The San Francisco call., 1899-09-20
THE FILIPINO INSURGENTS.

I1E FILIPINO lNSURGENl =.
I HE Imperlallst press, in concert, is harp1ng
loudly about Aguinaldo and his relations to the
treaty of Biaknabato. These have been so often
established on the testimony OF John Barrett, Consul
Wdman and other mperiaists that to continue mis-
representing them is puerile To publish the truth OF
history is not to support defend Agulnaido. 1t
is quite remarkable that the imperiast press pursues
exactly the policy for which it impeaches the Filipino
chief He is called mercenary advenurer, who sold
his cause to Spain sordidly for gold. His people
have civilization, and unity OF purpose He is
i liar and sustains his by Misrepresentation
and so through endless expletive and epithetl-
cal discussion, every substantial statement of which
is fatty contradicted by the facts OF history pub
lished personally officially by United States Con
suls Pratt Widman and Williams, and by Dewey
Professor Schurman General Miller, General Reeve
Lieutenant Stickney and the united corps OF Manila
correspondents OF American newspapers
The latest contribution to the confusion Of the i'm
peralist press is article in the August number of
Harpers Magazine, by Lieutenant Calkns of the
navy who was with Dewey the Olympia in the
battle OF Manila Bay. Between the destruction OF
Montijos feet and the fall of Manila, and for
time thereafter Lieutenant Calkins enjoyed excep-
tional opportunities OF intercourse with the Filipino
government and people, and became personally ac-
quainted with Aguinaldo and his civil and military
officers. He had access to the Spanish archives and
records and from them compiled material for his ar
tice on The Filipino Insurrection OF 1885, to which
we call attention.
The mperiais press of this country speaks of it as
an outbreak of bandits, which Spain was preparing
to finally crush when appeared in the islands to
continue and complete her work. Calkns describes
the work we are expected to complete. In band
shot to death by Spain, knelt two mlionares the
village doctor lawyer and schoolmaster' In another
man-hunt the Spanish records note the capture and
slaughter OF planters proctors magistrates school
master, millionaire and dramatic poet 'the inso-
lent translator into Tagal OF the works of Ernest
Renan" After Blanco was furnished an increase Of
$4,000 soldiers they hailed by the Spaniards and
banqueted Don Rafael Comenge, high official OF
the Department of Justice, addressing them, said
"You are just in time The cannibals still in the
woods; the wild beasts hiding in their lairs the
hour has come to exterminate the savages; erocous
animals must be killed; noxous herbs must be rooted
out; show no mercy; Destroy kill; grant no pardon
for that is the prerogatve OF the King not OF the
army. Admit overtures of peace in the face Of
This treason" From these gentle creatures it seems
we bought the right to continue their determination
Of the bandits! Blanco was succeeded by Polavieia
as Captain General, who instructed the army that
rebellion must be wiped out in blood" Then the
public executions began and continued until the
bloodthirsty Spanish spirit sickened and they
ordered to take place behind prison walls Among
! the bandits thus exterminated DR. Rial, a
! graduate and medaer of Spanish and German uni
versities long the authority in Vienna ocular de
eases, their surgery and treatment, the author of
"Noli me Tangere' and other books He was
charged with having agated for Philippine indepen-
dence since his nineteenth year and his books written
between 1888 and 1892 were produced in evidence
F, against him. He led the fatal field OF
Bagumbayan, and refusing to kneel, was shot to
death
After the treaty and the banishment of Aguinaldo
Lieutenant Calkns says, that suspecting the faith of
| Spain Agunaldo kept the revolutionary council and
their fund the money paid to him by Spain well in
hand and the money used to purchase for the
conquest OF Cavte province in May, 1893 "that cam
paign having been made with purchased abroad
or captured from the Spanish troops and with the
remnants which the Fipinos allowed to take
from the arsenal after its capture by Admiral Dewey
Lieutenant Calkins article is kept far within the
limit of that must be respected by navy Of
ficer but Americans reading it will feel little pride
in the purchase by this country of the Spanish right
| to extermnate the bandits of the Philippines.