The Atlanta constitution., 1900-08-27
The Facts in the Case.

battle in the Philippine islands. That
brave and efficient soldier is said to
have declared: If am shot dead by
Filipino bullet, II might as well come
from my own men, because know
from observation confirmed by cap
tured prisoners that the continuance of
1 fighting is chiefly due 70 reports sent
/ from America"
Now let us look into this matter. and
/ II possible. get at the facts. 1t is per-
fectly well known that General Lawton
1 thought that the war could be brought
/ to n close as soon as the f1hplnos
could be made to understand that
American occupation of the Islands
meant for them the rights and priYi-
4 leges accorded TO all who live under
our institutions. In n conversation
with Rev. Peter Mcqueen General Law
/ ton had paid n high tribute to the
courage of the FilipinOs. and he went
on to say that men who could stand up
/ before our guns as he had seen the Fill
/ ipinos stand were deserving Of better
/ fate than to be shot down.
II the republican organs will turn TO
I Mr.. McQueen's report of that conversa-
/ ton. contributed. if we mistake not.
/ to The Independent, they will find
/ therein considerable illumination shed
upon the meaning of the declaration
which they are now trying TO convince
themselves and their readers was aim
ed at those who opposed the imperial
I istic policy of the administration. 1t is
I true that these organs. especially the
sun. Will insist that General LawtOn
repudiated the report of his CONVERSE
I ton with Mr.. Mcqueen, but in dong 50
/ they will give renewed currency 10
what is absolutely untrue.
When the report of General Law
I tons conversation appeared in the
newspapers. some Of the partisan news
naDers accused him of criticising the
F conduct OF the war in the Philippines.
This accusation was telegraphed 10
Manila. ard General Lawton promptly
rcDudiated any statement that placed
him in the attitude of criticising his
superiors.
Now the essential and important
I fact to be considered here is that there
Is not word. nor hint in Mr.. Nc
Queens report Cf his interview with
General L3wtOn that could be twisted
into even "a suggestion OF d criticism Ot
his superiors. But the partisan ncWspa-
pers. with an abiding confidence IN the
efficiency of a lie promptly told and
properly circulated, announced that he
had repGdi2ted the report Of his inter
view with Mr.. Mcqueen; whereas Gen
erai Lawton had simply repudiatcd the
willful and deliberate misrepresenta-
tons Of that report that had been made
By the republican organs.
The burden Of his conversation with
Mr. Mcqueen was his hope that the
war would be brought TO speedy
close, and that the FilipinOs had dem
onstrateG by their courage and by the
sacrifices they had made that they de-
served some consideration at the hands
of a government which boasts that the
American flag stands for freedom and
for humanity.
Now. then. bearing these facts in
mind. what would General Lawton be
most likely to mean hy the declaration
which the organs Of the trusts are ap-
plying to the democrats? The con
tinuance OF lighting is chiefly due TO
reports sent out from America" de-
cla-ed General Lawton. The pamphlets
end letters Of the republican anti-eX-
pansionists were not reports" Hoar's
rhetorical outbursts We're not re
ports" What then. did General Law
ton mean? Interpreting his statement
by the light of his conversation with
Mr.. Mcqueen he meant that the Tilipi-
nos continued to fight on account Of
TcDOrts widely circulated that they
were 70 have no more rights under
American control than they had under
Spanish rule; that they were merely
20 be transferred from one form Of
tyranny to another equally obnoxious.
General Lawton was a soldier of the
old school, completely loyal, not to a
party or faction, but to the Tag and
all the institutions of which il is the
glorious symbol. In short, like so
many soldiers. he was q democrat. be-
iIeving in the rights of humanity
and i'm popular government lie did not
believe the war in the Philippines is q
just or n necessary war. lie felt as 50
many thousands of Americans feel.
that If the FilipiHOs had been assured
in the beginning. and while they were
acting as our allies. that they would
receive at our hands the degree Of con-
sideration and justice on which our in
stitutiOns are based they would never
have turned their guns against US.
What General Lawton meant. and
what bis declaration stands for. IS the
fact that if he were killed in battle, his
death would be due to the failure Of
the administration to assure a people
fchting for their rights, rs they con-
ccivod them that these rights would be
secured to them by the American peo-
PIE
There were reports current all over
the island. disseminated, possibly. by
the efforts of Otis. that the islands
werc TO be held by the United States
IS vassal colonies; and that being Of
an alien race. they had no inherent
/ rights Of their own. but were 10 be
Given only such privileges as the syn
dicated administration might see fit to
confer on them. These are the reports
to which General Lawton undoubtedly
refers.
Now. then we desire to call the at
tention of The New York Sun to the
position in which ii places the repub-
lican party by its remarkable attacks
on Mr.. Bryan's speech of acceptance.
That address is rs noble a plea for hui
man rights and for the integrity of our
institutions as has ever been delivered
in this country by any man. But. as it
happens that this plea, under the
manipulations of Hanna and the trusts.
runs counter to the programme and
policy of the republican party, The