The record-union., 1899-07-13
D1sCoRDANT NOTES AT HOME.
Senate's Mistake in Delaying Rati-
fcation Of the Treaty.

Senate's Mistake in Delaying Nat1-
lcation Of the Treaty.
Here I believe we have the main in
f1uence that caused the Filipinos to hold
out with such strength and persisten-
cy. The failure to ratify the treaty
not only gave them the time to get
their army and government in splendid
shape and therefore inspire the people
throughout the islands with the idea
that they were entirely capable of gov
erning themselves without even our
protection, but led them to believe that
there was even a strong possibility that
they might be compelled to fight Spain
again or some other country in their
efforts to secure their independence.
| In the informal negotiations between
General Otis and Aguinaldo and in the
correspondence that passed between
| them the latter took distinct adyan-
tage of the technical point that the
United States did not have sovereignty
over the islands. Moreover, when dis
cussing the situation with Americans
who visited Malolos, Aguinaldo and his
Cabinet Ministers would continually
state that they had to keep their army
up to full standard in order to be pre-
pared for any eventuality. If the
treaty had been ratified Immediately
after the Senate met in December, Ad-
miral Dewey and General Otis would
have been not only supported by
moral and technical strength of posi-
tion which the Filipinos could not as
sail, but they would have had the main
part of the dry season ahead of them
and fully two months favorable to
campaigning. If fighting had followed
an early ratification, 1t probably would
have been quickly ended and good gov
ernment would be now established
throughout the islands. If no fighting
had followed, which is more probable,
viewing all conditions in a compara
tive light, we would be now congrat-
ulating ourselves upon our quick, and
successful solution of the problems of
/ the Philippines.
I do not wish to appear, in consider
ing this point, as being too optimistic,
but when I look back to those trying
days at Manila I remember that our
leading naval and military officers con-
tinually said that every day of delay
in treaty ratification means an incalcu-
liable increase of strength in the Fill
pino ranks.
|
| Following up all these unhappy in
fluences, to which our army and navy
| had to quietly submit without turning
! a finger, there came the blow from
behind that did more harm than all
of these local influences combined-the
agitation in America in behalf Of the
Filipinos and in opposition to the pol
! icy of our Government and of the
army and navy as advised by such tried
men as Admiral Dewey and General
Otis. 1t is remarkable how quickly the
idea spread, not only through the Fill
pino army, but among the people in
! the distant interior, that the United
States was wavering in its policy, and
that it was probable that If they held
out long enough and persisted in their
position we would withdraw our army
and give them back the islands.
Every discordant note that was
struck in America was telegraphed or
written either to Hongkong or Manila
and found its way by first opportunity
to the camps of the Filipino army and
to the columns of the native press Not
satisfied, however, with the circulation
given by the newspapers, what was
being said and done in America was
printed in circular and pamphlet form
and sent among the people to encour-
! age them. If the senior Senator of
Massachusetts, could have witnes sed the
expression of satisfaction depicted on
the face of every Filipino soldier when
he read the sentiments expressed by
that distinguished man in the halls of
Congress, and then have seen the look
of pain upon the face of every Ameri
can soldier when he realized that a
United States Senator was inspiring the
enemy opposite him, am Of the hum
BILE opinion that he would have expert
enced some feelings Of regret at the di-
rect effect of his argument. There Is
no question that the belief was preva-
lent among the Filipinos at the time
the fighting began on February 4th
that if they held out a sufficient length
of time the Americans would give them
what they asked. 1t is not my inten-
ton to cast any reflections upon the
honesty and good faith of the men who
have opposed our policy in the Philip
pines, and do not believe that any
of them have been actuated by other
than the most patriotic motives, un-
less, probably, the natural tendency to
make political capital out of the trou-
bles of those in power has inspired
some of the criticism or opposition
I heard not only Admiral Dewey and
Major General Otis, but Generals Mac
Arthur, Anderson, Hale, Lawton, Brig
adler General Otis and Colonels Smith
and Summers use terms as strong as
have on this unhappy feature Of the
war.-John Barrett. in the American
Monthly Review Of Reviews.