New-York tribune., 1899-05-26
spoln Of his time. and there have been few in all
RESPONSIBILITY IN LUZON.


GeneraI MacArthur's report on the outbreak
Of February last is one OF the most il'e''s''"e
documents we have had from Manila for long
time We cannot call it news eNac'i!, lor "
contains little that was not already known
But it Is corroboration and continuation VI io'
NOR news OF the most effective kind. II VIII oe
remembered that when the trouble oeg"" ~
Manila in February last announcement was
made that the Tagals had assumed the "esIrS
sive apparently after full preparation Inc
TaGals themselves. however. and their sElhpa-
tbizers and allies in this country, declared that
such WAS not the case. but that the IHlteu
States troops had wantonly. wickedy and most
unnecessarily made the attack upon the iho'leil.
sivc natives. apparently with the intention or
committing wholesale massacres OF them our
Government and it's accredited representatives
M Manila were catcgorically accused OF having
deliberately plotted and provoked the breach OF
ncoce for the purpose of bringing on war OF
spolIotion and conquest. These Infamous hDeis
were not. of course widely DeleVeu' ho iiioic
widely than the later fictions about the univer-
sal butchery OF prisoners. But they were "Iue-
" circulated and put upon permanent record
Now come the documents in the case Vlhd'-
eating our Government and Army. and fixing
Macarthur tells how the Tagals were violating
necessary military rules. He gives the text Oh
the letter in which he called the attention OF
| the Tagal commander 10 those violations lie
piycs the text Of the Tagal commanders
| ronlr Observe it's tone There is denial
or the charges. There is no attempt to eX-
cuse them There is no endeavor 10 estapiiSh
,hc right Of the Tagas TO cross the lines ut
tso1a 1FpiE
charges were true that the violations COM
| plaIned of were offensive and grievons ana that
the American commander was in the right, ana
would be in the right If he fulfilled his threat 10
take summary action If the offences were re-
peated And finally General Macarthur tells OF
thc prompt renewal Of the offences by the Ia
| gals and OF the extensive and apparent! pre-
arranged outbreak Of the Tagals In response to
the lawful action Of the American sentrieS. Inc
story il complete in narrative and in logic. 1t
| fixes unerringly the responsibility Tor the OUT
break upon the Tagals themselves 1t Will be
| accepted as entirely conclusive OF me Who'
matter. excepting by those interesting phiiah-
! thropists who regard American PATRIOTISM aS
| the sum OF human villanics They VIII proph-
Mv contend 10 their dying day that Generai
| Macarthur forged Colonel San Miguels letter
! md that he WantOnlE OTuPItu Ou 'iV'P' '" ~
gin the fghting in order 10 replenish his private
| larder with pate de foe gras made OF Tagai
children's livers
Nor does the significance Of the report stop
! there II demonstrates not only that the Ia
gals began the trouble, but that they did so IN
way TINT indicated their unlitness for sclfgoV-
ernmcnt and their unworthiness to be partle@ to
ordinary negotiations. Had they openly rebclled
against the presence Of United States troops IN
Luzon and undertaken TO expcl them their con-
| Guct would have been straightforward II not
otherwise commendable. But they dld ho'.
They maintained n profession Of friendly acqui-
| esconcc in the status quo Yet they persisted in
srrreptltously violating it's conditions. When
their misdeeds were complained of they, or thelr
responsible head practically acknowledged
them and promised amendment Then they
went right on SHINING and Tie moment an AZ
tempt was made to enforce r-<-iaw they burst
! INFO general revolt. Whether Colonel San Mi
| euel was in the conspiracy or whether he was
sincere in his note and in his desire to preserve
order we do not undertake 10 Judge. II Is I'M
material If he was in the conspiracy he was
knaye unworthy Of further consideration save
at the end of a bayOnet or rope. II ne was
| sincere then he was a commander WITHOUT
mower over his own men, and government that
cannot control its own people is 10 he dealt Win
in ONLY one way. General MacArthurs report
makes if clear that the Tagals are responsible
for all the trouble that has occurred in Luzon
and also that the American authorities are COM
pletely justiiable in all that they have done