New-York tribune., 1899-12-31
RESPONSIBHITYFOR THE WAR
THE VIEWS OF AN ANTI-IMPERIALlsT
WHO CONDEMNS HIS FELLOWS OF
THE ATKINSON VARIETY
FOR ENCOURAGING
THE REBELS.

THE REBElS.
To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: Thank you for having published my letter
which bowevs was not as you seem to think.
d,rec,ea against the late General Iswtons pathetic
message 10 his fellow countrymen, but only against
your editorial charging us anti-imperiaiists ho'
only with the responsibility but virtually WIN 'he
sole responsibility among Americans, Tor MS most
lamentable death.
Although am an ant-imperialist when General
Iawton wrote: II know from observation eohntheu
nv captured prisoners that the continuance lnp'e
continuance" not "causel OF fighting chieny que
to reports that sent out lbut not necessarily W
anti-imperslists from America. am sorry ior
the sake OF some OF my fellow anu-imperiais's ~
have to say that. excepting the Chiefly agree
with him. II you would kindly refer TO my pun
lished letters Cfor example those published IN Inc
Evening Post" Of April l3. The SpringneId re
publican" OF May ls and December l. ana Inc
Herald" OF May 3o-see also Its editoriaD you "ouu
md that / one Of the first 10 urge iai' p'"S
10 our brave and shamefully overworked soluiers
by calling out the additional thirty-fve thousa"u
volunteers and that / have constantly urged tha'
II Is best for both sides for us to keep on nsh'hs
those who keep hghtng us. But while venture
10 blame my companions for encouraging those !"
arms against us unnecessarily, because, While eN-
plcitly excluding them, an even more sauslac'oiy
peace could be obtained simply by giving the
Fiiplnos at peace with us equal justice with the
L
than our President but for whom there Woud
have been no opportunity for their error OF )uus-
ment: and | cannot but feel sorrow Tor the stern
necessity OF crushing brave men who are ohiy uo-
ing what we would feel 1t our duty 10 DO were We
I'm their pace-a necessity the President has caused
and could promptly remove by withdra"ihs h''
powerful opposition to the will OF our senate eN-
pressed in the McEnery resolution
You in your editorial OF December y nave ac-
knowledged the truth Of my letter so far as 10 re-
duce your charge against the anti-imperishs's 10
only a share" OF the responsibility FOR Geherai
IAwton's death. You give no valid reasons TOT
treating the Filipnos differently from the Cuoahs
because YOU do not say that they less fitted for
a protectora,e than the Cubans: and II you did IL
would be In the face OF competent authorizes
Ike Admiral Dewey. who have said that theS are
better fitted. You say We are Keeping apsou'e au-
,hority In our hands in Cuba. just as we are Keep
ing It in the Philippines, when you should know
that our authority In Cuba is coupled with prom
ise OF ultimate independence, while In the Phhp,
mines our authority is coupled with threateheu
sovereignty TO which prior 10 the making Oh 'he
Spanish treaty the then existing de facto govern
ment in I.uzon declared IL would not submit lou
say that the Tagss, meaning the de iac'o gov
ernment attacked our troops" which. according
TO the report OF General Otis. is not true and even
~ Il had been true It could have been no reason
why when the President was previously negotiating
the treaty they could not have received equal JUS
tice with the Cubans.
You have not answered my second query. VIZ
If the F1pinos had received equal pohtcaI rlsh's
with the Cubans would not our country nave been
SHARED the war that has cost II so many llVes OF
our fellow countrymen? But to go no further@@ahd1
there IA abundant other evidence In our ornciai a.
records-you will find clear affirmative answer III
General Otiss report ,,, ,t,
In reply TO my third query you practically admit
that President MeHhey ths death Of our Fellow coun
trymen when you write that he carried On te H VA S
law OF the joint resolution he signed for war OF
humanity not conquest II he felt any COUP P,S ,nS
not snecided in the law. because their capture was
not then contemplated 1t was his obvious DUTY 10
source Of his authority to make war and 1t was was
ultra wires to take on himself az ne mas te n,u sGs
merely. but In principle by making II war OF
conquest Instead OF thinking himself powerless;
in his treaty new policy antagonisie to the pre-,
policy Of Government lie has Il,,, d0ne even
himself because since the McEnery resolution i,r o ne
ereienty against the instructions OF the Senate not
to annex the Philippines permanently ,o.,,or
al Record, Page ss. Paragraph 81 he said that
suggestion had been made 10 renounce our author-
I,y over them and retain protectorate but in our
thor!ty, but only sovereignty. and In the Philip
doubts that by means Of the proposed Bacon Joint
resolution putting the Filpinos. excluding those in
BRING immediate i'm submission and peace until the
President withdraws his powerful opposition 70
urotectorate Il seems Just to hold him and not us
ant-imperialists Individually responsible, not only
for the beginning. but also for the continuance or
the war -, o.-,
have the deepest respect for the late General
I.awton. not alone as soldier but also az lea9er
OF men and II Is not the least Of our sorrows Tor
his loss that he will not be with his country TO AID
In the restoration OF a stable government In the
Philippines. As. however, was an ohicial among
Orientas for some thirty years, feel not only that
| have a right, but that II II my duty, 10 express
my opinion about our needs and theirs In the
Philippines. Il Is small matter In comparison i
with all the utterly unnecessary misery and blood
she'd but an old workman cannot but feel some
pain at the stupidity OF the Presidents Philippine
policy which has only to be compared with the re-
suits Of the Cuban policy 10 demonstrate the folly
OF II: and so far my reading has gone no com
petent authority not a subordinate of the Presl-
dent has failed to condemn II. As easy OF refer
ence / recommend reading THE Lesson from the
Malay States" in the November Atlantic
AS you have not been entirely complimentary 10
me. | shall think It only fair that you give this
letter equal prominence with your editorial.
FRANCIS f.. WOODRUFF
Morristown. n J., Dec. 2S 1899