uncondi-
tionally, and yield up his arms and
ammunition. He will have nothing to
do with the Filipino ENJOYS, and criti-
cizes the manner in which they have
been entertained
The decision of the President and
Cabinet upon this matter also empha-
sizes this peculiar position in the Phi
| lippines, for the result of their delibera-
| lions has been orders to General Otis
/ to prosecute the campaign vigorously
in his own particular style while the
commissioners are urged by all means
to put before the Filipinos the terms
upon which they may obtain peace
| division of power of this kind must
have an effect upon semi-civilized
minds like those of the bulk of the
Filipino leaders. They cannot under
stand that the same hand can offer both
the olive branch and the sword, and
that even at the moment the sword is
being used most relentlessly, the real
desire is to give peace and rule bene-
! ficently.
The harm of the present position is
the use that the anti-expansionists will
make of it. That the Philippines will
either be abandoned or sold is not really
to be thought of. The United States has
! possession and it will have to keep pos
session. But whether that possession
will be quickly obtained, or whether it
will take more men and more money
depends upon what comfort the Fill
pinos get from unwise and unpatriotic
Americans. 1t is curious fact that the
ultra peace party of any country is ever
the one which causes the most war. The
Ianti-eXpansionists will play the views
of the civilian Schurman against the
soldier Otis, and distorted views of this
controversy will reach the Filipinos and
make them act and think in a way
!
asterous to the cause of peace.
Deweys remarks upon the Philip
pines are prophetic and they will have
weight. They should be carefully con-
sidered by the peace att hazards
gentry, they are worth remembering
1--WE must never sell the islands. Such
an action would bring on another war
We will never part with the Philippines
am sure, and in future years the idea
that anybody should have seriously
suggested it will be one of the curiosi-
ties of history"
! However, before Dewey's words are
realized, great deal of mischief may
be done by the these "curiosities" both
to their own countrymen and the mis-
| guided Filipino Tagalos.