The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-08-08

conquest and aggression had been de-
clded upon. After giving an estimate
of the troops probably needed in the
West Indies against Spain, General
Merritt recommended large force for
Manila, admitting 1t to be larger than
seemed necessary to meet the Spanish
there by saying: "Before we get
through we will probably have to fight
the so-called insurgents" Before we
get through" WhatP
The insurgents were not going to as
sist Spain. In April, 1898, before Dew
ey sailed from Hong Kong to fight the
sea fight Of Manila Bay, and after the
Filipino treaty OF alliance made by Con-
sui Pratt at Singapore had been rati-
fed by Dewey and Wildman at Hong
Kong, the Filipino insurgent junta had
issued to their countrymen proclama-
tion in these terms:
"Compatriots: Divine Providence Is
about to place independence within our
reach, and In a way the most free and
Independent could hardly wish for
| The Americans, not from mercenary
motives, but for the sake of humanity
and the lamentations of so many perse-
cuted people, have considered 1t oppor-
the to extend their protecting worth to
| Jul pOlONCu OOuhpEJs Au DIOSOh
moment an American squadron Is pre-
pairing to sail for the Philippines We
your brothers, are very much afraid
you may be induced to fire upon the
Americans. No, brothers never make
this mistake. Rather blow your own
brains out than treat as enemies or fire
a shot at those who are your liberators.
Take no notice OF the Spanish Govern.
or General calling you to arms, al
though 1t may cost you your lives.
Rather die than be ungrateful to our
American liberators. The governor
general calls you to arms. What for
To defend your Spanish tyrants? To
defend those that have despised you,
and even in public speeches asked for
your termination-those who have
treated you little better than savages ?
No, q thousand times no. Take note.
The Americans will attack by sea, and
you must prevent any re-enforcements
coming from Spain, therefore we insur-
gents must attack by land. Where you
see the American flag flying, there as.
semble in numbers. They are our re-
deemers."
Much other matter in the proclama-
tion dwel!s upon the independence and
self-government assured to the Fill
pinos.
On July 4, 1898, General Anderson
addressed an official letter to "Senor
Don Emilio Aguinaldo, commanding
the Philippine forces, Cavlte, Luzon-
General: have the honor to inform
you that the United States of America,
whose land forces | have the honor to
command in this vicinity, being at war
with the kingdom Of Spain, has entire
sympathy and most friendly sentiments
for the native people of the Philippine
Islands. For these reasons l desire to
have the most amicable relations with
you, and to have you and your people
cooperate with US in the military
operations against the Spanish"
One of Dewey's officers, writing JAN
uary 81, 1899, says: "Aguinaldo reach
ed Manila on May 20 of last year, at
which time there was no evidence, that
we knew of, OF native organization.
He created an army in short time,
and Immediately commenced to win
victories. These were to us at the
time astonishing, for he defeated de-
tachment after detachment of the Span
ish army, took fort after fort, captured
regiments with arms and ammunition,
and in short time had captured every
Spanish soldier on the island OF Luzon
or had driven those not captured into
Manila. Before August 13 these insur-
gents had actually captured the whole
of Luzon, excepting Manila, from the
Spaniards. After taking Luzon, with
the exception named, they conquered
the Spanish in the island of Negros
and the city OF Cebu, and before we
reached Iloilo they had that city and
the whole island of Penay."
It Is evident, therefore, that in June,
1898, there was no danger OF our having
to fight the ''so-called insurgents" as
the aiders of Spain, and Merritt meant
by the phrase "before we get through"
before we got through wrestling from
our Filipino allies the islands and cit
les which their valor had conquested
from the kingdom of Spain. 1t means,
in fine, that somewhere in the Admin
istration in Washington, in June, 1898,
it had been determined to hold the
Philippines, first using the natives as
our allies, under promise OF independ-
ence, to conquer them from Spain, as
they did.
At that time the most generous emo
tions of the American people were in
action. On every face was the flush
| uuu III CfSl hOdlu LII VI uhDCi-
fish sacrifice to make other people free
as ourselves. There was not
among us sign OF any mercenary
motive. The chink of the dollar had
not been heard. President Mckinley
had officially denounced conquest as
''criminal aggression, opposed to our
national code of morals" But at that
very time, as proved by Meritt's report
conquest had been determined upon
and the policy crystalized which po-
litical snivelers now call destiny"
and blasphemous hypocrities say is
"the will of God" To do this the Fill
ipinos were betrayed by us and our
own people were deceived by their SER
wants at Washington. Last year not q
single volunteer could have been had
to cross the Pacific for conquest. In.
stead of the fair boys, who brought to
camp on their faces the bloom of their
country homes, with lips consecrated
by the farewell kiss Of mothers whose
parting pain was ministered unto by