The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1899-06-17
The Struggle in the Philippines,

The success of our forces in the Philippines
which have been told in published reports
daily, nearly, for the past nine months have
not resulted in extending our authority, ac-
cording to private reports and interviews with
returned officers.
According to Commander John d. Ford,
feet engineer of the Asiatic squadron, who
returned to his home in Baltimore last Satur-
day, and who has been on the cruiser Balh-
more for over a year, the United States forces
do not hold as much ground as they did the
first part of August of last year, nor does he
believe that any more can be taken and held
until many more troops are sent to Manila.
In an interview with representative OF the
Baltimore Sun, published in last Mondays
issue, Commander Ford said
'sThe Flipinos pictured in the sensational
papers are not the men we are lighting. Ihey
are entirely distinct and separate. The fell
lows we deal with out there are not ignorant
savages, fighting with bows and arrows, but
an intelligent, liberty loving people, tuli OF
courage and determination. The idea that
the Filipino is an uncivilized being IS mis-
taken one. Originally the natives OF those
islands sprang from japanese stock and are
identically the same race. with change IN
language and customs. There was time
when the fendal system prevailed IN Mania,
but 70 vestige now remains and the sayagerY
of the people is found only in the very lowest
class, Of ''negritos" or little nIggerS, rs the
Filipinos are called.
a have pictures taken there, which
brought home, of native women who would
be handsome anywhere, aud OF good-iookIng,
brainy men. They have the intellect and the
stamina TO govern themselves aud have done
it for 800 years, although under the rule ct
Spain. They we're the clerks, the bookeep-
ers. the assessors and managed the entire
machinery of government Their courage IS
undoubted, and they fight TO the death, having
among them a superstition that II you are
killed you do not really die, but in three days
reappear somewhere else.
"As for their condition now, as Tar as
can see, they are stroger, more determined
and more skillful in the art OF war than when
the fighting out there started, aud as the DAYS
90 by they increase in strength aud knowi-
edge. having nine or eleven millions OF people
TO draw from, They are armed with Maus-
ers-the best rife in the world-and are far
better marksmen than the Spanards Al hrs'
they shot high and missed, bat now they have
caught on and aim low with deadly effect
They have a good government now "hlch
they are operating successfully, ana preserve
law and order. They certainly don INNS
theirs is a hopeless fight and don think any
one else does who knows anything about H.
In the same issue Of the S,R is special
dispatch from Washington, which says that at
this time the Filipiuos are encamped WITHIN o
few mites of Manila. Whatever may have
been the intentions" says the dispatch
practically nothing has been accomplished,
notwithstanding the almost daily accounts OF
advances the past two months and the fire.
quent eongratulatory kilograms to our officers
and men BY the President which have be-
come ''cheap'' by their frequency
The dispatch concludes with this statement,
charging Mckinley with playing politics while
the insuaiciency Of our troops results IN loss
of our brave soldiers by disease and bullets
by prolonging the contest:
The President knows he has taken job
upon himself which cannot be executed with
the present means at his command de
knows what every military authority the world
over knows His INDIGESTION Is hourly making
the matter worse 4 week or two since, as
set forth in this correspondence. he and his
advisers realized that more troops must be
called. Then haste was made TO disavow the
purpose lor fear of political eXPedleucy But
be has got himself into q situation where ne
cannot much longer evade the responsibility.
No one can pretend to question that the array
in the Philippines is not strong enough 10 hold
the territory II takes. II drives cat the flu-
pinos for the moment and then retreats upon
its own intrenchments. This sort of business
can never conquer. never pacity the ffilplnos.
1t can only Undue them with contempt Tor our
authority and disregard for our demands
Not another life should be crimlnalls sacri-
feed. The President shonld either withdraw
the brave little army or reinforce II sufficiently
to enable II to retain what il wins.
Our interference in Cuba was a bHHder,
and to undertake to capture and bold the
Philippines is worse than blunder. Il is
what the President once characterized as
s.criminal aggression It is even worse. II
is shameless slaughter Of people whose only
offence is desire for self government. Oar
attempt to conquer and hold the Islands can
not be Justified upon a need Of them for de-
Tense of the United States. nor even upon the
sordid ground that their possession Is neces-
sary to hold and expand the trade and COM
merce of our people. Il is a shameful and
wanton slaughter Of an unofiending people.