Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1899-09-28
Some Unbiased Testimony

Some Unbiased Testimony
7 CANNOT resist the temptation to
L quote briefly from a Mr.. Andre who
had spent fourteen years at Manila,
as the representative, Of the Belgian
government. He says: 'Tf the United
States does not take these islands I'M
der their protection, the country will be
utterly ruined and all the foreign mer-
chants win leave the islands"
He further says: Even those who
occupy the very highest posts In the
Philippines only attend to their own
fortune, and hardly pay attention to
public affairs. AS they give the exam
pie of the most corrupt administration,
they are unable to prevent their sub
ordinates to do the same. Justice Is
likewise mismanaged, and when the
accused does not bride the judges they
will leave them in Jail for years with
out paying the slightest attention to
these unfortunates and some of these
prisoners have been in jail for more
than ten years"
Speaking of laborers, he says: "If
they do not work fast enough, they
treat them exactly as slaves were treat
ed in South America. The most COM
mon punishment is to lash their backs
with thin bamboo; twenty-five lashes
is the most ordinary punishment. l
saw some receive one hundred lashes
in Negroes island"
After giving some severe instances,
he says: "Since then l always stop
this treatment when happen to know
it and more than once had rows about
it with the Spanish governor of the
province. He told me that he would
put me in prison if I interfered with
the authorities. The custom all over
the Philippines is to engage men and
This is the beginning of a debt that
will make a slave of man. At the
slightest fault, the man is fined and
his debt grows Whenever he needs
money to baptize a baby, or bury a
parent, the planter pays the fees direct
to the curate, and always adds to the
small sum advanced two or three dol
the year he owes his master fifty or six
ty dollars, and as long as he, does not
pay his debt he is considered as a
slave, and If he runs away he will be
arrested and returned to his master
and awfully dashed"
The United States can assure a
steady government in these islands, and
in their hands the country will in
crease in wealth, and will in a. short
time be able to return to the United
States the money laid out. and it would
be certainly much cheaper and more
humane to take the entire Philippines
than to keep only part of it and to run
the risk of a second war with Spain
for the very same reason that provok-
ed the present conflict. 1t is the duty
of the United States to do so and to
protect the entire country. Everybody
in the Philippines begs them for pro-
lection; even the Spanish merchants.
Now, it is to be hoped that the United
States will not deceive those who anxi-
ously, await the result of the meeting
in Paris. The Indians do not desire
independence. They know that they
are not strong enough. They trust the
United States and they know that they
will be treated rightly. The present
rebellion only represents a half per
sent Of the inhabitants, and it would
not be right to obIige 100000 inhabi-
tants to submit to $4,000 rebels. Luzon
is only partially held by them, and II
it is not to be expected that a civilized
nation will make them a present Of
the rest Of the island which is hostile
to the Tagals of Luzon. -
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