The evening times., 1899-02-09
A.uinHIdn ReYun 1t.

DE Asulnaiho ana MS spy lndt tue AnSIi-
cans were the original aggressors in the
fight at Manila is obvious. For weeks it
has been known that the Filipinos at
tempted by insults and efforts 10 pass the
American outposts. by pointing guns at
our sentries and defying them, to cause an
outbreak that would place the response
bility on our troops. The latter would
have been justified in arresting or shoot
ing the FiIipnOs who disregarded their
orders to halt in approaching the pickets,
but they had been instructed TO bear every
thing patiently except a determined pur-
pose TO pass the lines. That would have
warranted the shooting down even of an
American soldier or officer. This is not all.
The attack had been preceded by virtual
declaration of war by AguinaldO and by his
agent in this country. The reports of
General Otis are specific as TO the begin
ming of the trouble. and no intelligent per-
son will question their accuracy. II would
be impossible for anybody 10 misrepresent
the facts without being contradcted by
the testimony of subordinate officers and
soldiers. There has been no denial of the
official statement except by Aguinaldo, who
was far away, and by his spy who entered
a denial before he could have had any ad
vices.
Not that it matters greatly. The situa-
ton was such that General Otis had every
cause to make an advance and take pos
session of the water works, then in the
hands of the rebels But for the truth of
history it is necessary 10 insist on the ac-
curacy of General Otis report. Indeed, the
truth is self-evident. From the established
fact that large part of the effective work
of the American rifles was done between
the lines held By the two forces proves
that the rebels had advanced from their
former position toward the American posts.
The rebels could have escaped slaughter if
they had not been disposed to fight. Once
engaged. il was the business of the Amer
leans to whip the enemy at any cost. That
any citizen OF this country should have any
but words OF praise for our soldiers would
be humiliating but for the lesson of expe-
rience that there are always some men TO
decry the highest patriotism and condemn
the most heroic sons of the nation.
Once hostilities begin, there is little
room for generosity toward fighting foe.
All kindness is mistaken. since it prolongs
the conflict and makes the final sum OF
misery greater than it would be under
vigorous and relentless prosecution of the
war 1t was military necessity that the
Americans should destroy the villages
where the rebels concealed themselves in
! the houses and fired on our advancing
a.. -
needed on this account. 1t has made the
necessary lesson more impressive. The
news this morning confirms the reports
| that Aguinaldo's power is gone. This is
another evidence that he ordered the at
! tack He had promised that his army
should achieve the same victory that had
| formerly followed attacks on the Spaniards
| holding the same lines. His followers now
eXecrate and desert him for his failure as
military commander and for his igno-
rance of the fighting qualities of the
American soldiers. Il is doubtful if he car
hold a third of his former force. There.
fore. with the fall of Iloilo which Genera
Miller is instructed to effect, we may lool
upon the war as ended.
General Otis and his troops deserve the
| highest praise of the American Govern
ment and people. They displayed extra.
ordinary patience during weeks of abuse
and even personal assault. When the time
came for them to fight, they behaved them.
selves with the superb courage that is re.
garded as characteristic of the American
soldier. No charges of precipitate action
no falsehoods about an assault on unpre
pared and unaggressive Filipinos, shoul,
impair their credit. That the slaughter o
the enemy was awful was due to the des
perate courage of the. rebels and the su
periority of American methods of fighting
BY making the battle decisive, they hav
prevented the prolonged warfare that wa
threatened, in which many American live
would have been lost.