The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-06-21

u"'o oon0 ~ 1of oVo years, aitnougn
under the rule of Spain. They were
the clerks, and bookkeepers. the
assessors and managed the entire
machinery of government. Their
courage is undoubted, and they fight
to the death, having among them a
superstition that if you are killed you
do not really die, but in three DAYS
reappear somewhere else.
STRONGER THAN EVER.
GAS for their condition now, az
far as can see, they are stronger,
more determined and more skilIful in
the art of war than when the fighting
out there started, and as days 60 by
they increase in strength and knowl.
edge, having nine or eleven millions
of people to draw from. They are
armed with Mausers-the best rife
in the woodland are far better
marksmen than the Spaniards At
first they shot high and missed, but
now they have caught on and aim
low with deadly effect. They have
good government now, which they
are operating successfully, and pre-.
serve law and order. They certainly
don't think theirs is hopeless fight
and don't think anyone else does
who knows anything about it.
FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM.
"What they are fighting for now
is absolute and entire liberty. They
don't want Us there or over them,
and in the course Of time might
wear out our patience entirely. An
excellent ssposta! and telegraph sys.
TEN is in existence, which we wish
very much we could get hold of.
While they fight for entire freedom,
all they ask is a chance for life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness,
and they care rot whether it be a
republic of their own or some form
devised for them by the great United
States of America I see nothing
promising in the struggle now or
any hope Of speedy success on our
part, unless many mere troops are
sent out
PROBLEM CAN BE SOLVED.
"The problem can be solved,
however, and | believe that if a
proposal was made to the natives to
lay down their arms upon the prom
ise that the United States would
annex the islands, treat them as
Americans and make their country a
territory of oure, the rebellion-if
such it can be called, for we had no
claim on them-wonld mel; away
like block Of ice before tne sun.
a good, level headed governor could
be appointed and given full seto
power, while the rest of the govern
ment could be in the hands Of the
natives They could be called to.
gether and elec! their OWE legisla-
ture and leaders, operate their own
politics aud manage their own afairs.
| believe firmly they would accept
this proposal and surrender, ss they
realize the possibility in event they
establish republic of their own, of
Germany coming along and taking
an island here, France an island
there, aud England three or four
islands somewhere else No propos-
ais of this kind have, however, been
made to the Fi:ipinos.
THE SPANISH PRIESTS CAUSE
TROUBLE
"The chief thorn in the side of the
islanders is the Spanish priest, and
when be is taken out of the country
much of the trouble will dissolve
itself. Not tha: l mean their religion
should be taken away from them and
efforts made to teach them another
kind, because that would leave them
With none at all They are all
Catholics and | know of no people
who more strictly live up to the
requirements Of their religious belief,
but the Spanish priests have created
most of the trouble for the natives.
There is now a good chance to send
them out, as they are Spanish officials
and should go with the rest of the
Spanish institutions What they
want is their own priests native
priests-and not change in religion.
Their ideas are vel! expressed along
this line by the clause in the procla
nation issued by the government on
July L. 1. reads There shall be
general religious liberation. but
measures shall be taken for the
abolition and expulsion of the relig-
ious. communities, who with an iron
hand have hitherto demoralized the
actual civil administration This is
what they want-to get rid of the