The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-09-29

mon enemy. We accepted the service
they rendered and profited from it. We
know that in fighting by our side they
thought they were fighting for their own
independence. We know more. We know
that the FiliDinos would not have rem
dered the service from which we profited,
had they believed that we would deny
them their independence. But then our
government was at least honorable enough
before accepting and profiting from their
service, frankly to tell them as any honest
man would have done. that they were
mistaken in their belief? oh no, our gov
eminent did not honestly tell them so.
It left them in their confiding belief and
accepted from them what advantage it
could get.
CHEATING AND KILLING THEM.
$40 YOU want proof?" asks Mr..
Schurz in his direct way, and without
waiting for an answer he gives it in
abundant quantity and most conVlnc-
ING quality Then he asks:
And that is the attitude in which Pres
ident Mckinley has placed this great re-
public. Are you Americans proud of your
country? Here stands the poor Filipino
before YOU able to say to you: you nave
cheated me-" And you must cast down
vour proud eyes, for you cannot answer
Navl This is one of the things the Presl-
dents imperialistic policy has done with
us.
Rut the poor Filipino may say some
thing more. He may say: I'm order to
carry through your cheat you are now
Strengthening u.s. And again we cannot
answer Nay. / am aware that the Presl-
dent in his letter of acceptance, trying TO
revive a long exploded story, tells us
that the Filipinos began the Nighttime
lamb ferociously assailing the lion. Every
hodv knows that the first shot was Hreu
nv an American soldier, killing Filipino
who crossed the line on territory when
ought not to have been occupied by the
Americans, and that General OTIS ofhclal-
" reported: The engagement was one
strictly defensive on the part OF the IN
surgents, and of vigorous attack by our
forces" This is one of the things which
the President also forgot.
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?
But the first shot is not the MAN
question. Mr.. Schurz contends that
the main question is one of respon-
sibilitv. and he declares that President
Mckinley is responsible for the con-
ditior of things that has made that
bloody conflict inevitable" Referring
70 the charge of Mckinley that the
Filipinos did not wait for the action
of Congress ratifying the treaty be-
fore attacking the American army, he
asks:
Who was it that really "did not wait for
the action of Congress? ?" Who was it
that took the decisive step before the
treaty was ratified by the Senator Not
the Filipinos. but President Mckinley
himself; for it was he who six weeks be-
fore the ratification of the treaty by the
Senate. without the slightest legal au-
thority and by barefaced usurpatlon OF
power, issued that order which was de-
claration of war and direct provocatlon
of hostilities and thus Drecipitated that
abominable conflict.
DOESN'T TELL THE WHOLE TRUTH.
Then the speaker proceeds to give
an example of McKinley's good faith.
In his letter of acceptance he pre-
tends to give his countrymen truth
full. candid and complete account OF
.yhat has happened. But, SAYS MT
Schurz. "of that fateful order he
quotes only one paragraph, full of as
surances Of his sweet and benevolent
intentions as to the welfare of the
islanders: but there he stops
He does not tell his confiding country
men that in other paragraphs he assum-
ed in pursuance of the treaty concluded,
full sovereignty over the whole Philippine
orobiraIo on whether tho nhahitantS liked
il or not and that 1.-The actual occupation
and administration of the entire group OF
the Philippine Islands became immediate
ly necessary, and the military government
heretofore maintained by the United
States in the city, harbor and bay OF Ma
Mia, is TO be extended with all possible
dispatch to the whole of the coded terri
tory"