The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-09-19


thur, was conceded to be Inside the
Filipino lines, the village about 100
yards in front of it was within the
American lines, and the picket posts
of the two armies, therefore, were but
little over 100 yards apart. In this
condition of affairs four Filipino sol
diers left Blockhouse No. with their
guns, and walked leisurely toward the
village. There is nothing in General
McArthur's report to indicate that
these soldiers had been authorized by
their officers to cross the line of de-
marcation; nothing to indicate that
they were making, or intended to
make, hostile demonstrations. IL there
had been war, it would have looked
like an attempt on their part to aban-
don their own army and come to ours;
they may or may not have had knowl-
edge of the understanding so recently
established or renewed between Cen
eral Macarthur and Colonel San Miguel.
Certainly no danger could have been
apprehended by the American forces
from the open approach of four Fill
pino soldiers Military sense In q
time of actual war would have permit
ted them to walk into our lines. In
this instance, however, the thing to
have done was to arrest the stragglers,
put them in the guardhouse, and keep
them there until their commanding Of
f1cer could be notified of their offense
and detention. But nothing of this
sort was done. The fact is the Amer
ican forces were spelling for a fight.
The spirit of lordly superiority which
animated the administration at Wash
ington had been impaired to the Amer
lean officers at Manila, and thence
got up into the hearts Of the soldiers
until there had grown up a somewhat
general desire to "clean out the id
little Filipino niggers." The Ameri-
can sentinel challenged the four Fill
pino soldiers twice, but 1t was in a
language they did NOT understand and
so they continued to advance. The
sentinel fired, and one of the Filipinos
fell dead.
1t was the first shot. There can be
no adequate excuse for firing it. 1t
was in short unmilitary, unjustifiable,
brutal murder, and very naturally
aroused the Indignation of the dead
Filipinos comrades in Blockhouse No.
7. In their fury, and without orders,
therefore, they opened fire just as
American soldiers would have done
under like provocation. The shots
from Blockhouse No. Z were answered
by American guns, and so it was the
fight begun, and being misunderstood
on other parts Of the line, gradually
extended. This opening fight occurred
on Feb. 4. AS to what took place on
Feb. 5, shall quote General Reeve of
the Minnesota volunteers. He says
that "On Sunday, Feb. 5, the day after
the fighting began, General Torres of
the insurgents came through our lines
under a flag of truce, and had per-
sonal interview with General Otis, in
which, speaking for Aguinaldo he de-
n1 hot
must have knownl the fighting had
begun accidentally, and was not au-
thorized by Aguinaldo, that Aguinaldo
wished to have it stopped, and that to
bring about a conclusion of hOsrilities
he proposed the establishment of 4
neutral zone between the two armies
of any width that would be agreeable
to General Otis, so that during peace
negotiations there might be no further
danger of conflict between the two
armies. To these representations of
replied that the fighting having once
begun must go on to the grim end.
And it has been going on ever since"
From all this two things are appar-
ent:
1st. That if the American sentinel
had not fired a needless and brutal
shot there would have been no conflicL
on the 4th of February.
I'd. If General Otis had acCeded to the
sensible and humane request preferred
by Aguinaldo on the 5th of February
the conflict would not have been con-
tinued
Filipinos an Intelligent Race.
4. 1t is assumed by the imperialists
that II the American troops were with
drawn from the Philippines, disorder,
anarchy and bloodshed would prevail,
and that foreigners doing business
there would be robbed and prosecuted
The native people of the island of
Panay, after the surrender of Manila,
drove out the Spanish soldiers, repos-
sessed themselves of the whole island,
and settled down quietly and peaceably
to the ordinary concerns of life. There
was no disorder, no persecution of for
eigners, and even the Spanish prison.
ers of war were humanely cared for
General Miller has given us an account
of his capture of the capital city of the
island, and says when he demanded it's
he received a letter from
the business people of Iloilo, princi-
pally foreigners, stating that good or
der was being maintained, life and
property being protected, and request
ing me not to attack at present"
anu EuSllSuuleu WHO IraV-
eled through the island of Luzon, be-
fore the beginning of the present, war,
found the native people surrounded by
schools and churches and all the evil
dences of humble thrift, peace and con-
tentment. President Schurman, late
Of the peace commission, recently Wis
tied many of the more important ISL
ands of the archipelago. He found not
only no anarchy anywhere, but peace,
quiet, good feeling, and a disposition
to obey the law = their own laws
everywhere.
Commissioner Schurman tells us
and this is the notable fact of his re-
cent report-that "the intelligent and
substantial citizens of the Philippines
desire an American protectorate."
What is a protectorate? A relation
assumed by strong nation toward
weak one, whereby the former pro-
tects the latter from hostile invasion.
Had we offered to assume this relation
one year ago, there would have been
no war, no bloodshed, no waste; every
Filipino heart would today be over
flowing with affectionate and reveren-
tial gratitude to the great American
republic, and every harbor in the arch