The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-05-05
THE PHILIPPINES

Secretary Long Puts the Case In tho
Right Light-The Situation in a
few Words. 0]
Louisville Courier-Journal (Dem):
The fact that a great deal Of the noiso
made against our Philippine policy is
mere ignorant business has been clear
from the first.
For one thing. most OF It is made by.
people who are never satisfied with
anything, who are usually trying to
personally conduct everything, and who
are always fussing about some thing.
That they don't know what they ore
.uss!ng about In their incessant at
tacks upon our course in the Philippines
IS further illustrated by Secretary
Longs definition Of that course in his
Boston speech.on May /. AS M. Long
IS q member OF the administration 1t
may be assumed that he Ia better au-
thority on this matter than the common
scolds. s
After caustIcaIIy condemntng their
charges that, We, are as cruel to the
Flliplnos as were the Spaniards, or that
We are wantonly cruel to them Mt all,
and recalling that 1t was our duty to
strike the Philippines while we were at
war with Spain, Mr.. Long added that
q, the end OF the war the Islands were
IN our hands, @and that there was q
uaanlmity of agreement, including
Senator Hoar himself. that they should
be left in the nominal possession Of
nt,, 10 10. Oh hp,
been TO leave them in state of chaos.
Reminding the fussers that Agulnaldo
actually began hostlitles against us, at
the instance OF his representative In this
country, before the fate OF the treaty
had been decided in the senate. he OBJ
served that some would think, from
what some say, that the President had
gone out of his way to begin an assault
and invasion upon the Filiplnos. On the
contrary, on February 6. around that
city OF Manila, where property and life
We're congregated entitled to protection,
Agulnaldo and his followers were MAX
Ing their assault, shooting down our
soldiers. creating riot and disturbance,
endangering life and property, actually
lighting the torch and attempting to
burn the city. can hardly believe that
even the critics of the administration
approved of this at that time, or that
they approve OF the Filipinos firing on
our flags OF TRUCE. And yet. cannot
help noticing that some OF them have
no word Of sympathy for our soldiers
and countrymen, who. in their line Of
duty, were exposed 10 those dangers
in and about Manila. But II some
atrocious SANDER Is invented against
the good conduct of humanity OF our
army. 1t Is a source Of delight to Them"
Explaining that the insurgents are
only very small part OF the Filipinos,
and that avery considerable element
OF the people. including several of the
Islands and the great city OF Manila
are known 10 desire American suprem-
acy. Mr.. Long came to the real point
Of his address:
III seems to me that to establish sta
BILE conditions is the first thing to be
done, and this the udrllnistra ton is en-
deavorinS to do.
Second. to 20 on. through the Schur-
man peace commission. as that commits
sion is endeavoring to do. and as speed
lily as possible 10 get Into communica-
ton with the leading influences among
the natives and secure some adjust
nent. President Schurman's last ad-
vices are encouraging in this respect
He reports that the Lending Filipinos
are visiting the commission daily; that
Il Is considering the question of amnes-
~: that the report shows dissension
among the leaders and natives in the
Tacalo provinces. and that witnesses
testify that some Of the outlying Tagl-
10 governments which have been prac-
ticing personal plunderng are support
ed by not more than per cent OF the
population, while lthe rest are DESTROYS
OF peace. 20
The third thing for the admlnistra-
ton Is, while thus insuring order and
doing everything to secure an adjust
E7eDt with the natives. TO wait the ac-
ton Of Congress. which must deter
mine what the disposition OF these is
lands is to be.
Ny personal Views are of little con-
sequence. but have already expressed
them 10 the effect that should be glad
TO see every step taken toward their
Ultimate self-Eovernment as soon rs
they show their capacity for 1t, and
as soon as there shall be proper guar
antee of order and protection to prop
erty and organization OF government In
stable manner" -.E-
There Is the situation in few words.
1t would have been cowardly and
criminal to abandon the Islands to
anarchy.
The immediate duty is to put down
instruction and establish order.
That done. We can decide deliberate
" and formally what we propose to do
about the Islands In the future.
The determination of our policy then
may give ground for difference of opin-
ion among ourselves. There is no
sTptlnd for Y,opl,- difTuraDca nc IN our