Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-11-18

their case. these bourbon worthless have
been compelled to deny the statements
made by civilian and soldier, by priest
and statesman-in short, they have been
forced to evolve conclusions from their
inner consciousness. in which the en-
lishtenment of the day has played no
part. In referring to the Filipinos and
the question of their future control, Cen
eral Funston says:
1t is foolish to ak of giving the Fill
pinoS self-gOvernment after We nave
whipped them. They are not a homo
geneous people, but a collection OF tribes,
differing in race. religion and language.
They are children so far as any famil-
iarity with Independent government is
concerned. My knowledge of Spanish
permitted me to get at first hand the
opinions of some of Aguinaldo's chief
lieutenants. and of other men who are
regarded as leaders of the natives. None
of these men had any well-defined ideas
in regard to the government that they
desired to set up. They We're united on
one thing only-to eXpel the friars and
seize their property for the revenue 1t
would bring in. But they apparently
had not considered the currency, tariff,
revenue. or any other problems of prac-
tical government. My opinion is that we
should have a governor with practically
autocratic powers, and he should be a
man. like Leonard Wood in Cuba. of
great administrative ability, and abso-
lutely honest. He hould have a salary
of at least $4,000 a year. and he should
Iappoint his subordinates Only in this
way will we get good results If the po'
litical hangers-on who have a pull are
allowed to go out in subordinate capacl-
ties, we may expect scandals that will
be a national disgrace. l do not believe
we lack good, honest administrators, but
the old system of appointments must be
radically changed, and the MAJ in charge
must be made personally responsible for
those under him. In this way, and with
a strong military force to compel obedi-
ence at the start. the country may be
well governed. 1t may be advisable to
permit the Filipinos some representative
body, but to give them independent gov
eminent is impossible, as they have SIM
ply caught up crude ideas of popular
government. but have had neither the
training nor the opportunity to assimi-
late these ideas. The Philippine COM
mission cannot fail to develop a good
scheme for the government of the
islands. as all the members had excellent
chances to study the problem.
The democratic press object to the
ideas of General Funston, because they
believe-or pretend to believe, for politi-
cal purposes-that the administration
should concede absolute independence
to Aguinaldo and his bandits. They
can see no justice in any form of govern
ment that may be prescribed for the
II :1:: .~1 c,. -:a4
suggestions that may emanate from the
Philippine commission. But it is Gen
eral Funston's conception of the native
character that pains the sympathetic
bourbon heart to the quick, and gives
to its nervous throb a bright copperhead
polish. The noted fighter says:
The natives have no idea of honor. In
our fighting with them they violated
all the rules of civilized warfare, and
they knew perfectly we'll what they were
violating. They would bring forward
flags of truce. and when our men went
forward under similar flags the insur-
gents would fire upon them. At San
Fernando the advance-guard Of the Mon
tana regiment was fired upon under a
flag of truce by two hunAred insurgents,
who pulled their rifles from under their
clpdkS. lllS lleoCIitIy UcSdlAAC 81 Sohi'
mon as to excite no comment. Yet lr
return our men We're wonderfully klnC
and considerable to the and the
prisoners. In my experience in eighteer
engagements / never saw any cruelty
shown by our troops, while every battle
furnished instances of American soldier!
risking their lives to save Filipino
wounded, and taking great pains to SET
that suffering natives We're given promp
medical attention. 1t was the testimon.
of all the foreign military experts wh'
were on the field that this was the mos
humane war against a half-civilizet
people thai the world ever saw. Tn
stories of brutality on the part of vol
unteers were sent out by correspondent
whom no one knew either in Manila o
on the liring-line. AS for the soldier
who tell such tales. they are simply liars
For the famous Kansan to deny tn
stories of brutality on he part of Am
erican soldiers-stories over which sue
stalwart democratic orsaT' as the Ana
conda Standard and the Helena 1nde
pendent gleefully gloated in the earl
days of the war-and also accuse the ma
tives of conduct unbecoming a Filipin
and a democrat, is to- excite the unite
opposition of Aguinaldo's followers i
this country. General Funston has cal
ed down upon his head the wrath of til
democratic press. He has told too man
= truths to achieve popularity among TT
American friends of the Filipino chief.
|
The organization of a police patr
! seems to be one of the coming %features
municipal life in Butte. Under that sy'
| tenn a man will not have to walk in Whe
=, he is run in by the police. To vagran