The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-05-16


he had enough regulars to go on with
his operations.
Now n word as to the insurrection
and the insurgents. There is an insur-
rection and there are insurgents under
arms in the Philippines today for four
reasons. First-The insurgent army
was reorganized and equipped by Agui-
naldo primarily to assist the Americans
In their operations against the Span
iards, They had q notion that when
the Spaniards were driven out they
would be left to set up a government
of their own. Second-When they
found that they had INDUCED a wrong
notion, Spanish civil officials who were
to lose their jobs and other Spaniards
were especially active in inspiring the
natives with fear and hatred for the
Americans. These Spaniards told the
Filipinos the most horrible stories Of
lynchings in the South, and assured
them that what the Americans did with
their own citizens they would do with
the Filipinos. They pictured us as the
| most barbarous of nations and the ma
tives concluded that if they were to
live at all they must fight for their
lives against such terrible invaders.
Third-The delay in signing the Peace
Treaty gave the Filipinos new courage.
Every speech in congress against the
| treaty and in sympathy with the ma
! tives was reported at Aguinaldo's head
| quarters twenty-four hours after it was
delivered. Agents of Aguinaldo in this
| country, who are still serving him by
| the way, sent reports of these speeches
| to the Filipino Junta at Hong Kong,
| who forwarded them by boats Ia
| Aguinaldo. BY him they were spread
| through the insurgent army and all
| the natives got the notion that, if they
only kept on fighting, they would gain
| their liberty through their friends in
| the American congress. The fourth
reason for the existence of an insur-
rection and of insurgents in the Philip
| pines today is the work of some of our
| citizens outside congress. The litera-
ture OF the anti-imperialists was sent
to the Philippines, according to the
| general understanding there, for the
purpose of arousing a feeling of discon-
| tent among the volunteers. If that was
the intention then the pamphlets might
better have been kept in this country
| %
| Il happened to be with volunteer
regiment the morning the first con-
signment of pamphlets was delivered
| Those volunteers who were not en-
ragged that American citizens should be
guilty of such work laughed at the text
| and made all kinds of fun of TIL,
writers and disseminators. But some OF
these pamphlets found their way tC
Aguinaldos headquarters. and tha
gentleman saw their value to him il
an instant. He had them TRANSLATED
and distributed throughout his army
and among the natives generally. Moth.
| ing could have given them more aid and
| comfort The rank and file of the army
was called upon to witness the feeling
of their friends in America and en-
| couraged to fight on, since final vic
tory was almost within their grasp
And they fought on. There are thost
in the Philippines who believe that the
lives of many American soldiers might
have been saved had 1t not been 70
these pamphlets. But in spite of al
these obstacles, most of which we hav,
set up ourselves, the end, think, is II
sight. The Filipinos will give up, 81
those more competent to Judge than
believe, when the main body of Agui
naldo's army is met and thrashed
This was Otis's notion from the begin
ming, and he has worked unswerving!y
to carry out this plan.
O.
From the reports l have read OF tn,
operations since left there l believ
that this battle will soon be fought
Lawton is evidently at the rear nov
and Macarthur in front, with gun
boats in the rivers When Otis get
ready TO strike hard ] believe a sur
render will follow. Knowing the ma
tives as / do. am sure they will b.
contented subjects Of the United State
when they have learned that we ar,
not butchers, but humane beings
Whether the islands will be profitabl
investment or not depends entirely upol
your notion OF what profitable means
They are certainly worth $50 600, 900 an
a fight. But whether they are reall.
very rich in vegetable and minera
products nobody can tell until the
have been tested. There is coal there
but nobody knows how much, and no
body knows much of anything abou
other minerals. Men of science VIII b
able TO tell about all these things later
The natives are not unlike the japanese