The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1899-03-25
WE ARE NOT BARBARIANS.

Aguinaldo probably will soon be
captured. No promises should be held
out to him, and when taken he should
| be punished with death, both for JUS
sice and for example He is double
traitor, for he is an migrate as we'll as
traitor, and besides, with an assas-
sins instinct and purpose he instigated
a treacherous attack upon his bene-
factors.-Oregonian.
This is the way the Oregonian would
civilize and Christianize the Filipino
| heathens. 1t would whip them into
subjection, and then set an example
of Christian kindness by summarily
| butcheriug their leaders. What an
example indeed it would set for those
| ignorant beings. 1t might be we'll to
delegate the editor of the Oregonian
| to capture and execute the Filipino
| chief.
Only short time ago the Oregonian
was insisting that it would he an in
| Justice to desert the.Filipinos to their
own fate under self government. be-
cause the islands would be grabbed up
| by European powers that would deal
more unjustly with them than had
| their Spanish oppressors, but now 1t
would treat them even more cruelty
than even the Spaniards did. For the
sake of Justice and example" it
would capture the leaders and punish
them with death. And for what
reason? Simply because they are
fighting for freedom and liberty.
Aguinaldo and his followers have
committed no crime against the gov
ernment of the United States that
merit the death penalty. They are in
no sense of the word rebels, for they
never owed allegiance to America
either in fact or by Implication When
this country engaged in war with
Spain the Filipinos were in a state of
rebellion, but when peace was con-
cIuded and we agreed to purchase the
Philippine islands the people thereof
did not consent to the transfer. They
cid not recognize the right of Spain
to sell them or transfer them to an.
other power, for they had attempted
to throw off the Spanish yoke and
Spanish government, and if left alone
they would unquestionably have
gained what they were fighting for.
Even could they in any sense be
considered rebels against this govern
ment, it would oe contrary TO every
American principle to inflict the
death penalty upon them after they
shall have been captured or shall lay
down their arms. Ii it were an
American principle to inflict such
penalty against rebels, evory leader
in the Southern Confederacy and every
one who bore arms in support
of the rebellion from 1851 to 1865
should have been hanged, for they
were citizens of this country, had hith-
erto acknowledged its supremacy,
and when they espoused the cause of
the rebellion were rebels in u
true sense. But at the close of
the war they We're all forgiven, were
taken back into the Union, and were
given every right aud privilege en-
ioyed by the most loyal citizen.
Aside from the injustice of dealing
harshly with any of the Filipinos who
are now in open insurrection, it would
be contrary to policy. For if we are
to hold the Philippine islands, which
seems to be the course which the
party in power, and which will con-
tinue in power the next two years, has
determined upon, it is our policy to
gain the friendship OF the islands. be-
cause as friends they will be more
readily governed than as enemies.
And we certainly will merit their (
enemitv if we begin killing off their !
leaders as soon as they fall into our
hands. More than this, this govern
ment is too big, too generous and has |
too much OF reputation at stake to I
engage in suca cruelty as the Oregon |
ian advocates. Because we are en- |
gagged in one of the least excusable !
and most cruel war that has been |
waged in modern times, is no reason |
that we should turn murderer.
There was no cause for the wer
against the Fillpinos, and it never
would have been provoked had not the
forced it by neglecting
to give them assurance that their I
rights would not be tramped upon,
and persisted in governing them with
out their consent. And because the
has forced this unjust
conflict upon the nation, it cannot now
cover up its sins of commission by de-
claring Aguinaldo aCd his followers
traitors and Furnishing them with
death. We cannot afford to become
barbarians at this late date simply to
satisfy bloodthirsty fanatics.