The Irish standard., 1899-06-03
THE CAMPAIGN IN LUZ0N.

DCsPllC dill lIle censorship ana sup
preston of news from the Philippines
the American people are now convinced
that the campaign in the island of Lu-
zon under Gen. Otis has not been a
military success. After three months
fighting, the revolt OF the Filipinos has
not been put down. though thousands
OF them have been killed by American
volunteers who enlisted to free the Gu
bans. The followers of Aguinaldo show
no disposition to lay down their arms
and submit to American authority. They
want to govern themselves and be inde-
pendent, and do not want to be ruled
by Americans any more than by Span
iards. The benevolent policy Of McKin-
ley, as brutally defined by the incompe-
tent Shafter, is to kill half Of the natives
and then civilize and utilize the surviv-
ors for the benefit OF the commercial in
terests. But that is easier said than
done. Thousands OF Filipinos, includ-
ing non-combatants, have been ruthless
ly slaughtered; but the survivors keep
on fighting as aggressively as ever. The
period OF enlistment Of American vol
unteers has expired, and though induce
ments for re-enlistment have been Of
Tered to them by Otis, few if any OF
them will respond to his call. Some
OF the Northwestern regiments have
been more than decilnated, and the boys
are anxious to return to their homes.
Mckinley, it is said, will call for no
more volunteers, ior the good reason
that he could not get any for the war
OF slavery in the East He must in fu-
ture rely on regular troops to prosecute
his campaign OF subjugation, and dis
patch from Washington says he will
raise the $4,000 men for the regular ar
my, as authorized by Congress. He
ought to have done that three months
ago and not have kept the volunteers
at the front in the Philippine trenches
after their term OF enlistment had ex-
pired. The gallant victories Won by the
volunteers have counted for naught, and
the boys have been killed and manned
in capturing Filipino strongholds that
are now abandoned for lack of sufficient
men to garrison them. The fact is that
the war in the Philippines thus far has
been failure and independent Republi-
can papers are beginning to admit it.
For instance, the Minneapolis Tribune
an administration organ, courageously
says in its issue OF last Sunday:
Gen. Lawton lost favor at Washington by
be needed to put down the Filipinos' insurrec
ton. The Washington authorities were appar
emily pursuing the ostrich policy and refusing
to face the stern realities of the situation. The
time, that the Filipinos would yield and thus
end the war without imposing upon him the
necessity of calling any more troops into the
field
"Thus much valuable time has been lost
Had the work Of raising, organizing and putting
in the field every man authorized by the army
bill been begun as soon as that bill had re
ceived the presidents signature. would now
have force big enough to carry on the cam
pagn as Gen. Lawton says it ought to be car
ried on, and it is probable. that, by this time
every stragetic point in the islands would have
been occupied by our forces and the insurgents
hopeessy hemmed in or bottled up. But nov
it looks as if new start would have to be
made and the work done all over again.
tired Of a hali-heairted Philippine policy: w
should either put enough men into the Philip
pine. islands to end the insurrection next fall
or abandon everything and withdraw at once
but we the administration that wal
dragging on through another year will be fata
to its hopes of political success"
The rainy season has already com,
menced in the Philippines and it will MOI
be over before the end of October. Fol
five months the American troops will be
on the defensive and obliged to seek
refuge in the cities protected by the gur
boats The whole island will be inun,
dated, and the movements of the Ameri-
can forces will be attended with great
difficulties and hardships. The natives
on the other hand, can utilize the eli
mate as all ally, and many OF our sol
diers will be the victims of disease. All
these disadvantages could have been
avoided had Mckinley either given the
natives the rights OF self-government OF
prosecuted the war more vigorously and
brought it to a speedy termination
From present indications he is likely tc
have war on his hands during the ma,
tional campaign. Whether that will be
a benefit or detriment to himself and
his plutocratic party time only will de-
termine.