The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1899-06-23
The PhiliDpine War.

nounced from Washington that the war
on the Filipinos was about over, and the
brown men of the jungles were ready TO
surrender, but such announcements were
invariably followed the next day by
report of another battle" and generally
great victory in which one to four
Americans were killed and several others
wounded Last week the greatest battle
or all was fought aud the "rebels" routed,
driven pelllnell from their strogest strong
hold, with 100 left dead on the field. We
lost ID brave boys killed and many more
wounded. In addition to this infornla-
ton the long withheld announcement is
made in a semi official way that large
increase in the army in Luzon is abso
lutely necessary, fact that everybody
has been aware of all along 1t will be
found that 100, 900, if not a larger army,
will be necessary to hold these islands, if
that is the object. Sickness is beginning
to ravage the troops, and there is no
wonder that it is. Men who have to wade
through marshes to the waist and swim
creeks, tear through tropical jungles ex-
posed to tropical sun and rains, in the
very nature Of things must suffer intense
ly. This Philippine war has been little
else than bushwhack war They fire
from the brush and run None are cap
tured but those who want to be taken
prisoners. They have nothing to carry
but a rifle, are barefooted, and run like
deer through the brush pop up in another
place, fire and run again.
There is never an end to such war in
sight. And what if the end were reached?
What interest have the American people
III that far away tropical country and its
Malay people? They have none what
ever. But that is not the main point, the
vital principle involved. To make war
on any people, invade their country for
the purpose Of conquest, under the pretext
of lettering their condition, civilizing
them, opening public schools, extending
commerce and all of these benefcent
blessings, is wholly un-American. This
is European, monarchical plan. The
American plan is by example. This
country did not reach the position of the
first place among the nations of the
Earth by force of arms, except so far as
selfdefense was necessary, but by the
peaceful methods of industry and pro
claiming liberty to all the world This
doctrine of the rights of man, the right to
be free and the right to labor and enjoy
the fruits of his own toll, has well nigh
overturned the thrones of the old world
The peoples of the whole earth have
watched with intense and increasing
interest this nation growing in wealth,
power and greatness, without an army
other than skeleton; without a navy
almost and yet when danger threatened
armed men and the ocean is lighted by
the btaze of her great guns and the sound
of her cannon reverberates throughot the
world. The navies of one of the proud old
nations of Europe are sent to the bottom
of the sea i'll few hours, and her armies
go.down like house OF cards before the
power of the nation of peace and indus
try. The people of the old East welcomed
the flag of the great Republic as the wise
men of the East hailed the star of
Bethlehem.
But what all awakening from their
dream Of liberty, to find a welcome from
these men of the great Western Republic
of bloody hands to hospitable graves ;"
Mr. Mckinley in the hands of gold
oligarchy, blights the hopes of the
oppressed millions by offering the sword
and subjugation, in place of freedom and
example, and helping hand to guide the
weak people and teach them the arts of
peace and mysteries of selfgovernment
Had the American system been pursued
towards the Philippine people, i'll place
of making mortal enemies of them they
would have come TO the Americans for
advice and instruction. Had they been
offered independence, which they so
ardently hoped for, they would have
been glad TO receive advice from their
deliverers from Spanish Tyranny run
ming back three hundred years. The
quarrels among themselves would have
been referred to the Americans for arbi-
tration, as soon as they learned they
would receive justice, but Mr. Mckinley
the weak, ambitious man that he is, was
flattered that the road to a second term
as President lay i'll the European plan of
crushing a weaker people by force of
arm and giving them slavery instead of
freedom. The glamour of conquest war
and battles would convert the American
people into hero worshippers and the
sycophants about him would pour mil
lions into his contribution fund if they
would only be promised the franchises
that newly conquered country possessed. |
Railroads, mines of gold, silver. copper
and commercial privileges, reaching out
into the far East, like golden street
leading to endless riches beyond the
dreams of avarice.
If this weak Presidents policy is not
checked and the American nation not
brought back to its safe anchorage of
peace and justice to all peoples, the
promise of freedom to the oppressed and