Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-04-20
OUR d" PLAIN DUTY"

AIOi. OCuuEInau suggestion t0aC
bad faith shown the Puerto Ricans in
the matter of promises is likely to
prove an instructive lesson to the
Filipinos, and encourage them in con-
tinuing their blind resistance to the
blessings desired to be showered upon
their great benevolent assimilator, is
worthy OF all consideration, but some.
what late. The Filipinos have had a
little experience OF their own already.
Gen. Anderson, the first American
general in the Philippines, and the
first with whom Aguinaldo had deal
ings, owns, in an article in the North
American Review for February, 1900,
to an "evasive answer" given to the
Tagalo leader in reply to the direct
question whether the United States
intended to hold the Philippines as
dependencies. Having on preceding
page admitted whether Admiral
Dewey and Consuls Pratt, Wildman
and Williams did or did not give
Aguinaldo assurances that a Filipino
government would be recognized, the
Filipinos certainly thought so, proba-
bly, inferring this from their acts
rather than from their statements" he
goes on to inquire, "What could be
inferred from the fact that Aguinaldo
and thirteen other banished Tagals
we're brought down on naval vessel
and landed in Cavite" where they
were given arms by Admiral Dewey,
and also by himself, at Dewey's re.
quest. allowed to organize three
brigades, and also to arm a small
steamer they had captured. Yet, he
says, " was the first to tell Admiral
Dewey that there was any disposition
on the part OF the American people to
hold the Philippines il they were cap
tured. The current of opinion was
setting that way when the first ex-
peditionary force left San Francisco,
but this the Admiral had had no rea.
son to surmise."
After 80 informing the Admiral.
what was the reply made by Gen.
Anderson to the downright, admittedly
embarrassing" question asked by
Aguinaldo on July l, 1881 Why,
that sin 12O years we had established
no colonies" when "he (Aguinaldo)
then made this remarkable statement /:
Il have studied attentively the con.
stitution OF the United States and I
find in it no authority for colonies
and l have no fear.'"
Not to correct this impression was
to confirm it.
That Gen. Anderson has con-
science is evident from his weak con-
fessiOn: "It may seem that my an.
swer was somewhat evasive. but was
at the time trying to contract with
the Filipipos for horses, carts, fuel and
forage" In common law, this woald
perilously resemble an attempt 10 OBJ
tain these under false pretenses. In
what condition he keeps his con.
science is to be questioned, when, after
such admissions, and others no less
con6rmatory of the contention OF
anti-imperialists, he goes on to speak
of our retention of the islands as q
task, imposed upon us by combi-
nation of circumstances, we must now
carry to its logical and Legitimate
conclusion" at is a part of the
white mans burden which we canno,
now lay down." With him and his
conscience we are not concerned
The fact remains that, as Judge
Harmon admirably said at the ban.
quet TO Judge Taft in Cincinnati some
days since, promises to the Filipinos
| were not needed. Our whole history