Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1899-08-16

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what was said by the able jurists in
the American senate. The swords Of
the insurgents I could we'll despise,
but who would not tremble before the
tongue of a Frye, Lodge, Morgan?
A mere child myself in all these nice
ties of International law, I sat at the
feet of the Gamaliels in the senate at
Washington, and it is from them I
learned the great principles regulat-
ing the attitude of one nation towards
the colonies of another, and determine
ing the recognition of insurrectionary
forces. Simply using the word Fill
pinos where the learned American
senators said Cubans, I will show
your senorias that it is our duty, as
it is that of all the European powers,
to interfere in the name Of humanity
and liberty to put an end to the cruel
war in the Philippines.
lone of the dicta of the illustrious
Lodge, Mr.. President, was that there
was something unnatural and abhor-
rent in the arbitrary control of an is
land, containing ], 800, 900 people, by
a country 5000 miles away. What
shall we say, then, of sending troops
to subdue 100000 people 1000 miles
away? Again, it was argued by the
enlightened Morgan that recognition
of the Cuban insurgents was due them
because they were supreme in large
part of the island. What did it mat
ter, he demanded, if Spain held the
capital and all the seaports? The
Cubans held the mountains and
swamps IN the interior, larger area,
all told, than that controlled by the
Spaniards, and were therefore entitled
to be known as the masters of the
island. This is an overwhelming
contundente) argument for the jmme-
date recognition of the Filipinos.
They rule a far larger part of Luzon
than the rebels did of Cuba. On the
6ve-foot map Of the Philippine, all the
territory in the control Of the Ameri-
cans can be covered by a>child's hand
If we heed the appeal of the Filipipos,
we shall simply, therefore, be execut-
ing the principles taught US by dis
tinguished Americans.
"The prolonged and bloody nature
OF the war in the Philippines, Mr..
President, is another reason for in
reference by neutral powers. Gen.
OTIS predictions Of a speedy collapse
of the insurrection haye proved as H.
lusory as those used to issue in Ha-
vana. The Filipinos are fighting
more stubbornly than the Cubans.
There is no hope of subduing them ex-
cept by exterminating them. Many
American soldiers say that the ma
tives will have to be killed off. But
when said the same thing of Cuban
rebels, the American republic cried
out on 'Weyler the butcher, and sena-
tors clamored for American interfer-
euce to prevent the determination of
men who could not conquer, but would
not submit. Is it not time for US, aud
for all civilized powers, to say to Pre-
sident Mckinley, as he said to Spain:
In the name of humanity, this war
must stop?'
"Point after point in the American
argument for recognizing Cuban bel
igerency might be pressed, Mr.. Presi-
dent, as conclusive reasons for our
granting belligerent rights to the Fill
plnos. The latter have larger army
than the Cubans ever had. They have
fully organized congress, composed
OF 100 men, who, writes one American
observer, would compare in behavior,
manner, dress, and education with the
average men Of the better classes of
other Asiatic nations As for their
fitness to govern themselves, we have
the testimony of the victorious Dewey
and the American Gen. King, that
they are far superior to the Cubans
In that particular. An American COR
respondent wrote of Aguinaldo's gov
eminent that he has made life and
property safe, made bripan-
dage and loot impossible +
and a woman's honor safer in Luzop
than it has been for thirty years. ,
There is thus far stronger and more
promising republic in the Philippines
than there ever was in Cuba. The
American publicists who taught Us
that it was right to recognize the one
will be the last to complain if we
recognize the other.
"Spain, your senorias, has especial
reason for moving in this matter.
Several thousand Spanish prisoners
are in the hands of the Filipinos- not
only soldiers, but civilians, MANY
women and children. Their sufferinps
wiring our hearts. The United States
undertook, by the treaty of Paris, to
secure their liberty, but has not been
able to do SO. Our country offered
to ransom them for q great sum, but
the Americans would not allow It.