Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1900-01-05
THE PHILIPPINE WAR.

lNL w AIN
Nearly year ago, our government hred the
first shot that opened the war IN the PhlllP-
pine islands. From that day to this, the people
of the United States have been lied to and de-
ceived, either by the war department or General
Otis. or both From week to week, we have
been told of great victories ever the Flpinos.
We have been assured that the "rebellion" had
been crushed and that the "lnsurgents" had
been scattered, and that Cur forces were received
by the natives with wide-open arms.
The trouble with all these stories is that they
are not true; and worst of all, the wal depart
ment knows it.
How long can our government expect to re-
tain the confidence and respect of the people
when, from day to day, it wilfully and know.
ingly deceives them?
The truth is that right in the midst of these
living dispatches about the rebellion being
crushed and insurgents scattered, General Law
ton was killed by an organized force of en-
trenched Filipinos at San Mateo, only fifteen
miles from Manila. 1t is a fact that, notwith-
standing our fighting force has nearly doubled
since we opened war upon those people, early
in February, 1899, we hold but little, if any,
more territory to-day than we did at the begin
ming, and if the latest news from there is true,
Manila is menaced on nearly every side by
these oft-dispersed and badly scattered "insur-
gents" It is true that our army has burned
mauy towns and cities that required many gen.
erations to build, and thousands of Fllipinos
e ,a,r "a
try. We have captured Aguinaldo's old mother
and chased his wife and baby until they are
dead. Our boosted civilization that we are
going to force upon the Filipinos has estab-
lished zoo saloons in Manila, and everything
nossible has been done to rob those poor people
of the right to govern themselves. 1t has per-
sistently refused all overtures of those people
for peace. 1t has trampled our own Declare
ton of Indepence under foot by refusing to
concede to the Filipinos the same right OF self
Government that our fore-father fought for, and
won, several generations ago.
Suppose, in the war begun ostensibly for the
freedom Of Cuba, we had been defeated and
in final settlement of the difficulty, our govern
ment had ceded to Spain all the territory we
now possess west of the Mississippi, and Spain
had attempted to assume control thereof and
make laws to govern us, would we have quietly
submitted? No!-a thousand times MOI And
suppose Spain had invaded this territory, and
DESTROYED our homes, our railways, our towns
and cities, would that have tended to make us
loyal subjects of Spain? Is there man in
Kansas who, under such circumstances, would
mt Law down his life, if necessary, in defence
of his home and country?
Now, the Filipinos have a much stronger
ease than this They have been in revolt
AGAINST Spain for years, and had conquered all
Of the 900 square miles of territory of the
island of Luzon, except I42 square miles in
and around Manila and we received and treat
ed them as our allies, and they helped us cap
ture this last remnant under Spain's control.
The Filipinos are doing, to day, just what
our people would do under like circumstances.
Thev are fighting for their freedom, just as our
fore-fathers fought for their freedom.
This by few narrow minded partisans, may
he branded as treason; but, be that as 1t may,
i &c none the less Gods eternal truth.
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