The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-20
A FILIPINO ON THE FILIpINos.

Ramon Reyes Lala is an American citi-
zen by adoption, but a Filipino by birth
and early education. He is familiar with
the situation in the islands, with Agui-
naldo. with Luna, and with the people.
He is also well Informed with respect to
the American character. He is residing
in New York, aud has watched closely
the events of the past year. He is. there
fore, in a position to discuss the Philip
pine question ntelligently-probably with
more understanding than most Americans,
who are informed respecting only one side
with information on that side.
Mr.. Lala has an article in the indie
pendent, in which he discusses the Phil
ippine situation frankly and forcibly. The
overtures of Aguinaldo and Luna, he says,
are not for the purpose of arriving at a
permanent peace, but merely 10 gain time
The rainy season will begin in the islands
the first of June; if the insurgents can
proong the struggle until that time they
can carry 1t over for six months or year
but if Aguinaldo and Luna could make
the war long and bitter they would ac-
quire greater prestige among the natives
than by permitting it to end now. The
vast majority of the people however. are
heartily tired of war. Aguinaldo keeps
them spurred to the point of armed resist
ance with stories of the tyranny and cru
city of the Americans. These stories seem
reasonable to the natives. who have been
under Spanish domination for hundreds
of years, and cannot appreciate the fact
that the Americans mean to give them a
liberal, peaceful and prosperous govern
ment
one point which Mr. Lala emphasizes is
that Aguinaldo himself must be hunted
down before the rebellion will be perma-
nenty concluded. He is a self-seeker, is
morally weak. and therefore easily led
by other self-seekers. The great body of
the Filipinos are easily governed, when
dealt with honestly and gently but firmly.
Their training has not been such as to
teach them to expect great deal; hence,
with kindness ana frmness, they may be
made our most enthusiastic friends and
supporters. But the first thing necessary
to be done is to prove to them that we
are able to perform all that we have un-
dertaken. We have started in to crush
the rebellion. There must be no let-up. no
cessation of hostilties, until that has been
accomplished. truce would be regarded
as a confession of weakness From now
until the first of June, therefore, there
must be hard lighting. with the end in
view of destroying Aguinaldo, either poIit-
ically or personally, or both If need be.
Neither Aguinaldo nor his so-called gov
eminent has ever been popular. Both
have been tyrannical, and the Filipinos
would be glad to get rid of them. The
Filipinos realize that if they were left 10
themselves-if the rebellion by any chance
were to be successful-it would be only a
question of days when they would have
war among themselves, because of the
intense jealousies and hatreds between
the various tribes OF the islands. What
the better elements desire, therefore, is
"self-government under American super
vision" To reach this end 1t is necessary
that the Americans do not temporize. but
strike quickly and heavily, following up
their present advantages. This is Mr..
Lala's advice. There can be no reasona-
BILE doubt that he has the best interests of
his people at heart