The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-02-15

FoF The Item.
TIE DUTY OF THE HOUR.
Mr. Editor:
The position assumed BY the lead
ing papers of this State on the Phil
ippile question, does not seem to
represent the opinion Of the people
of fae State Certainly aot of all the
seopis Of the State It is lamentable
thai the sentiment Of South Carolina,
should be generally assumed to be an
s tagsnistic to the attitude of the gov
ernineat It's true shat our senior
Senator is nothing if not critical,
but ii does not follow that the people
adopt his theories, nor is it true that
constant, sRarling disposition is
representative Of the attitude which
the people bear towards their nation
al leaders. Let us look calmly at
ddsas Philippine question
Because Admiral Dewey aided one
8 q AgainaIdo, to return to the Philip.
pines and perhaps used him and his
) adherents, TO some extent, IN the cap
tlse Of Manila, does ss follow that
a guinaldo. had the rsghs to claim
s. sovereignty over the Philippine
a.chipelaro and 10 arm his followers
against the forces of the United
States
Because the tyranny end misgov-
esnmens of Spain, caused revolt
3 against her rule, and justified insur-
recsion, does 1t follow that there is
any sort Of right in Aguinaldo to
stand IN arms against the United
States, who have renovsd the rule OF
the Seapfard Is there any reason
to beheve that the Government OF
the United States. would BY its mea
sarea justly any revolt {
Is not the course pursued by Mr.
Eguinaldo, sinilar to that Of the ser
scent, which having been warmed
into lie b the farmer, turned upon
and stnng his benefactor
VII, IS this Mr. Aguiaaldo?
sson what meat has this or Caesar fed
That he has grown so great
Whence comes mis- right to The
assumed control over the Philippines7
He Was one of she leaders of q
revolt against the rule Of Spain. He
sold ont himself and his people for
& the sun, of one million dollars. to be
paid By Spain. he received $500,
600, and was as Hong Kong when
she war between Spain and the
United States broke ont He return.
cd TO the island of Lnzon on an
American vessel and was aided to
# organize such forces as he could
raise. Supplies from the arsenal at
CARTE were given TO him, and he may
baveheen regarded as somewhat Of
an ally 10 the investment Of Manila.
3s But whence does he derive the right
10 the Sovereignty of the whole
archipelago |? BE is not hereditary
pr;nce.no election has given him
command. He has simply organized
,some forces and nominal sort OF
cabinet. composed largely of "His
sisters, his cousins and his aunts, .
Ike that of Sir Joseph Porter in the
eoulic opera Of sthe Pinafore y
His chief Of The military staff is
bis cousin, smother AguinaIdo "
His whole army is composed of about
25, 900 or 80, 900 men Of sS arms,
including, bows aud arrows, and his
whole naval force is comprised In 9
few unarned scows ft only for trans
porfasion purposes
Without American aid, he was
poWerless 20 remove the forces o1
Spain, and since the United States
hsve driven Spain Ont he has fought
no battle. gained no victory and &C
compiisbed no work, except that his
p.people occupied the city of lloiio,
when the spaniards left it open to his
troops
Should the United States vacate
the bay and city of Manila Il
seems that revolution wouaS succeed
revolution since Aguinaldo and his
followers constitute but email por.
tion Of the people of those islands.
who number not less than ten million.
and are composed of Talagos, Ne
gritos, Malays, Filipinos proper and
strsDgers- The foreign interests al
stake are large-German. English
French. Japanese and Chinese, no,
SO speak of American and Spanish
Would the governments of those
foreigners consent to have the lives
liberties and property of their citi
zens left 30 the tender mercies of Mr.
AguinaIdo and his followers or o