The record-union., 1899-03-18
THE TRUTH ABOUT THE FILL
PINOS.

zion of the anti-expansionists, as they
desire to be termed, that the people OF
the Philippines are demanding that the
local government be placed whoily IN
their hands is unfounded. Only small
portion of the 100000 people rebelled
against Spain, and it is only the smaller
part of those rebels who are now op-
posing the United States. 1t is the
group known as the Tagals OF Luzon
with whom we have trouble. Of these
a large portion are tired of the connlct-
Outside of this group we have no rea-
son to expect much if any opposition
The Visayas have already chosen the
protection of the American flag and sig
nified their desire that we shall estab-
lish for them a stable form of govern
ment. This body of people, some 2ooo,-
600 in number, are far more intelligent
than the Tagals. They differ from the
usual Malay type, more nearly resemb-
ling the Japanese They do not speak
intellectual, learn more readily and are
Infinitely more industrious and provi-
dent. They are mainly an agricultural
people, and their chief pleasure in work
is the cultivation of the soil.
Here then is single group compris-
ing more than a third of the whole pop
ulation of the islands who are not only
not opposing us but are friendly and
;o;t ho+ ,o11 octo c1 fhG
needed government for the island
group, and who freely give consent to
our domination. This fact largely Off
sets the complaint of Senators Hoar
conquest of tyrannous character, and
are establishing government without
the consent of the governed.
The ''Oregonian, commenting upon
pened in India, namely, as soon as the
people understood that there was no
intention of enslaving them, of upset
ting their social system, or interfering
personal rights We're respected, property
secure and justice fairly administered
regardless of rank or station, they
ceased to oppose the English and ac-
cepted a domination far more preten-
tious and severe than anything the
United States will ever assert in the
Philippines. So it will be in the Philip
pine archipelago, argues our contem-
porary:
As soon as an Asiatic apprehends
that his religion is sacred from insult
that he is in no danger of being taxed
into the earth; that his property and
personal rights are not at the mercy of
ihe caprice of local despot he always
prefers English rule to native govern
ment, which is sure to be tainted with
corruption and disfgured by legal ex-
tcrtion and cruelty.
This is followed by the justifiable sug-
gestion that the Spanish would to-day
be in full possession of the Philippines
with peace and prosperity ruling had
they given the natives justice as we
viii administer it; had they respected
their native customs, and have re-
Trained from expressing the tribes with
civil and religious rigor. They could
have been just as popular rulers in the
Philippines as the English are in India,
where they govern nearly 3O0,O0O,O00
people with comparatively small show
OF force, because the natives know that
they are happier, safer and generally
better under the rule of England than
when dominated by a host of petty
princes between whom there was con.
stant contention, and under whom cor
ruption and extortion, persecution and
cruelty were the rule
Once let the Malays Of Luzon, who
are now the people with whom we have
to deal in arms. and only with a. frac-
tion of them, understand that our sys-
tern will afford them religious and civil
liberty, relief from excessive taxation.
freedom from priestly domination, and
the administration of justice alike to
high and lowly; that trade will be
stimulated. human right conserved.
property and life made secure. extor-
tion, corruption and the rule of despotic
supernumeraries Of government cease,
and Agufnaldo's rebellion will melt
away
But in the meantime, while the truth
Is impressing itself upon the people re-
garding the methods and purposes of
Americans, there is nothing for it but
TO assert the military power of this
government in the preservation of the
trust the war and the treaty have i'm
posed upon us, and to teach the Malays
OF Luzons that we are in war as in
vincible as in peace; that we are Just.
humane and liberty loving and giving.
AS the "Oregondan we'll says:
We shall do in the Philippines what
England has done in India, only our
problem is comparatively small insular
and therefore more easily solved. We
shall protect the private rights of our
Asisuc peoples through equal laws, but
We shall no more attempt to govern
1hem in accordance with the principles
OF the Declaration of Independence
tnan We did our country after we
emitted that rhetorical firedrake. The
prophets of evil and coming woe in our
rule of the Philippines will be COM
pletely disappointed, for their fictitious
Philippine hell soon shall pass away.
and leave its dolorous mansions to the
peering day."
The passage for the second time of
A.