Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1899-11-08
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 8. 1899
the ARGUS "ExPANDS."

containing the Geo. "A. 0mltn lnter-
view on the Philippine question the
Argus made the prediction that such
an interview would likely be pub.
lished. Last week the well-known
writer who has been retained to
handle the Philippine question for the
Argus felicitates himself upon this
wonderful "hindsight. We hope We
may be pardoned for suggesting tina,
his foresight is not nearly so good.
This writer launches into the sub.
ject with q glaring misstatement. He
says:
1.-The great majority of the return.
ing volunteers are in favor OF our
government retaining control over the
Philippines and Mr.. Smith being an
exception is eagerly sought after by
the anti-expansionists."
1t has been stated that four-fifths OF
the Minnesota boys returning are
against the administrations policy in
the Philippines. We have yet to see
contradiction of this by the soldiers
themselves. Let the Argus writer pro-
duce an interview from volunteer to
support his statement, if he can.
Further, the Argus impugns the mo-
tiyes OF Mr.. Smith by saying that he
talks that way for the money there is
in it. 1t says,
''It 1.-THE interview) was freely
granted, as that is the way Mr.. Smith
proposes to make living for awhile,
if he can find employment that way"
We did not employ Mr.. Smith to
give his interview. Getting pay for
stating his opinions was the farthest
from Mr.. Smiths mind at the time.
II, as in the case OF the Argus writer,
money was the most important thing
to Mr.. Smith, he made great mistake
in taking the side he did, for there is
no doubt that articles bolstering up
the program of As1atic spoliation and
conquest from a returning soldier
would command a good figure from
the powerful forces who are directing
the movement.
The Argus writer says Mr.. Smith
did not know the value OF the islands
nor that they constitute the gateway
to the Orient. We rather think he did,
but Mr.. Smith was too much imbued
with the true American spirit Of alb
horrence for wars of terminal ag-
gression" to consider few paltry dol
lars sufficient excuse for abandoning
what is the bulwark of our own liber-
ties.
''As matter of fact the islands are
we'll worth what was paid for them. "
And would you include what is be-
ing paid for them every day? Are
they worth the lives of the American
youth which have been and are being
sacrificed for them? Ask the question
in the hundreds of desolate homes in
the land.
1.-THE people are capable Of self
government"
Good, then why not let them govern
themselves? This is fatal admission
to our friends argument. The hur-
ried report of the Philippine Commits
sion, which was published last Friday
in order to help out the republicans in
the elections, states that they 1.-THE Fill
pinos are not capable of self govern
ment. This point is necessary to the
Philippine expansion theory, viz.
that as the inhabitants of the islands
are not capable of governing them
selves, we must govern them. In ad.
hitting that they are capable of tax.
ing care of themselves our friend
knocks away the one and only sup.
port he has.
"Will the Tribune kindly tell us
what these men think of the patriotism
Of Aguinaldo?"
We have yet to see statement from
anyone who has honestly investigated
his case to the effect that he is trai.
tor to his country. On the other hand,
every document or utterance emanat.
ing from him before the outbreak oil
hostilities as we'll as after has breathed
a deep regard for his beloved
Filipino land. He accepted no bride
from the Spanish, nor is there any
reason to believe that he would &C.
cept any from the Americans. In.
deed, If he had been Benedict Ar
mold we have not the slightest doub,
that to-day he might have possessed
q fortune of American gold.
"If, as Gen. Funston says, the
church is the cause of the insurrection
and has been for years the controlling
power, the sooner it is crushed the
better. The insurgents are
not fighting of their own free will but
because of the wonderful rower the
friars exercise oyer them"
There can be only one reason why
the Argus writer would make this per-
version of the truth, and it is such a
base one that we hesitate to charge it.
Even the most casual reader knows
that instead of the friars being back
of the insurrection, they are the espe-
cial objects of hatred by the ms arrec.
tionists. The chief demand of the in
surgents is that the friars be expelled
from the country. On this point the
Argus writer is'so positively at vari-
ance with every authority which has
spoken of the insurrection and it's
causes, that we know of but one rea-
son for its making it. And this is OF
snch a n ata,ro fhat uo mill o,ua;4 "a noo