New-York tribune., 1899-02-07
FEATURES or THE FIGHTING.


The Filipinos began the trouble at Manila.
That is beyond dispute. And they did 1t in
the most deliberate. aggressive and unmistak-
able way The scene of the outbreak was not
Iloilo, or any Of the places which the natives
have affected to hold and govern. 1t was Ma
nila the one place of all in which American
authority was established, not only in name.
but in actual and effective fact, and the place
which Spain herself recognized TO be under
American control long before the negotiation
of the treaty by which she ceded all the ISL
ands to this country. The Filpinos were not
resisting our further advance and occupation
Of the islands. They were trying to drive our
troops out Of the place which they had held
undisputedly for months Nothing could have
been more offensive than the Filpinos defiant
disregard Of our sentry lines. Ia violating
them they were committing a crime which is
universally reckoned worthy Of the penalty of
death When our sentres very properly re-
PEELED them and fred upon them the Filipinos
instantly began a concerted attack, in mass, all
along the line Evidently they had planned
the whole business beforehand. and the break
ing Of our sentry line was intended merely as
the prelude TO n general assault. The essays
at numbering American officers within the city
simultaneously with the attack upon our lines
show collusion and premedltation, and jus
tify the arrest Of AgunaldO'S private secretary.
who was in the city as spy. IT is not un-
reasonable 10 suppose that he was acting in
concert with his master. organizing assassina-
ton within the city while Aguinaldo directed
the assault from without.
Our forces were not caught mapping That,
TOO. is evident They had not been without in
timations Of coming trouble. and they were
fully prepared TO meet II. Indeed. they had
needed nothing more than the fulmlnauons and
intrigues Of the "antl-expansionlsts" In this
country to put them on their guard. When
they knew that Senators and other prominent
men Of supposed light and leading were openly
denouncng our Government and encouraging
the Filipinos to resist Il. and that the utter
ances Of these men and their allies were being
transmitted to the Philippines and circulated
for the aid and encouragement Of the insur-
gents, they needed no other information TO con-
vince them that there was danger Of trouble
Our officers appear to have acted with ad-
mirable discretion, and they and their men with
energy and valor well worthy Of the American
name. II is also to he observed that a highly
effective police service was maintained with
in the city. by means of which an outbreak
4 there.
less loot. was prevented. This latter fact in
dicates that the American civil administration
/ in Manila IS comparable in perfection with the
! discipline Of the Army and Navy, and augurs
well for the tranquility Of the Islands when
/ the same system shall have been generally
/ extended.
Highly gratifying. too are the reports of the
effect Of the fighting upon the insurgents. One
dispatch says they are dcmoralzcd They
have, says another. apparently reached the
conclusion that the Americans mean business.
They would have reached that conclusion long
ago had not so many Americans here assured
them that we did not mean business. It is also
stated that representative Filipinos at Manila
believe the movement for independence has re-
ceivcd It's deathblow. and annexation Will now
be welcomed It viii he remembered that in
\ recent letter from Manila The 1ribunes 5
correspondent there. DR. Rocker. expressed the
opinion that single sharp lesson would bring
the Filipinos to their senses and make them
accent American authority IF such n lesson
I were needed, he said. the sooner It was given
the better. The lesson has been delayed lnordi-
natelv long, thanks to the pernicous activity
Of the marplot allies and coparceners Of the
Filipinos IN this country, and 50 II has had 10
be more severe than II would have been n few
months or even weeks ago. But il has been
given. and It will doubtless serve Or II not,
another Of the same kind viii not be lacking.
We are done at last with playing hide and
seek with hrlgands