The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1899-07-20
TIE WAR IN THE PHILIPPINES.


EDITOR ISLANDER: I crave room in
your valuable paper to express my views
on Americas war with the Philippines.
There is great dissatisfaction expressed
among the opponents of the present adj
ministration in regard to the way the war
with the Filipinos has been conducted.
II Is the duty of an American citizen to
acquaint himself with the problems that
confront our nation, and his privilege to
express his views; therefore claim this
privilege of addressing the readers of
The ISLANDER. for one am proud of
the achievements of the present admin
istration; proud that have the honor of
cltlxenshlp in q nation possessing such
capable statesmen. The Bible. which we
as Christian nation take as our guide.
tells as to love our enemies. This we may
ma some difficulty in doing, but let us
at least endeavor to do them justice. A
GOOD general will not plunge into battle
neaoiOng, knowing nothing of the cOndi
ton OF the enemy, but will first send out
spies to learn the condition and accom-
pilshments of the foe. In passing our
opinion on the Filipino let us not take it
for granted that he is an ignorant barbar-
ian, but let us see if we must not treat
him as an Intelligent creature and see
what has led to his present condition.
Three things that have had the most in
huence in moulding mankind are climate,
religion, and history. In climate the
Philippines can challenge the world for
variety. Some of the islands are damp.
malarlous and cold; others are dry, beau
tiful and healthy. First among these is
LuzOn, upon which is situated the city of
Manila. In religion the Filipinos have
been under both Mohammedal and Cath
Olic control, both of which have instilled
into the minds of these people a deadly
hatred of protestant Christians, and have
contributed to bring about the present
state OF affairs, as we shall soon see. The
discovery of these islands is usually cred
tied TO Magellan about 1921, who took
possession of them for Philip H., after
whom they were named. 1t is the opin-
ion of the writer, however, that they were
held by the buccaneers some time previ-|
GUS to this. But from the time they were
discovered by Magellan till the treaty
with the United States, in 1898, they were
possession of Spain, with the exception
Of a short time in 1867 when they were
under the control of England. Most OF
the people are ignorant, though they have
been able to read AMI write III their own
language for hundreds of years. They
have some learned and talented men.
Pedro PaterO, president of the Filipino
congress, is both D. d. and L. d., hav-
ing received his education at Manila and
at Salamanca, Spain. AguinaldO IS we'll
educated and the people are devOtedly at
tached to him. They have long governed
themselves, to certain extent. The
people are divided into three classes, the
governor being chosen from the highest
class, the cabinent from the middle class,
and other officers from the lowest class,
all of whom being subject to the approval
Of the priest, or monk, who acted as
Spain's representative. These priests
gradually gained full control and placed
such taxes on the people that they have
risen in rebellion from time to time with
the effect of having their shackles riven
the tighter and their burdens made
heavier, until previous to the present
outbreak, they were compelled to till the
soil and sell the proceeds to the monks,
they paying what they pleased and when
they pleased, and the people had no
power of redress. Are they to he censured
for rebelling against such condition OF
affairs? Are they not rather to be praised?
And it was in the midst Of this uprising
that the war with Spain was concluded and
the islands became a possession of the
United States, country OF which the
FilipinOs knew but little. Coupled to
this, their long dreamed of liberty was
aboutIto be lost, as they thought. Is it any
wonder they have fought so tenaciously?
1t will thus he seen that the United States
had before it, not Il war Of determination,
but one of education. Old superstitions
must be broken down and these people
taught that we did not wish to take away
the liberty they had, but to help them to
realize their ideal. Our administration
deems it wise to win the hearts of these
people so they will work IN harmony and
not lie antagonistic. They would need
but small part of the army to help them
to protect themselves, compared to what
it would take to hold them in subsection.
This, it GEMS to me, is the cause of the
long war.
WORKINGMAN.
Mitchell Bay, July, 1889.