New-York tribune., 1899-03-25

stances 10 prove their statements.
TROUBLE WITH NATIVES PREDICTED.
This is a matter that has given me much
concern and much thought l can very
plainly that America will never have any trou-
ble OF any description with the people OF Span
ish blood and this for several reasons-1rst
the disposition TO America Of these people. and
their dependence upon us for their protection
and also their hatred and fear OF the natives
and their limited numbers. But II seems to
me that there is much danger OF future trouble
and bloodshed with the natives In speaking
Of these natives | am referring solely to the
natives OF this island OF Luzon. as / have but
little real knowledge OF the natives Of the
other islands. These natives have for hundreds
Of years been in a state OF warfare against
Spain. This OF course has been at intervals
in this time. There have been number Of seri-
Gus rebellons which have cost Spain much blood
and money TO subdue.
Previous TO May ! the Spaniards in
complete military control throughout this ISL
and. Soon after Aguinaldo brought here
by our people. and he Immediately started in
to organize troops and fight the Spaniards. The
actual facts are that the troops he able
to get together fought the Spanish troops time
after time and defeated them in every engage
ment. He drove the Spaniards from every
battlefield, and captured fort after fort and
drove them from every position they held
have whole regiments Of Spanards
marched in by native troops prisoners Of
Before troops came out. different
times would get passes and would go through
the insurgents lines and. seeing their prisoners
was able TO form some idea OF what they had
accomplished in the military way.
VICTORIES OF INSURGENTS
Before We captured Manila it is a fact that the
troops of Aguinaldo had captured every Span
ish post in the island except at Cayite, which
fleet took on May |. and Manila itself. Be
fore August 13 and since then. the insurgents
have been in complete military control OF all OF
the island these two places. Paymaster
Wilcox. Of the Monadnock. has recently returned
from a six weeks trip in the interior OF this ISL
and. I'm which he travelled In different parts Of
It, and I have had many talks with him, and
have learned much OF the state Of affairs in the
interior What has most impressed me is the
complete organization OF the natives throughout
the island The population is said 10 be two
million people, all OF whom acknowledge the
authority Of Aguinaldo except some savage
mountain tribes This territory was won by his
soldiers. and to-day is ruled by him.
Instead Of being a country OF savages Il is
,
ton. who read and write. who own and work
farms and lands. and who worship God. the
Father. and Jesus Christ His Son. These peo-
pie may not have made much progress in the
ways Of the outside world. yet they have made
some. and are certainly far ahead in the social
scale Of our own Indians They are having an
organized military and civil government far
reaching in its powers and really satisfactory
and successful in its operations. They have
congress with regularly elected representatives.
which at present controls Luzon outside Of
Manila and Cavite They have a wel-organized
and well-dred army OF many thousands OF SOL
diers armed principally with Mauser rifles, well
officered and in complete military control and
subordination. There is no division of authority,
It is all under the one head. This army has met
European soldiers on the field. and has invari-
ably vanqushed them and outside OF Manila
and Luzon it is to-day supreme.
CHANGE IN SENTIMENT.
These are not matters OF my personal opinion.
but the actual facts as they exist to-day. and
in them I see possibilities Of serious trouble. II
It occurs l believe that the fault will be with
America. not from overt act our part, but
from lack Of appreciation OF the feelings Of
these people who believe that they have fought
for and won their independence. They thor
oughy appreciate what our Navy did in max
ing possible their organization. but they want
US to appreciate what they have done their
own account At first they were full OF kind
feeling for us and we for them. Now the pre-
vailing feeling has changed. on our side the
existing feeling seems 10 be that these people
do not know what sef-government Is. that
they could not use It II they had it, and have no
right to It any way That they have gone ahead
hot ocf a cbed ho
government is considered an inexcusable i'm
pertinence worthy OF severe chastsement
Sometimes one would think that they had abso-
lutely no rights OF any kind. have heard
many officers of both services. and sometimes !
have asked such persons II they believed II they
thought. that these natives should be allowed
TO love their country. and have actually been
told no
There is now actually no sympathy with our
people and the native race and the latter know
# and feel It. and are intensely disappointed
Every day I hear opinions 10 the effect that
these people ought 70 be wiped off the face OF
the earth, and have no right TO live Where
l foresee possible trouble is in the fact that
these people have already had good taste OF
victory. and have great quantities OF arms and
ammunition and are in complete control OF the
country. excepting a limited area. and IT is
in their power 10 make trouble FOR anybody
that they have a mind TO-
FAULTS OF THE PEOPLE.
II is easy enough to understand the cause Of
the aversion that people feel toward the
native, because near acquaintance does not con
duce 10 admiration. The native is not attractive
in any way. From altruistic views OF human
ity he presents the spectacle OF man persist
ing in his efforts to free himself from tyrant
and sacrificing his all TO life itself. toward
that purpose. and he does this year after year
against discouraging odds. with no success in
sight but yet with hope and courage At last
he succeeds. through the assistance Of giant:
L. tL.n. ho Lc cIon