The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-02-07
THE THIRD BATTLE OF MANILA.

outposts at Manila IS the third battle
there under flag. The glory OF American
arms has been well sustained in each, and there is
no difference OF opinion at home upon the credit
Que to fighters land and sea. Such differences
reserved for expression upon the issues OF policy
which involve own Government and imply
changes in its structure and functions 1t is now
evident that acquisition OF the Philippines be
by conquest Spain sells a quitcaim, but must
write title Ill fee simple in the blood OF the peo-
pie.
A great deal OF crude comment has followed this
expected action at arms much OF it generated in the
enthusiasm which ever follows fight. 1t is the same
feeling which has sustained every British Ministry
that has put the armor OF aggression, and added
to the glory OF British distant from the
Anglo-SaXon center From the time first set foot
Luzon there has been no doubt that we could whip
any force the Filipinos might bring against in
set battle; and it was certain from the first that we
could occupy much of the islands as Spain had
occupied, by using the means which asserted
and maintained the occupancy which she quitclains
for twenty millions The Call said that could con-
quest the Philippines and, saying that meant that by
other could assert our sovereignty over
them The third battle OF Manila has confirmed this.
1t may us as much as the conquest OF India for
the Malay will fight like the Sikh and Mahratta The
real issue for people to consider is not the con-
quest, but its consequences. To hold these Asatics
we must maintain perpetual military occupation.
The experience OF every nation that has dealt with
them is that any relaxation OF military vigilance means
a massacre. We talk in high strain about educating
the Malays and mixed races They need and prize it
as little as did the sons OF Rob Roy We have also
heard talk of their physical assimilation with
The tropical take to themselves the blood OF
the non-tropical races only to eliminate it by assiln-
lation
The Aryans were white race. They descended
upon India from the Northwest and deployed upon
the hot plains of that peninsula with this view
OF assimiating the dark they found there. In
the old Sanskrit ritual is prayer of the Aryans, in
which they thanked God that He was preserving the
whteness Of their skin. But that color, which was
their race mark disappeared such long ages ago that
its only record is in that prayer of thanks preserved
in language that dead before the tongue spoken
in Babylon was born
The tropical and Asiatic races OF the Philippines
will persist II there is to be any human life there
at ALL its breath must be in their ribs and its soul in
their bodies.
We have met them precisely as did their Spanish
masters and relations will not much differ from
what they have known under Spain.
Their political and physical assimilation with us is
impossible and this opening battle in the tragedy of
their conquest only casts deeper shadow upon
situation In such matters opportunity once passed
returns no more. When we descended from the lofty
position which we began war with Spain we
plunged into trouble of which no eye can now see
the end Had we stood fast by our professions, had
not turned them into pretenses, had we followed
the treaty of Paris with immediate assurance to
the Filipinos that were buying their freedom of
Spain and that she not selling them for cash to
new master the way would have been made plain to
an adjustment by which we would have recouped the
money cost OF their deiverance and made them free
As far mortal ken penetrate this opportunity
gone and will not return. 1t presented honorable
and creditable way OF delicate and dangerous sit
uation But we did not follow it, because the voice
OF reason was drowned by the thunder OF the war
drum, and the instincts of freedom and peace were
suppanted by the lust OF conquest and thirst for
battle
1t remains for those who have been responsible
for our present situation to find way out of it as
honorable as would have been the refusal to enter
it at all.
The domestic situation is unchanged. The perils of
imperialism peris still and become more threaten
ing as the certainty of conquest increases We have
become suddenly sensitive of the opinions of other
nations which judge us by their standard, standard
which have heretofore treated with indifference
repudiated altogether. We the boy at
school, compelled by the public opinion of his class
to whip his fag. We can do that easily but we
as easily endure what follows?