The Irish standard., 1899-05-27
howl, Keep the Philippines! Keep the


manity? Was it philanthropy that
spoke? 1t was base selfshness and lust
OF conquest. By and by we woke up
to the fact that we could not keep what
we did not yet have. And so we made
an alliance-yes, an alliance with Aguin-
aldo and his followers. We treated
them as our friends. We counseled with
them. We made them shed their blood
in crushing our common foe. Our Gen
eral Anderson as late as July 6 ad-
dressed Aguinaldo as Your excellency'
and asked his advice and cooperation.
Our consuls at Singapore and Hong
Kong, claiming to represent our govern
ment, had given the Filipino general
before he started for Manila every as
surance of the speedy recognition of his
peoples independence in return for his
assistance. While these consuls were
secretly rebuked by Secretary Day,
Aguinaldo was treacherously kept in ig-
norance of the true attitude of our gov
eminent.
1T was Aguinaldo and not our army
that destroyed SPANS land power in the
Philippines. Then came the negotia-
tions for peace and the imperiaists
howled, Take the Philippines; take the
Philippines Dewey sent to Paris his
testimony to the effect that the nearly
100000 native inhabitants of Luzon
are gentle, docile and, under just laws
and with the benefits of popular educa-
ton, would soon make good citizens,
and he added that they are far superior
in intelligence and more capable OF self
government than the Cubans. All the
unbiased evidence of the most compe-
tent observers agrees with Dewey's esti-
mate of the Filipino character. The truth
about these people has been studiousy
kept from Our citizens. The fact is that
throughout the island of Luzon, except
Manila, orderly elections were held in
the fall OF '0S, a congress was convened
comparing in its composition most ia
vorably with many of our state legisla-
lures, constitution was adopted based
upon enlightened principles and gov
eminent set up that left little to be de-
sired. The Filipino republic desired to
be heard in the deliberations of the
peace commissioners at Paris. But their
agents were treated with scorn.
"And while we had Spain relinquish
her sovereignty over Cuba we made her
cede and sell the Philippines to US. Then
came the presidents proclamation estab-
fishing military government, treating the
archipelago as Our possessions even be-
fore the treaty was ratified and announ-
cling to the Filipinos that they must sub
NIT Or be shot. And the lingo press
echoed: Submit or be shot,"
Again the speaker had to pause while
the audience vetementy manifested its
approval Then he continues:
"Aguinado all this while was given
by Otis the cold, stony stare. And yet
he had confidence in the virtue of the
American republic. He hoped and
prayed that we would allow his people
to enjoy independence under an Ameri-
can protectorate. From day to day they
waited for an official declaration by the
congress OF the United States disclaim-
ing the intention to exercise permanent
sovereignty over the Philippine Islands
and assuring them of independence
at some time in the future. But
one after another of the many reso-
lutions introduced tending to conf
init our country to this just course
was voted down. Finally on the eve OF
the ratification Of the peace treaty
which was to settle the fate of the Fill
plnos adversely to their wishes, some
shots were exchanged between the
American and Filipino lines. Which
side fired first is disputed question.
May be the rash hand OF some Filipino,
goaded to desperation by our contemp-
tuous treatment, sent the first shot into
our lines. Aguinaldo at once dis
claimed responsibility and was still
anxious for peace But Otis haughitly
refused to listen to him. A rebellion
was the very thing which our ad-
ministration need most urgently just
then to cause a stampede for the
ratification of the peace treaty, which
looked rather dubious. From that day
on to this we had in those unfortunate
isles the hell Of war; whose grewsomc
details we have read from day to day
with growing indignation and disgust"
The audience cheered once more, long
and vigorously. Mr.. Zeislcr had to
pause several minutes before he pro-
ceeded:
Meanwhile our reputation for phi
1anthropy has suffered severely every
day. We have loaded so much humanity
into our guns and rifles that Our supply
is well-nigh exhausted Our work Of
pacifcation has been most effective
Every day several hundred wretched
Filipinos were dispatched into that
peaceful valley whence there is no re-
turn. Meanwhile the paci6cation in our
own ranks was hardly less rapid. The
Filipinos are not such past masters as
we are in the art of administering hypo.
dermic injections of humanity, but the,
have in their pacifcation business pow
erful allies in the climate and condition