The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-11-28
The Philippine Situation.

~ NHE latest adVlceS from MaHiia
report a breaking up Of Aguin-
aldos army into comparatively
small bodies and their retreat into the
mountains. This certainly indicates
weakening Of the Filipinos, but wheth-
er it means speedy termination of the
war is quite another thing. 1t is to
be hoped so, because it is self-evident,
and was from the first, that If the
fighting continues the Filipinos must ul-
timately beaten, and therefore the
the natives and our own men, is over
the better it will be for both parties
and the cause Of humanity as well.
But the dispatches also suggest the
continuance of guerilla war, which
may last for an indefinite length of
time. Luzon is even more difficult than
Cuba to conduct military operations in,
and it is not to be fogotten that the
Cubans maintained guerilla war for
years against an army of two hundred
thousand Spaniards. History may re-
peat itself in the island of Juzon.
Whether that be SO or not, however,
has no bearing upon the main question,
which is one of right and wrong. If
Aguinaldo's power now collapses, of
course Mr.. Mckinley and his political
defenders will claim that his policy has
been. indicated; although how the
crushing of the Filiplnos by sheer force
can prove that the president has been
right has never been explained and
never will be. If that is to be taken as
proof then every other successful war
of conquest can be defended and jus
titled upon the principle that might
makes right"
Many of the administration support
| ers have declared that we must crush
| the Filipinos first and determine what
| their status shall be afterwards. This
| is not only illogical, but it is utterly
| heartless. Let us suppose, for exam
pie, that the war proceeds and the Fill
ipinos are Crushed" In the most high.
| ly civilized" manner, tens of thousands
of them being rather prematurely sent
| into the presence of their maker dur
| Ing Tie pIuSIESS vi ShC SiSal "oA ~
and hundreds or thousands of our owr
men likewise. After this has beer
done, let us further suppose that thu
sober second thought of the American
people should assert itself, and the Fill
pinos should be granted precisely thu
| liberty they have asked for. Woult
not the question instantly arise, Wha
in the name of heaven was all tina
fighting and bloodshed about? Coul'
any answer be given except that Pres
ident Mckinley was determined t
show the Filirlnos that the Unite
States could and would whip them
This plea by Mr.. Mckinley and hi
friends suggests the weak point In hi
policy namely, that he has none ex
cept to crush the Filipinos by arme
force. AS to what is to be done wit
them afterwards his mind appears T.
be a complete blank. Constantly ap
pealins to the people to uohold his FOL
icy, he has never yet presented an
policy for them to consider. lie ha
INDUCED in all sorts of fer7:1 rhaps1
dies about the American Nag stancin
for liberty everywhere, while N tn
same breath he has declared that siS
ty-five thousand soldiers would be sen
to the Philippines 10 defend that IA
against the natives who have neve
asked for anything huI liberty.
When first the American fla@ wa
raised in these isla IDS it was hailed a
the emblem of q lbs '.'ttr, NOW it
looked upon as the standard Of con
| uucror. That is the difference. an
some one is % blame for 1t. The com
plete over throw of The Filipinos wi
not eliminate the question of imperial
ism from American politics, unless M
Mckinley declares that he didn't mea
anything of the kind. If he does tina
he certainly will be held responsible fo
a. war that has nothing for its justin
cation except the imperialistic idea c
conquest.