The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1899-08-24
THE PHILIPPINES.
Why We Are at War and Why We Should
Keep the Islands,

The Old saying. UNITED we stand, d.
vided we fall" comes to mind at this
time while the brave boys in blue are
fighting at the front. There is feeling
today within the boundaries of our great
and glorious nation that stands on a par
with tina, of the copperheads of the civil
war. In dealing with the case | will
state fair facts, which come from one
who has risked his life. his all, in up.
holding our flag in the Philippines
against disgrace and dshonor.
Up to January, 1899. the feeling be-
tween the American forces and the FIJI
ipinos was the most friendly. though
upon several occasions it had become
necessary, for the protection of the city
of Manila and its inhabitants, TO ask the
Filipinos to abandon important positions
that our troops might occupy them.
This was done in the most gracious man
ner and without exciting any i'll feeling.
Congress had not met and our plans in
regard to the Philippines we're then unde-
cided. The peace treaty had not been
ratified. In January, Gen. Otis issued a
proclamation setting forth the position
of our government and stating that we
were not there to subject them to the
slavery and oppression of the Spanish
rule, but to give them good and just
government Germany and Russia stood
by with greedy, outstretched hands,
ready TO grab any territory that we
should abandon.
The administration is condemned for
not sending more troops to the Philip
pines at this time. Why should we have
put ourselves to the great expense of
transporting large army across the Pa
cific when there was no need OF it?
Through January the insurgents became
restless and dissatisfied, and this feeling
led up to the night of February 4th when
hostilties commenced. Our flag was
insulted, our soldiers called towards, and
still there are some who to-day say We
should have hauled down our glorious
bdnbCI hllu AWAY lihC Il tulti III
the night, as soon as hostilities com.
menced, leaving the city of Manila and
its inhabitants in the hands of a awless
band of insurgents, to loot, plumber and
burn. Those who say this are not those
who, when volunteers we're called for
during the Spanish war answered, "Here
m | aaHu IN riyo lifa hnn,n 1nual
ones to uphold our banner" but those
who said. "There are others who won't
have to sacrifice as much as l."
Some even compare Aguinaldo with
our George Washington. and the Fill
pinos and their cause with Americans
when We fought for liberty. How many
would pick upa Chinaman or Malay
on the streets and say, "We are brothers
and equals?" These same people are
today clamoring for the removal of Gen.
Otis. How should one who has had no
military training be able to treat on mil
itary matters? 1t would be on a par if
an editor should send an apprentice boy
to write up society event and describe
the dresses of the ladies present.
Our troops have not yet met defeat
This shows that there is hand at the
head, steady and conservative, maneu-
vering the troops to the best advantage.
Lack of men at times? Yes, we acknow-
ledge that; but $4,000 men can not be
organized and equipped in an hour or
day. As soon as the fighting COM
menced, all available troops were rushed
to reinforce those already at the front.
The regular regiments were recruited to
their maximum war footing. This neces-
STATED great deal of drilling, as fully
10 per cent. of the regiments were new
men. When these arrived in the Phil.
ippines they could not be used, except
ing for garrison duty, as they were not
acclimated. Now that they are accli-
mated the reports We receive from the
front show their fighting qualities.
The administration was also con-
demned by some for not coupling the
volunteers in the Philippines with the
modern magazine gun instead of the
Springfield. Our government-not ex-
pecting trouble in this quarter--issued
the modern guns to the volunteers who
were intended for the Cuban service,
where there was the greatest necessity
for them. As soon as the trouble COM
menced, however, 10000 Kraigs were
shipped at once. When these arrived in
the Philippines it was thought best not
to arm the entire companies with guns to
which thev were unaccustomed, 80 only