Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-11-28
! THE PHILIPPINE SITUATION I
by CHARLES DRNBY.

so. NV ttissi|SSrQ. " JUN II sioiSht
denunciation of those of our fellow cit
ministratiQn in the philippines 1t is.
better to ascribe their antagonism. TO a
misconception OF facts.
1t must always be remembered that
no civil government has been determine
ed on for the Philippines. TheSiterary
and intelligent people OF the whole
world have discussed the various forms
of government that have been created
fol. protectorates, colonies and depend
encies, but congress has not acted or
even discussed The questions involved
in the final settlement of the situation.
In this world we must confront facts,
as we find them, and it is an ancient.
legal motto that you must not jump
until you come TO the stile."
Stertain facts are historical. 1t is
certain that Spain grossly oppressed
the people of the Philippines. During
the rebellion OF 1896 the order of the
day was the execution of suspected per-
sons, often without the pretense of a
trial. A member of the Katipunans
society had short shift. Take one ex-i
ample. The patriot Rial did not he.
long to the Katipunan aocieN He
I had taken no part in the rebellion. He
had embarked in a Snip bound tor
Cuba, where he had purposed to prac-i
tice his profession of surgery. He was
arrested. 1t was a fete day when he
was executed on the Luneta M7
Notice of his execution had been
given, and twenty thousand people
turned out to witnes it. The specials
ors, shouted Viva Espana, 1'whsn the
guns of his four Filipino executioners
were discarged, and the band marched
by the body playing the March of
Cadiz."
35 The. visitor is shown at Manila a
courtyard in which, lit is said, hun
dred and fifty persons were shot at one
time. The stone wall is dented with
many bullets. He sees also the fortress
of Santiago, in the old city of Manila,
In the dungeons of which many pris-
oners died of suffocation in one night.
No Talk of Independence.
There was no semblance of a popu-
lar government in the Stands. Exor-
bitant taxation, illegal arrests,
human punishments were the order OF
the day. The people appealed to arms
such arms rs they had, which were
not numerous or modern. Even then
there was, no talk of independence.
The demand was for redress of 8rleyA
anees. ,ff4,
sAguinaldo and his leaders were
bought of, and the treaty, of Biac-na-
bato was signed pecen Eers ia. 1897, !,
The preliminary statement OIL the
Filipino commission has fully cons:1-
cred this treaty, and j shall not dwell
5 on 1t here. 1t did not satisfy 5the peo-
pie, and there were, sporadic disturb
ances here and theIe,S but, as Admiral
Dewey has testified, there was no in
surrect;on to sfJeak Of When he reach
ed Manila.
Is oteshere the first faw n, til an gu-
ment ofsthe so-calIad slIatisfal perialist.
1t has been charged that without oni:
aid the Filipinos wonlasshaYe achieved
their Independence. Nothing can be
more untrue:
Not one intelligent man has ever as
serted in the Philippines that any gen
eral movement toward independence
existed there when we wentS.to Manila,
The insurrection was dead a assert
this fact beyond successful contradict
ton that the rebellion had Terminated.
Aguinaldo and thirty-four of his prin-
cipal supporters had been bought off.
The war was over.
There were great reioicings in Man
ia at its termination. There were, re-
lfgious and civil ,celebra tons. Honors
We're bestowed by the queen of Spain
on Primo de Rivera and his chief Of
fcers. q
1t did not enter into the brain of any
dreamer that a new insurrection would
ever begin again.
Let us, then, take to ourselves this
credit, at least, that it was our arrival
at Manila which fired the blood of an
oppressed people to revolt again
against their oppressors. If we had
never gone to Manila the same old on
preston would have still existed, and
today the rule of Spain would be as
absolute as ever it was,
"a When Dewey Went to Manila there
was no political purpose in his venture.
He went there to destroy the Spanish
heet. He did it most gloriously and
completely.
Why Dewey Remained.
The allegation now is, and, this is the
second flaw in the anti-imperialist ar
gument, that Dewey aftersthe destruc.
: ton of the Spanish feet should have
SdlEu away. Nnefe could he have
gone? The ports of the civilized world
were closed to him. He did not know
but that other fleets would come from
Spain to prey upon our commerce and
to destroy him. In fact for many
days he expected them.
He stayed to watch for them. He
would not have waited long. He would
have caught them in the open before
they reached Manila. and fought them
in the broad, wide sea. The fleets did
not come from Spain and he stayed at
Manila.
I do not believe that an American
breathes the air who will assert that
he honestly believes today that Dewey
should have abandoned his post under
the threat that feet was coming from
Spain to. attack him, and if such 4 man
exists even he will not assert that Dewey
eysof hisiown volition would ever have
done this craven thing.
He had to stay there, and if he stay
edbthere were two courses before shim
One was to destroy. Manila. and the
other was to capture it. The gentle
admiral, for he is as gentle as he is