Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1899-10-25

Several Filipinos advanced, and the
Americana shot at them. This was
the spark that ignited the shoulder
ing discomfort into q blaze of resist
ance.
Will the Filipinos ever be able to
make stand, and give battle, was
asked. Mr.. Smith thought they would
not if they could avoid it. "Aguinal-
do" he said, flights as Washington
did, when he had superior force to
contend with. Those fellows are fight
ing for their rights, the same as we
fought the British in the war of the
Revolution"
Will not the subjugation of Luzon
break the backbone of the Filipino
resistance, and make it possible to
end the war?
NO." said Mr.. Smith, "they have
no backbone, or you might say it is
all backbone, just as you like. After
you have cleaned them out of Luzon
you have 903 other islands to look az
ter. They have kept up a resistance
for three hundred years, and they
will keep it up that much longer.
Many of them are direct descendants
from the Malay pirates"
Do you consider the natives capable
ofself-government, was asked. eyes, "
Mr.. Smith replied, ''The Spanish
power was broken in the Island of
Cebu in April of 1898. The Ameri-
cans did not come near the islands
until in April, 1899. During the year
that elapsed all government was in
the hands of the Filipinos. They had
elected president OF the island, gov
errors of the several provinces and
other inferior officers. They had es-
tablished public schools, and SEM
mary for girls and college for boys.
Had built handsome public building
at the city of Cebu, a hospital, and
made many other improvements.
The girls were being taught type-set-
ting, cooking, embroidery, etc. An
armed force of 500 men was maintained
on the island, and police force was
kept up in the city, but it had nothing
to do. Several Spanish families re-
NAMED there, and we're not molested
in any way. The community was at
perfect peace within itself, when the
Americans appeared with their gun
boats, blew off the tops of some of the
buildings and took posses sion. Then
the trouble began. One of the first
acts was to enforce the navigation
laws, prohibiting any but American
owned boats from flying the American
flag, and giving clearance to none but
those who did fly the American flag.
The result was that the owners of the
innumerable cascoes that ply between
the islands, from one toms capacity
upwards, we're forced to subterfuge in
order to stay in business. An Ameri-
can adventurer named Williams es-
tablished himself as boat owner,
and agreed to own any boat if fee
often dollars was paid him. In this
way the boats became "American
boats as long as they were in the Cebu
harbor. Before the boats landed in
any Filipino port pains we're taken to
haul down the American colors and
hang out the Filipino ensign. This
farce was kept up for two months
Then the bright idea of m maintaining a
strict blockade was put into force, and
kept up until all the hemp mills were
obliged to close up, all industry
stopped and people were starving
Then the islanders could not stand it
any longer and armed resistance took
place and the trouble ensued as you
have no doubt read about. I spent
six weeks in Cebu and l know what
am talking about
How is Aguinaldo regarded by the
people of other tribes? We are told
that it would be an injustice to turn
them over to his leadership.
''That is all foolishnes. Aguinaldo
is Tagalo On the island of Cebu,
four hundred fifty miles south cas-,
from Manila, where all the natives are
of a different tribe, I noticed Aggie's
picture on the walls of the room OIL
the bon-ton club of the town, and in
other prominent places"
Do you think a strong declaration
by Congress assuring the islands o.
their independence, would put a. stor
to the resistance? Eyes, if the ma.
tives would be convinced of the Gin.
certify of the intentions. They are
wary now, but it is independence they
are fighting for.''
1t is said that the Americans cannot
retire with honor-Here Mr.. Smith in.
terupted the question with a most We
hement and forcible statement. L
was difficult for him to find words
strong enough to express his disgust
''Honor!" he said, ''Honor! Please
don't talk about honor. Have we 90
down so low that we must pirate about
honor just rs Spain did? The mos,
honorable thing the United States
could do, would be to make those poor
devils a present of it's claims upon the
islands. We bought those fellows fol
two dollars apiece. don't say they