The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1899-04-20

negatived by all history, and may be
dismissed without consideration.
The second is that recent events
furnish such evidence that the Fill.
pinos are competent for self-govern-
ment as to justify US in relinquishing
all responsibility for law and order in
the Philippines and leaving the in.
habitants to work out their own
destiny. Such evidence as the coun-
try at present possesses appears to
rs to indicate very different con.
clusion. 1t is reported that flags Of
truce have been fired upon; that flags
OF truce have been displayed as q
decoy and our peaceful officers ad-
vancing response have been fired
upon; that murder and arson have
been attempted in the city within our
lines; that an official proclamation
has been issued from Malolos sum.
moning the Filipinos to exterminate
all foreigners by indiscriminate as
sassination; that the inhabitants OF
two provinces have asked the pro.
lection of the American flag and the
American forces against the so-called
Aguinaldo Government; and that Ger
many, recognizing the perils of her
own resident citizens, has Entrusted
them to our safeguarding. There is
nothing in what is currently known
concerning the Filipinos to throw
suspicion on these reports, and much
to confirm their probability. A
single incident which we clip from a
Kansas paper-one of several which
are given in such detail as to justify
the confidence that they are not
fiction-indicates this Filipino char
acter:
Last night" says Harry selig, OF
the Lawrence Company, "a South
Dakota boy was attacked by two
natives from behind. In approach
ing they declared they were amigos
friends9 and he allowed them to
pass. Fortunately, he happened to
look over his shoulder in time to
see knife decending; he made a
jump, and only received small cut
instead of stab that was intended
to kill him."
If treachery is characteristic of the
Filipinos, as this incident indicates
land the indication is confirmed by
the judgment of well-informed
students of their character,) and il
the reports of the manifestations OF
this treacherous disposition given
above are true, the United States con-
not accept the counsel of this Ad-
dress, cannot assume that Aguinaldo
represents the people, or that the
people represent capacity for ad-
ministering a just government, and
enter into negotiations with him,
leaving him to determine what is the
preference of the people of the island,
and trusting him to organize and
maintain such Government as they
prefer. This whole Address as
sumes that Dewey and Otis are deal
ing with a civilized people who keep
the compacts which they make. But
how if they are dealing with semi
savage people, as little to be trusted
as Sioux Indians, Malay pirates, OF
unruled Sepoys?
The third ground on which the con-
clusion of this Address might be
based is that we have no RESPONSE
bility for the Philippines; that we
had no business there in the first
place; that having destroyed the
Spanish fleet, we had no business to
remain there; that, having by our
treaty ended Spanish domination, we
have no business to continue longer
there; and that the sooner we cease
attempting to attend to the business
of the Philippines and devote our
selves to minding our own, the bet
ter for them and for us. This, we
suspect, is the real ground which I'M
derlies the feeling of those Ameri-
cans who desire us to leave the Philip.
pines to work out their own destiny
but we are convinced that it is both
immoral and illogical. 1t certainly
is inconsistent with the Address
which -affirms that Aguinaldo was
brought to the Philippines by our
own war-ship, and was accepted by
us as our ally. In so far as this is
true, it is impossible for us to escape
responsibility for his conduct. Hav.
ing destroyed the only Government,
that actually existed in the islands,
having brought Aguinaldo to the
islands, and made it possible for him
to organize his followers into some
semblance of an army, we cannot
honorably sail away and leave the
people of these islands to such Gov
eminent or no-govern ment as he and
his army may be able to maintain
II the result should be anarchy
plumber, and assassination, we should
be responsible before God, before oul
own consciences, and in the judg
ment of the civilized world.
We do not, then, believe that tn
American people will ratify the con
illusions Of the Address which has
| been issued to them against tn
course of the present Administration
in the Philippines. and we do no
think they ought SO to do. A com
petent and trusted Commission ha
been sent to the Philippines to ascer
tain the facts. 1t is composed O
men who are above the suspicion
Of being dominated by either com
mercial or political interests. Tn
people will and should hold thei
judgment in suspense until the re
turn and report of that Commission
! No definite policy should be formu
lated until that report is receive
and considered. Meanwhile tn
Representatives of Americas honor i
the Philippines must do whatever
necessary to protect persons an
property, prevent anarchy and mi.
rule, and disperse force which proven
peaceful industry and forbid ths
prosperity which is dependent upo
it. This they can be depended on
do; they can be depended on
undertake no more than this; an
this is not war Of subjugation.
| CASTORIA