Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-07-13
making its capture easy, have lost faith
In our nrnmisas and bacnnn onr hittnr [

in our promises and become our bitter
enemies. We are now carrying on
against them an exterminating war.
1t is estimated that we have already id
the name of freedom and humanity
slain more of these simple people than
despotic Spain in her 300 years of mis-
rule. Out of this carnival Of war and
hate. is il reasonable to suppose that |
the sweet flower of friendship and peace
shall grow up? Is it reasonable that |
we shall win the confidence of this |
people, or the approval of mankind by
taking the Spaniards' place against |
them, seizing and holding and govern
ing them by military law and without
their consent?
We have assumed that they are in
capable of government, and that,
too, without trial. We went to make
them free to give them self government
We have seized their lands and rule as
conquerors.
Is it fair to assume that the Cuban
patriots and their children arc in
capable OF government? They
fought for Cuba Lihre for 10 years in
the last decade, and for three years last
past, up to the battle of Santiago.
against the entire Spanish army and
VIII hu Vi busOot thpA
commanded by the veteran Gen. Gomez,
and with complete civil government
organized and working effectively, the
Cnbans asked for independence.
The answer of the American army of
occupation was, disband your army,
dissolve your government; we propose
| to rule, until we the conquerors, mot
of you, but of Spain, conclude to give
| you freedom from foreign dominion
Let us now turn to the Philippines.
| Admiral Dewey in dispatch to the
Secretary of the Navy of June 9th,
| 1898, writes: "Aguipaldo, insurgent
leader, with 13 of his staff, arrived
May 10Th, by permission, on the
| Nashau. | have given him to under
stand that consider insurgents as
| friends. being opposed to a common
1 enemy. He has gone to attend a meet
| ing OF insurgent leaders for the purpose
of forming civil government. In my
4 opinion, these people are far superior
In their intelligence, and more capable
of elf-government, than the natives of
Cuba, and | am familiar with both
races" 1t was under this sanction of
our government that the Filipinos'
civil government was organized and
their army of 20 regiments raised and
equipped.
| John Barrett, late United States
Minister to Siam, another leading ex-
pansionist, in an article in the July
number of Review of Reviews. says :
1.-THE government which was organized
by Aguinaldo at Cavite, and centred
first at Bakor and later at Malolos,
developed into much more elaborate
affair than its most ardent supporters
| Ia, fba i11 lp
Of October, 1898. he had assembled al
Maolos congress of 100 men, who
would compare in behavior, manners,
dress and, education with tho average
men of the better classes of Other
Asiatic nations, possibly including the
| Japanese. These men, whose sessions
frequently attended, conducted them.
J selves with great decorum, and showoc
n q knomledge of debate and parlia
mentaryAlaw, that would not compare
unfavorably with the Japanese Parlia
l. ment. - ,.,.-7 -s. --
Again: "The army of Aguinaldo wal
| the marvel OF his achievements. III
had over 20 regiments of comparativel.
well-organized, we'll drilled and we'll
dressed soldiers, carrying modern rifle
, and ammunition. saw many of thes'
. regiments executing not only regi
! mental, but battalion and compan.
drill with a precision that asionishet
D me. Nearly every family had father
son or loyer in the army. Whereve
Y they went they raised enthusiasm TO
0 the Filipino cause. Along with tn
r army was a red cross association, a
: the head Of which were Agunaldo'
: mother and wifo There were quarter
o master and commissariat department
4 which were well equipped, in view Q
the lack OF experience OF the men Il
a charge The American who thinks fo
q moment that we were or have bee
/. fighting a disorganized force, lator
h under great error 1t would be diflicul
4 to imagine the army of any Eurepea
q country, being in better shape to tigh
# us, than that of Aguinaldo at the tim
i of the outbreak, February 18th; wit
q the conditions of climate. and countr
favorable to them." He further write
!, that fully 10 per cent of the army ca
II read and write, and that MS a peopl
i, they are hospitable, generous and goo
o natured. q
If To this people we went as friends
d They Joined us to drive out the odiou
10 Spaniarcs. When they asked for g,
d pected independence, America simpl
10 took the place of tho Spaniards, an
10 that, too, in the name of humanity
d Have we then given the Filipinos
Of fair trial?
/. NV heart is touched with sadness ;
t, the picture thus drawn, and that, tor
s. with American pens. | fear the dow
"a trodden of the earth no longer loo
D. upon our flag as the emblem of trut
IN and freedom, but rather of deceit an
a. oppression; that in the new light the
ve would guard their port and their homt
70 today against the entrance of that fla
es as thew would against that of any
ve the monarehies OF Europe, whose gree
ur of earth is limited only by their pow
I'd to oppress
ir Ii savors much of irony in these clio
ne ing hours of tho nineteenth centur
that we should witness on the ono har
Sc n conference of the nations in sessit
ur at The Hague, to promote univers
MS disarmament and peace at the instan
IS. OF tho despotic Gear OF Russia, and {
MS the other hand see war of desolatI'
&. waged by the great liberty -loVll
nf American nation against feeble 4
Vt, more than 1900 miles away from HON
lst Think you that the God Of our fathe
"a is looking down with appreciation up
81: such course? What excuse can
,at render for our conduct which is n
ok founded on passion, mercenary intere
hit or greed of domain? May not all o
ay excuses be summed up, in what Hal
ey lin Garland in his poem "Ute Love
mt epitomizes as tho "white man'ssgo
lis greed of earth. "
it We are too big and too great a natl
he to falter in the path of freedom, or
nut hesitate to do right. In the light