The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-06-22
Plain Talk at Boston.

Plain Talk at Boston.
In speech delivered at Boston Tues
day before an audience which included
Edward Atkinson and a number of
other more or less influential anti
imperialists, eX-Minlster John Barrett
used plain words in describing the ef-
feet of the anti-imperialistc agitation
upon the rebelious Filipinos.
81 wish" said he, ito protest against
the most unfortunate influence of this
Anti-Imperialistic society, which has
resulted not in reaching to any great
degree our military or naval forces,
hut has given unlimited comfort, aid
and encouragement to their enemies.
I speak in no exaggerated terms. On
the battlefield, along the firing line
and in the camps and hospitals I
heard the rank and file Of our brave
soldiers inveigh against the effect of
this agitation on the enemy; from the
mouths of not only Admiral Dewey and
General Otis, but Generals HIacAr-
thur. Anderson, Hale. l.awton and
Brigadier General Otis, ColOnels Smith,
of California and Summers of Oregon,
aside from scores of other army and
navy officers ! heard the opinion ex-
pressed in no uncertain terms that the
most encouraging influence for the Fill
ipinos in lighting us, and hence the
most unfortunate one for our soldiers
and sailors to combat against, was the
nf u
through the ranks of the Filipino army
and among the masses Of the natives
that our occupation of the islands was
unwarranted, the war unprovoked, our
army and navy unsupported by our
people, and our country about to de-
mand the withdrawal of our forces
from the islands, the hauling down of
the flag, and our complete and ignom-
inious withdrawal from cur RESPONSE
bilties-incurred, in fact, not by spir-
it of conquest, but by the logical de-
velopment of war where we had to pro-
tect our interests and destroy those
of the enemy wherever they came in
contact or competition. When l think
of the regiments losing SO many good
lives in battles which ! believe could
have been avoided had the treaty been
ratified at an early date and the Flip
mos not been led to believe that by
holding out and fighting us they could
gain their end, l contend that I am
provided with a sufficient excuse to re-
fer to this subject with so much plain
ness on this occasion"
Referring directly to the attitude Of
Senator Hoar. Mr.. Barrett said: 1T
happened that l was in Hong Kong
the day that the report OF this SEN
ator's speech against the treaty ar
rived. Meeting a prominent man con-
nected with the Philippine Junta, / was
shown by him, with great satisfaction,
a long telegram which he had Just re-
ceived from Washington. He handed
it to me to read. L. contained a ver-
batim report of the most sensational
or strongest part of the senator's
speech; that was followed by a sum-
mary of his other remarks, and that
in turn by a statement of the names
and number of the senators who were
expected to oppose the treaty, and
finally concluding with advice to the
Filipinos to hold out without surrender
or yielding to the Americans. This was
so extensive and so we'll done in it's
l recovered from my surprise l asked
the owner of the despatch what he
intended to do with it. Hand it to
Aguinaldo, of course, and he will have
copies of it distributed through his
army and among the people, he replied.
doing this, although personally I did
my best, as did others, to prevent such
encouragement reaching the Filipino
forces. Gentlemen, you can draw your
own conclusions as to the effect of such
literature among a people excited as
the Filipinos. 1t was like water for
the parched mouth Of a man dying of
thirst 1t did not merely quench the
thirst and keep him cool, but it made
him a maniac, so that he rcsorted TO
fighting and even treachery until
death. Not only in Hong Kong, but
along the route home, at Singapore,
Colombo, Alden, and finally and partic-
ularly in Paris and London, l found
everywhere an exaggerated idea as to
the extent OF the development in our
country OF the sentiment opposed to
supporting our government and our
army and navy in our Philippine cam
paign."
| of the country to counteract such mis-
taken or malicious copperheadism.
Probably the happiest man in the
| TransvRal today is General Joubert