The times., 1899-08-09
AgninaIdo,s appeal.

Mr. Mckinley has TO thank his friends.
Otis and Denby, for the latest illustration
OF Aguinaldo's impudence. We refer, of
course. 70 the circular which has been sent
10 the powers through their Consuls at
Manila Six months ago the latter would
have thrown the thing in the waste basket
and mentioned 1t only at the clubs re-
sorted to by foreigners. rs a very amusing
illustration Of native nerve. Now what
they may DO with il We cannot tell. Ger
tainly they viii treat IT with more defer
ence than it would have received then.
The document itself contains nothing
new. II only reiterates old lies that The
mutineers evidently think Will be swai-
lowed with more grace than they would
have been before the utter failure Of Otis
campaign dswned upon the world. 1t in
wolves the same old contentious. with
-Ehich we are familiar that the few Fili-
-ino rebels on the Island OF Luzon had
destroyed Spanish sovereignty in the whole
Philippine archipelago before Dewey steam
ed in and sunk Montejos feet at Cayite;
that, thereafter. or officials promised In
dependence to the Filipinos, i. e.. their
domination over the majority Of inhabitants
1ot of their tribe, In return for the incon-
Iiderable help they were capable Of af-
fonding against the Spaniards Il is quite
unnecessary to once more review all that
nonsense. which has been iterated and re-
iterated until everybody is tired Of it.
The half sayages who lead the present
revolt are perhaps dense TO the fact of
which the civilized world now is quite con-
fdent, that when Dewey took the power of
Spain away al Manila the native revolt
had been crushed out, and where that had
not been accomplished it had been bought
out. Our naval commander acted like a
sensible man in the premises He fol-
lowed the rule Of war justifying a bellig-
erent in organizing and arming a subsid-
iary municipal opposition to the power he
is fighting. This was obviously necessary
il his case, because, although he could
easily have bombarded and reduced the
capital under his guns, he had not the
landing force to hold the place after he
had taken il With his base ten thousand
miles away, he took the only course open
TO him and encouraged the native hordes
TO assist his purpose; not in the interest
U G bdIbo4SlS 1dSd4 lolnglall0Q over q
nine-tenths population not Tagal-there
was never such a suggestion-but to help
the cause Of the United States against
Spain; and Aguinaldo, who was brought
from exile to assist the project, thoroughly
agreed to the programme. He willingly
consented 10 become the paid agent of
America. and betrayed his trust, exactly
as, previously. he had violated his COM
pact with Spain.
For the purposes OF this argument, be
and his fellow mutineers are not aeces-
sary further 10 consider. What we do need
to reflect upon is the fact that this country
has been betrayed. more through the in
efficiency OF cur policy and agents in The
Philippines. than by anything the rebels
have been or are stiII able TO do With
proper management, and military con-
mander who was equal 70 the responsible
ties OF his position. and with that officer
protected from civilian interference. the
fight against the Tagais last spring might
and We believe would. have been success
fuI.
AS far as We Judge 1t was not sue
cessful for the reasons that Otis Ids
eonceiTed the necessity for a large army