Arizona republican., 1899-07-24
TO THE BITTER END.

; u lie philippines, WHeIHeT lH6 4oI6>
of the archipelago are to be annexed
to the United States or the natives al
lowed to assume self-government, the
paramount duty of President McKin-
ley just now is to reduce the rebels 20
). subsection. Congress alone may de-
termine whether we shall retain con-
troll of these islands, the title to which
we acquired by the stern arbitrament
CT war, but there can be no question
as to the necessity of first establishing
the authority of our government over
the dominions recently brought under
our flag.
There are many people in this coun-
try-well meaning and patriotic per-
haps-Who protest against and de-
nounce the war of subiugation which
our government is w2ging against a
people fighting for liberty. They re
mind those who sanction the war and
sustain the president that we were
once in position similar to that in
which we now find the Tagals, and
that it was our successful resistance
as insurgents, aided by France, that
! enabled our people to establish ma
:ion which has grown to be the most
progre ssive, the most enlightened and
the most powerful on earth. They
claim that we have gone back on our
own first principles and repudiate the
blossoms of the revolution.
This is an extreme and incorrect
view of the situation. There is No
parallel between the struggle of the
Filipino insurgents and our war for
independence, except that in both
cases, self-government was thu object
sought to be obtained by the rebels.
The fathers of our republic took up
arms against long series of usurpa-
tions and expressions; they bore in
justice as long as federation was prac-
ticable and renowned their allegiance
when the exactions Of the British gov
eminent became intolerance.
The FiHpinos, on the other hand,
have suffered no grievance from our
government, and probably will never
have cause for any well founded COM
plant of our treatment of them. The
followers of Aguinaldo neither know
nor care whether the United States
government and institutions would
tend to their national development.
They wont the right to rule-to run
things after their own fashion. They
desire to punish all they consider their
enemies and to reward-themse1ves
The protest against trying to govern
without the consent CT the governed
does not avail in the present contro-
versy. It is a fact that the peaceably
disposed people of the Philippines are
all anxious to come in under our flag
and long for the day when the disorder
incident to warfare shall cease. They
recognize in the turbulent followers of
AgWnaldo the greatest source of mis-
cry to their country. They need work, |
not war, and for them this government |
cannot suppress the instruction too !
The Philippines are ours by virtue |
of conquest and by a fair compensa-
ton to the nation that lad prior pos
session since colonization. Regard for
our national prestige imperatively de-
nnands that we establish our suprem-
acy over every portion of the group.
where the inhabitants are in
arms against our authority We can
not think of retiring from the conflict
in its present shape, come what may.
Owing to the nature of the country in
those distant islands, the climate and
other causes, our soldiers may. have
task in completing the
of the rebellious Tagals, but
it is one which must be pursued to
the bitter end. The stars and stripes
must float free and unchallenged over
every portion of Philippine territory,
whatever cost in lives and money may
eventuate. Then, and not until then.
congress may deliberate as 10 whether
we should annex the islands, or allow
The natives to go it alone