The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-10-23
A Defence
OF THE
M'KINLEY ADMINISTRATION
PROM
Attacks Of the Anti.Imperialists.

by John ID. Dos Passes. .of the New York
Bar.
The anti-imperialists, through Mr..
O1l Sohuiz .indict the President Of the
United States and his Administration
of the charge Of turning the much
Wanted war Of Liberation into q war
of conquest and criminal aggression,
and Of provoking ian armed conflict
with the Filipinos, " cltiming that
I'VE used the Fllipinos as allies. and
prohted from their cooperation as el-
lies, and. in point OF fact, recognized
and treated them as allies 20 long as
they could be useful to Us, and that
therefore, we owed them those mora
obligations which are always recog-
nizsd between honorable allies and
"thst II we had treated the. FIlipinos
Justly we should have recognized their
independence. "
Mr.. schurz' Teitera'ion Of these
charges'ha been 50 sensational. dramatic
and vooiferous and his charaoteriz ition
of persons has been 80 bitter. malignant
aud vlndictive that have beea in
duced to investigate the charges and
the facts from beginning 10 end. 10
the light Of morality and the princi.
ples Of international aud constitutions
law. The result. to my mind, Is that
the charges preferred are unf)unded &,
base AMI unnatural, 10 f,ct aud law (;
they have been made either from
gross Ignorance or Misrepresentation Of
the facts. or from q deliberate disre.
gard Of truth. and a indignant and nn.
christianlike hatred Of our civil Of
doels and soldiers and sailors from
the President down to the lowest pri-
vste.
beVin with the Filipinos rebellion
Of 1896 as highly important factor IN
this discussion, because 1t shows the
exact relations which the people Of the
Philippine Islands bore to the sover
eighty OF Spain. Il was an uprising OF
the people TO obtain the redress OF Ger
tain specific grievances. such as
exnulsiou of friars and restitution of
the lands which the friars had sppropri
ated; parliamentary representation
freedom of press, liberation Of oil relig-
lous sects, laws common with Spain
and administration and economic az.
sonomy; equality in treatment and pay
between peninsula and insular oivi
servants; abolition OF the power to
Danish citizens. as we'll as unjust meas
uaes against Filipinos, legal equality
for all persons
This is the bill Of rights which they
claimed.
This rebellion lasted until December,
1897. when. at Biac-na Bato, q written
treaty was entered into between Agni-
naldo and the Spanish Government.
The terms Of this treaty and the meth
DDS of carrying it out are so extfaordi
nary that they cannot fail to awaken
in the Anglo Saxon mind mingled feel
ings of astonishmsnt, indignation aud
pity. Aguinaldo and his leading as
sociates were 20 leave the islands-ex'
patriate themselves-in consideration
of payment Of $500. 900. and Surr en-
der the arms Of the insurgents to the
Spanish Government This remark
able treaty did not by single word
provide for the redress Of the grievance
set out in the bill of rights.
Agninaldo has been accused OF SELL
ing his country for gold, aud nowhere
does he fatty and squlrely deny this
charge in fact he admits the receipt
of the money. The facts Of Aguinaldo &
honesty or dishonesty is an important
elemsnt in this Philippine question:
and it is Of supreme Importance that
we should have as clear and full
view of his character as a man as 1t is
possible for Us to obtain.
He is the principal figure on the
Philippine side. and his testimony Is
invoked TO sustain all Of the alleged
promises by our off cials Of the future
independence Of the FiIipinos, and every
official and public act Of his life be
comes of importance. It isquite essen
isl that in the outset we should have