Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-07-14
FilipinOS Had Intended to
Kill All Americans.
THEIR PLOT DISCOVERED
Inevitable Course of United States
Bishop ThOburn Thinks China
Must Be Divided and America
Should Get Her Share of It.

Cincinnati, O., July 14-Bishop ]. NJ.
Thoburn of the Methodist Episcopal
church. who has spent 40 years as a mis-
sionary, mostly in India, is here with his
family, some of whom are in i'll health.
The bishop spent some time in Manila
in March last, and was an intelligent OBJ
server of events.
He says there is no doubt that the out
break between the Americans and Fill
pinos was intended by Filipino leaders to
include general massacre in the city of
; Manila. He cited in proof of this the tes-
timony of two Filipino servants who We're
summoned to service in the army by
Aguinaldo and who dared not disobey,
but who warned their American employ
ers to keep within doors that night, as
orders had been given to kill all Euro
peans found on the streets. Another evil
dence was the finding of $4,000 knives
stored in Catholic church. Only the
splendid discipline of the American
troops prevented the massacre.
The whole history of the present Phil
ippne situation. the bishop declares.
showed such natural and logical and
United States is bound to assert its au-
thority there. Anarchy and assassina-
ton, he declares, would follow the with
drawal of the United States forces The
only trouble lies in the Luzon island All
the other islands are peaceful The bishop
thinks the proper policy of the United
States is to enlist the men of the islands
who are the natural enemies of the in
habitants Of Luzon, to fight Aguinaldo's
army. Officered by Americans they would
quickly dispose of the few men that
Aguinaldo can muster.
Viewing thea situation in the far east
from the standpoint of a missionary of 40
years in that part of the world the bishop
was impressed with the fact that it was
the duty Of the United States. forced upon
it by the circumstances of the Spanish
war, to hold the Philippines and to pre-
serve order and extend civilized govern
ment in that vast region.
Moreover, in the interest Of morality
and Christianity, he hoped for the dsso-
luton of the Chinese empire. which he
characterized as the most helpless gov
ernment on earth. In that event Russia
Woulu nave poItlOI, giving IL dn avail
able Pacific port. The English have in
view the valley of the Yang Use Kiang
as their portion. The United States
should have that portion opposite the
Philippine islands. A division of China
would bring untold blessings to the peo-
pie of that empire, and would advance the
civilization of the whole world.
The bishop declines to discuss the sub
ject from the standpoint Of American
politics, but he says he cannot imagine
why the United States should shrk from
giving up her exclusive policy and hesi-
tate to take her place among the nations
when the duty is manifestly thrust upon
her. If China falls to pieces, as nearly
all we'll informed people believe she WILL
it would be unwise if not morally wrong,
to concede that the European nations
have right to settle the destiny of that
great empire without any reference to
America. The United States must in
evitably become the dominating naval
power Of the Pacific ocean, and if such a
future is in store for her, she certainly
ought to hold an important section of the
coast line of eastern Asia.
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