Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-02-10
ANOTHER BATTLE AT MANILA.

Last Sunday, the News flashed over the wire
that the Philippine insurgents had fired on tn
Americans, and that battle was in progress
Later, it was learned that The fighting begun
Saturday night, lasting twenty -four hours; tina
the insurgents were repulsed, with heavy losse
probably reaching into the thousands on the
insurgent side, while twenty-eight of our sol
diers were killed, and iorty-eight wounded.
1t is reported that the Kansas troops led the
Aght, but that none of our boys were killed.
All Kansans are proud of our soldier boys
and wish that they might all return home I'M
harmed. Many express themselves as DESTROYS
that every insurgent might be killed, but they
are not in the majority.
To us, this is a sad affair. We are loyal tc
the United States as nation, but we have, all
along, claimed that we have no right to take
the Philippines The fact that Dewey achiev'
ed such grand victory over the Spaniards III
taking Manila gives us no right to the Phil
ippine islands, any more than would the cap
ture OF New York city by foreign foe give
them the right to claim the United States.
Then, these insurgents helped Dewey to cap
ture Manila. Aguinaldo was an important fac
tor in that fight, and, at that time, he was de-
clared great mana gentleman and scholar
Now, since he objects to the taking OF his
country by the Americans, he is a low-bred,
vicious scoundrel--a semi barbarian-a danger
ous. ignorant fellow. We believe Agoncillo,
one of the men sent to Washington by Ag-
uiualdo. tells the truth when he says that,
for months, the Americans (meaning the conf
manders) have been doing their best to drive
the Filipinos into revolt. We cannot better
express our views upon this subject than tc
quote an editorial from Kansas City Times.
And, by the way the Times has as its editor
one of the deepest thinkers in the nation.
OUR WAR WITH FILIPINOS.
Once more blood has been shed at Manila
and once more this nation is at war. We had
hardly concluded war with tyranical foe
which had sought to Cypress helpless people.
The world had given us credit for conducting a
war for humanity. We are about to begin a
war with helpless people, fighting for their
own freedom. If, when the American colonies
had revolted against English tyranny, strange
nation had vanquished the armies of King
George and then demanded tie submission of
George Washington to another foreign master,
who promised a more liberal form OF govern
ment, but is still government OF alien blood
and foreign power, the American rebels of I77o
would have been confronted by the same con-
dtions that confront the Filipino rebels of 1899.
Would Washington have submitted?
We are strong enough to crush the Flllplnos.
We can MAIN, kill and slaughter If we please
a ooo. 900 inhabitants of islands 10000 miles
removed from us. We have the power. 1t
NAV be that the administration has the nclina-
t;on. But it will be all unnecessary, wicked
and an unholy war. Volunteer soldiers from
Kansas Nebraska, Colorado, California and
other western states are the first to go to the
front. They enlisted to fight the Spaniards
who were prosecuting the Cubans. They are
called upon to kill the Filipinos, who, like the
Cubans. had rebelled against the tyranny OF
Spain. r
II is to be hoped that later news will show
the attack, if one was made, vas by irrespon-
chic insurgents, and without he knowledge or
consent of Aguinaldo. Still i is easy enough
to understand why the insurg ut chief would
want TO precipitate what he seems to consider
the inevitable He knows I'll at 1000 Amer
~, soldiers are en- route to Manila to reinforce
General Otis and it would be food generalship
~ da his best to destroy the alerican army be-
e.. Il was made stronger by dditional troops.
o,;naldo's record justihes tn belief that he is
far from being weakling In war, or an idle
ho..ter in peace. If we are 10 fight him we