The evening times., 1899-01-09
MONDAY. JANUARY ., 1899.
AeuinnIdo and His Outlaws.

AGuinaIdo and His Outlaws.
The chief subject of public interest is
the attitude of that faction OF the Filipinos
represented by Aguinaldo He is the
self-constituted leader of an irregularly
organized and wholly unauthorized army
which does not have the consent or conf
dence Of a majority of the people OF the
Philippines Submitted TO popular vote
today, the annexation proposition would
have an overwhelming majority. This is
evident from the statements made by lead
ing citizens OF Manila of native birth.
Consequently the government Instituted
by Aguinaldo has no claim to recognition.
He is like any other outlaw who collects
an armed body OF men 10 usurp the funC-
lions CT government, and is no more en-
tiJled TO rule Than any Malay bandit
When Manila Was surrendered. and es-
peciaiIy when The Peace Treaty was signed.
the American nation became responsible
for the safety and welfare OF The people
Of the Philippines of all classes and Of the
foreign residents and agents. Any loss OF
life OF property At the hands of
brigauds whose operations this
country should make no effort TO
check would be the basis of
claims against The American Government.
= he only conditions under which We can
be relieved OF the responsibility We have
assumed 90 not exist at this moment We
oaunoi free ourselves of our obligations
either by abandoning the territory or by
recognizing government instituted by an
adventUrer without the consent OF the
people. We can transfer the Philippines
"a any generally established government.
like Great Britain or Germany but not to
a mere band of outlaws
SO our duty is plain. Before the sub
jeCt of independence can be considered we
arr bound TO establish coed order aud 10
suppress all armed bodies OF men To
the performance Of that duty he Govern
menl must bend its energies. and IL Is en-
titled 10 The support Of every American
citizen. Any American who gives the least
moral or material aid or encouragement 10
the outlaws who falsely pretend to repre-
sent the people Of the Philippines is guilty
OF treason and is amenahle TO the laws
governing that superlative crime. That
the obvious inc0mpetency and neglect Of
the Secretary Of War is responsible for
the situation hat now confronts Us does
not relieve any citizen of his duty of up
holding the Government. even 10 the point
OF offering his services and his life.
u is now apparent that the idea OF seiz-
ing the reins of government is not new 10
the adventurer who has been able TO gath
er about him an army Of misguided men
and irresponsible boys. When the war be-
tween this country and Spain began. Agui-
naldO WAS in China. enjoying the wealth
he had acquired by betraying his followers
20 the Spaniards. lie foresaw that by Of
fering his services 10 Admiral Dewey he
might claim a reward from the Americans.
When he found that under the maladminis-
tration of an inefficient Secretary of War
no attempt vas made to win the confidence
OF the Filipinos he entered into negotia-
lion with the agents of foreign nations TO
organize his present movement. By the
time Secretary Alger had awakened TO the
importance of an understanding with the
people, Aguinaldo had persuaded a consid-
cradle army, though by no means a ma
jority Of the Filipinos, that our purposes
We're essentially those of Spain He has
taken possession of the chief town of the
Island of Panay, has refused to surrender
1T or 10 allow the American expedition to
land, and threatens to destroy the town
That it may mean a long war to sup
press the outlaws and establish American
authority over every foot of the Philippines
cannot deter the Government from the use
OF force at the earliest practicable mo-
ment. The most serious trouble we
have 10 fear is the incompetencv of
our own War Office which indifferen,
10 the costly lesson of the Santiago eypedi
tion, insists on hampering General Otis
with its amateur directions. The necessi-
ty of enlarging our forces in the Philip
pines is not admitted by General Otis. but
IL viii be no disadvantage TO have in The
Held an army that will make resistance
virtually impossible. II is conceivable that
The enemies of expansion may take ad-
vantage OF the situation TO oppose the rati-
fcation OF the Treaty, but they can only
DELAY the inevitable success of that meas
ure. They are in extreme danger of being
regarded as the enemies not merely of eS-
pansion, but also of the Government when
by their attacks on the Treaty. they give
moral support TO the outlaws in the Philip
pines. No account can be taken of them
so far as the action of the Government is |
concerned To delay any movements |
against the rebels through fear of the at |
tacks of Senators would be 10 increase the
of maintaining our authority in
the Philippines.