The times., 1899-09-09
SATURDAY. SEPTEMBER 9. 1889.
MIR. Henderson on Expansion.

Inc hon John b. Henderson, formerly
q Senator in Congress from Missouri. has
published an open letter in the New York
Evening Post which is worthy OF atier-
tion. because one may regard it as repre-
senting the honest, if biased, views Of an
eminent public man who believes in what
he breaches and protests.
Knowing the honorable character Of the
writer as We do, the first thought which
strikes Us after q careful reading of his let
1er. is surprise that mistaken sentiment and
prejudice should have so warped his views
OF great national question as to make him
lose sight of the unassailable arguments in
favor OF expansion, which his thesis against
il at once challenges and suggests
Mr.. Henderson takes up the premises Of a
probably supposit;tious correspondent and
proceeds TO refute them. Firstly, he CON-
bats the assumption that the "Filipinos are
throwing away their lives in a contest ut
terry useless for the establishment of the
purpose their leaders have in view" and
thar If this purpose should be achieved
they would themselves be far worse of
than Under the rule we intend TO bring
them" He states that the Filipinos s-es-
tablished a provisional government ct Ca
Tite n the summer Of 1888. in the pres
ence OF our army and navy, and issued a
declaration OF independence" He adds that
this proclamation of their purpose must
have received not only the approval but the
actiVe encouragement and aid of the Amer
lean officials then on the islands" since
the soldiers of this new government haa
been partially armed by our naval COM
maneer
We do not hold Mr.. Henderson capable
OF consciously miSstating facts or distort-
ing them TO fit his purposes. The effect
is the same, however when he permits
himself to forget the history of AguinaI-
dos resurrection. after selling out himself
and his 1861 rebellion to Spain. He was
brought back from exile expressly for the
purpose Of raising a native insurrection of
local character, TO harass the Spaniards
and assist in confning the Spanish garri-
son in Manila to the limits Of that position.
until troops could be sent from the United
States TO occupy the territory Aguinaldo
understood that he was 10 do this for our
account, in our employ, and the arms is
sued 10 the Tagals whom he induced to ioin
in the undertaking were furnished to Them
as auxiliaries who had become subject ~
our nag by reason Of its domination over
that OF their former master. Spain. In thai
capacity they were entitled under fnterna-
tional law TO serve under il, as an abstract
proposition could be required to aid in its
defence, and as a matter OF history did
elect TO rally to its support in the neigh
borhood Of Manila. and in the province
of Csvite, which then constituted the lin
its Of our armed occupation.
Aguinaldo's later action. in betrsvIng
the trust placed in him, in tempting bis
followers TO cooperate with him in re-
beilion against the savior OF the whole
Philippine people, and in attempting to
set up native government In defiance Of
the United States, was never supported or
countenarced in any way by American
officials then on the Islands" They were
at the moment powerIess to arrest and
punish him, or to interfere with his de-
liant and treasonahle conduct for lack of
q sufficient landing force. Otherwise II
would have been their duty to seize and
shoot him for sedition and riot. So much
for the Filipino declaration of independ-
ence." OF which we have heard a great deal
An the way Of misrepresentation and false
sentiment from the mouths of domestic
enemies to their country.
The distinguished anti-expansion essav-
list believes that the tribe of TaeaIos
are honestly fighting for the establish
ment Of government TO be administered
by their OWL people, and for their own
freedom and happiness" and that their
purpose" must commend itself to all
friends OF liberty throughout the world
Here, again. Mr.. Henderson allows himself
10 be carried on the wings OF false
premise to logical collapse In effect he
assumes. as do his less respectable proto-
types. conditions which do not never did
snd never can obtain. From the Fill
pino' declaration, and the insurrection az
part only OF the tribe to which Agufu-
aldo belongs, he and all OF them would
have US deduce that homogeneous popuIa-
tion. covering the hundreds OF islands, in
claded In our great Eastern archipelago.
are united IN universal movement with
the objects of acquiring the privileges OF
Independent self government, of erecting