The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-03-27
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
the wnr in the Philippines.


paraging remarks occasionally appearing
In your editorial columns against the Fiji
pinos and their leaders. These people are
lighting for the same cause that Washing
ton. Bolivar, and | might perhaps. add
Robert Z. Lee. fought for, the right to
govern themselves In their own way. They
have been driven into this fight by the
policy OF the president and the majority of
the republican party, and by tho treatment
they have received from the ofncers OF the
American army. General Merritt had the
unDiushing eiirontery TO say in an inter-
view after he returned from Manila that
he had never met Aguinaldo nor received
any communication from him, although
Aguinaldo had made various attempts 10
open communication with the American
commander, Mind you both Of them were
ngntinS Spaniards at that time. That is
hne way to treat an ally. Dewey was
an right. He took Aguinaldo there and
furnished him with arms to fight the
Spaniards. but the American army has stu
diously ignored the Filipinos and treated
them with the utmost contempt and mark
my prediction, the American army Will
not only treat with them before they are
through with this trouble. but they will
respect them as we'll. This fight will end
by the Americans asking for suspension
OF hostilltes and the making OF a treaty OF
peace
Mr. Mckinley and the majority of the
American people have an idea in their
head. and you have expressed the same
sentiment, am sorry to say, that we must
whip the Filiplnos into submission first
and treat with them afterwards American
immeasured' pride, as Agunaldo calls ii.
is on top now, but IL will come down.
Pride goeth before destruction and a
naughty spirit before a fall" Just watch
and see the Americans take a tumble at
Manila. The best thing man or nation
can do when they find that they are In the
wrong, Is to smother their pride and do
what is right.
President Mckinley and his party have
been wrong from the beginning. The first
thing they ought to have done should have
been the recognition OF the republic of
cuba; II this had been done. doubt II We
would have had any war with Spain. The
Cubans with this backing and a liberal
supply OF arms and ammunition would have
whipped the Spaniards out. II Spain had
insisted on fight with us there was no
need whatever OF an army OF 275 900 men.
We had men enough In our regular army,
small as it was. II they had worked In
conjunction with the Cuban army, to
whip the Spaniards. This Is proved by
the fact that the only real fight the army
had with Spain was at Santiago, and Shat
ter had never more than $4,000 men with
MIN, and he fought the battle on the broad
OF his back and famed by Niger.
Another mistake the government made
was in not recognizing the Philippine re-
public and Withdrawing our army. The
authorized representative of the Philippine
republic went to Paris and asked for a
hearing before the peace commission. He
should not only have been heard, but ne
should have been admitted as third party
to the treaty and should have signed II
with them. Refused there, he came to
| Washington and made appeal after APP
| peal to Mckinley for justice for his peo-
Pile. He came authorized by his govern
| ment 10 assume for the Philippine repub-
lie the so0.00o,000 we were to pay to Spain,
| and had power to offer to pay all the eX
penses that had been incurred by Dewey's
| feet and the American army in Manila
! since the war began. His appeals, which
| were in the most courteous and respectful
| language, and were pronounced by sem
| ator In the United States congress as the
| handwork of a statesman, we're ignored by
| the proud aristoorats of the Mckinley ad-
| mnistrauon, not even their receipt ac-
| knowledged. That is the reason our brave
| boys. one OF the killed dear relative OF
| mine, are now fighting in sef-defense
against Filipinos and dying OF tropical
fevers. The fighting there was provoked.
| as | believe, even II Il was not actually
begun. by the Americans, under secret or
| ders from Washington in order to carry
me peace treaty through ihe senate Inc
| American army never will whip the Fill
plhos lito ans no and uh,Hss .u i,,
be sacrificed In the vain attempt The
American army will never get beyond the
range Of the shells OF the w wa ana
s saoe no "'e NV "''''' "''' ''' VI
write in the hope that you will take
these matters into consideration more Sc
al. ,..l.a 81,
riousiy ana stop the nlhss al NOSE poor