Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-04-07
MRS. HELEN M. COUGAR
ON THE PHILIPPINE WAR.

Written for the KANSAS AGITAToR.
The present war of the United States upon
the Philippines is the blacklist chapter OF crime
ever written in human blood on the pages OF
history. 1t is the most unjustifable act of the
centuries. By it, this nation stands before the
world Justly charged with repudiating the Dec
laration of Independence, the right OF people
to self-government, the Monroe doctrine and
every principle that has made it great and hon
ored. From being the refuge of the oppressed
it has become the oppressor of the oppressed.
What Spain and Weyler were to Cuba, one
year ago, the United States and President Nc
Kinley are to-day to the Filipinos. Cuba
fought for her right to sef-government. Spain
fought to prevent her from having this right.
Spain called the struggling patriots "rebels, .
"insureents. She shot the inhabitants wher-
ever found; burned and looted their homes and
towns, destroyed their plantations, penetrated
their iung1es and starved their reconcentrados.
Cuba possessed no navy, and Spain ruled her
harbors and coastline.
Spain had one claim on Cuba which the
United States cannot plead i'll extenuatien OF
her condact toward the Philippines: she had
the right of discovery and longtime owner
ship.
We overlook the Spanish armada Oh its way
to make war OH the Atlantic coast, in the har-
Dor of Manila 1t was our right and duty to
destroy this fleet and we did it efectually. Our
remarkable and speedy victory was largely due
to the friendly cooperation of Aguinaldo, the
patriotic leader of the Filipinos, who, like
Washington and the American Revolutionists,
were fighting for self-government
OF the $4,000 square miles comprised IN
the territory of the Philippines, all had been
wrested from the Spanish except I49 square
miles, including the harbor and the city OF
Manila. The Filipinos recognized the United
States navy as their deliverer from Spanish rule
forever Old Glory was the symbol OF liberty
and peace, and her graceful colors floating on
the breeze called forth the widest enthusiasm
from the new-found friends. Our flag, our
navy, our people were welcomed, honored and
loved.
The Cuban war ended, the Spanish driven
forever from the western hemisphere, the pur-
pose of the Spansh-American war was accom-
plished. We proclaimed to the world that we
fought for the cause of humanity, not conquest,
and we won honor for our flag
Without the consent of the people or the
sanction of congress, President Mckinley as
sumed the role of an imperial dictator, and
declared war for possession of those Asiatic
islands, and began at once the ruthless murder
and spolation of those innocent and struggling
people With the declaration still warm from
his lips that "forcible possession would be
criminal aggression" he trained our guns for
forcible possession, and each day we are shocked
and made ashamed for our flag when we read
of the merciless slaughter Of the Fiipinos and
the fitting out of more ships and more men to
sail Is 900 miles to deepen this national dis
honor.
To the religious bigot who claims to see the
hand of God in this cruelty, that we may
Christianize these heather, would commend
n. accounts of the mobs and murders of our
colored citizens in the South, and would sug-
pest that Aguinaldo is more than justifable in
fighting to keep such civilization Cd from
taking root in his tropical land. When he
count, over three hundred saloons in the single