The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-11-10
COMMISSION SIDE LIGHTS.

X TF publish to-day report sent to The Call by
! \GI well-known San Franciscan in Manila. AS
XS it is testimony from the imperialist camp it
throws useful side light upon the report OF the Phil
ippine Commission. The reader will observe its
ferocity OF expression toward the natives and that
the writer criticzes everybody who has not tramped
them with hard heel While he has use for the
natives except to drive Them he paints picture OF
corruption in American administration there which
may be useully contemplated by those who pretend
that we are going educate the natives in pure
and upright American ways The writer is thor
oughly responsible. He knows what he is in Ma
Mia for, and rugged type OF the class OF Amerl-
who wait inpatiently for the fruits OF conquest
While it may be said that his letter reflects personal
feeling. all Californians will interpret it fairly be
cause OF the just estimate he puts upon officers like
Captain Henry Glass OF the navy and gallant Colonel
Aley who succumbed to the attack brought on by
his unselsh and unmentioned discharge OF duty and
rests now in a soldiers grave at the Preside.
The writer who happens to be neither Catholic
Protestant, draws an admonitory picture OF the re-
gious situation and justes the forecast of what is
TO come that has been made by many people in this
country The ecclesiastical OF nearly all the
lands that are worth tling in the islands is but a
companion picture the absorption of such lands in
Hawaii by the missionaries and their descendants
but as it is ecclesiastical the question is Pandoras
box full OF evils and troubles for this country long
after the natives have been subjugated
The seethng scene of slaughter, oppression, official
rascay administrative ncapacity and personal greed
described by our correspondent is evidence OF the in
6rmities of administration such vast distance
from the wholesome restraint OF public opinion at
home 1t is Verres, Hastings and Give over again,
and it will be to the end OF this weird chapter.
When this letter is read in connection with the off
cia report to the War Department which we eXclu-
sively published last month and both considered
in connection with the proposition OF Senator Davis
Of Minnesota, chairman of the Committee of For
eign Affairs that Congress shall at the session
keep hands off Porto Rican, Cuban and Philippine
affairs and give to the Executive and the army free
rein in each OF those dependencies there arises pros
pect that must disquet every American who feels
tender Of his country's honor Yet the Senator's
proposition is suggestion of the inevitable. In
this external administration over peoples radically
different from own, forced by military power
OF line with their aspirations and upon whom the
vain experiment is being tried OF whipping them out
OF their racial characteristics emergencies newt
able with which Congress cannot deal in regular or
special session These must have executive treatment
be it good or bad, and this will require great ex-
pansion the grant OF power to the President This
is distastefu thing contemplate but it shares that
quality with nearly everything connected with the
subject.