The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-05-26
WHO WOULD HAVE DONE OTHER
WISE?

The speech which Mr.. Spooner has just
delivered in the United States Senate IN
defence of the administrations policy to-
wards the Philippine Islands is very
notable one, and it should be read by
every citizen Of the United States. There
has been vast deal of misrepresentation
in regard to this matter for partisan and
political ends. and if the same effort mad
been directed towards making the people
understand this case just as 1t is instead
of towards confusing them for political
ends it would have been far better Tor
the general good We entirely agree with
Mr.. Spooner in his position that no other
policy in the circumstances was possible
than that which the administration has
pursued, and that none other could nave
been adopted without dlshonor 10
this country. What would MI. Bryan
himself have done when our war With
Spain came to an end? We had over
thrown Spanish rule in the Philippines
the population OF the islands was vast
horde of uncivilized cannibais IN part,
acknowledged no law, acknowledged no
ruler. without government and in state
where one neighborhood was ravagins
and devastating the next one-would MT.
Bryan have sailed away from these
islands and have left them in this state
after overthrowirg the rule which mad
Heretofore operated upon them? we
cannot think badly enough OF Mr.. Bryan
1T, Va
would have done just what MT. Mckinney
did. We believe that he would nave
said to the Filipinos that they must come
to order and submit to some sort OF RUE
before he would take our forces away.
What would be done afterwards was
another question, but we believe that ne
would have regarded the establishment
of order in the Islands as the work imne-
diately in hand, and that he would have
devoted al! of his energy and resources
towards compelling the inhaoitants 10
submit to an orderly rule.
And having gone as far as we have
gone, is anyone to be listened to who
saws that we should now stop short IN
our work before it is completed? we
cannot believe that any considerable part
of the American people would listen to
such suggestion. General SchWan, one
of our military officers. who mas peeh
in the Philippine Islands from the time
our troops landed there. has just returned
to this country. and has made a report
upon the islands to the War Department
q synopsis of which we take from the
Washington Post as follows:
The War Department has received
report from Brigadier-General Iheodore
Schwan, U. S. ", dated on the transport
Thomas. at sea, May IL. 1900 in which
he submits review of the state of
Affairs IN the Philippines up to the time
of his departure from Manila. on April
10th last, making particular reference TO
what he believes to be the irfetrleNabie
collapse OF the Filipino instruction as
a whole and expressing the conviction
that, If left alone, the F1lipinos would
soon demonstrate their absolute inablhty
to govern themselves.
The principal Islands, he says. ''are
now. as never before, held with an iron
grip by the military. In LuZon. all the
interior as well as all the coast towns of
Importance are occupied by american
troops
General Schwan states that the sole hope
entertained by the insurgents for afrevi-
val OF the insurrection lies In the sup
position that the United States troops
viii be obliged to abandon many OF their
presen. positions at the opening OF the
vet season, owing to the inability to se-
cure supplies during that period. and
also .ln the possibility OF victory for the
Democratic or anti-expansion party in
the coming Presidential campaign. Gem
e. he TO inlr