The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-10
Our Kindness a Mistake.

has been kindness 1t has been the appIi
cation to Spanish Malays Of methods ap
propriate to New England. Every devic.
OF mercy, every method of Cancellation hai
been employed by the peace-loving Presi
dent of the American Republic TO tn,
amazement of nations experienced IN ORR
entail revolt.
We refrained from all violence unit
their armed braves crossed the lines in
! violation OF agreement. Then our sentry
shot the offender and he should have beer
court martialed had he failed to shoot
That shot was the most fortunate of the
war. For Aguinaldo had planned the at
tack upon us for two nights later: our
sentry's shot brought this attack prema-
turely on. He had arranged for an up
/ rising n Manila to massacre all Ameri-
! cans. the plans for which. in Sandico's
/ handwriting. are in our possession; this
| shot made that awful scheTse impossible.
! We did not strike TIL they attacked us In
! force, without provOcation; this left US no
! alternative but war or evacuation.
The patience OF our peace-ioving Presi-
dent was not even then exhausted a
civil commission was sent to Manila COM
posed OF distinguished diplomat and emf
nent college professors, and also General
Otis and Admiral Dewey. These men ex-
hausted the expedients of peace. and al
ways were met with the Malay's ready eva
sion, the Spaniard's habitual delay. / am
personal witness that no effort was neg
lected by our commission to assure the
Filipino people of our good intentions and
beneficent purposes. The commission en-
tertalned the mestizos of Manila in way
that would have honored the Senate of the
United States: the brown faces OF the COM
mon people sueered The commission
treated natives. accustomed to blows, with
kindest consideration the agents Of Aguin-
aldo told tales OF our pusillanimity to the
ignorant rural masses. This remarkable
man sent so-called commissions, ostensibly
TO treat, but really TO play with ours. His
commissions were composed Of generals in
uniform. The populace gaped in open
admiration when they appeared in Manila.
Our representatives Of peace talked to
them, argued with them, entertained them;
the people were impressed with their i'm
portance. President Schurmsn even rode
with them through the city; the masses
were confirmed in their reverence for their
brothers who were thus honored and dis
tinguished. Then the bespsng.ed repre-
sentatives OF the Malay dictator return 10
their lord, and the sole effect OF these pa
ciic efforts was TO make 100000 natives
in Manila think that the only way to win
the respect OF the American Republic is 10
fight it.
Effect of American Opposition.
''Mr. President, reluctantly and only
from sense OF duty. am forced to say
that American opposition to the war has |
been the chief factor in prolonging it. Had |
Aguinaldo not understood that In America, 4
even in the American Congress. even here /
in the Senate he and his cause were sup
ported; had he not known that it was pro-
claimed on the stump and in the press Of !
a faction in the United States that every
shot his misguided followers fired into the
breasts OF American soldiers was like the
soleys fired by Wsshington's men against
he soldiers of King George. his insurrec-
ion would have dissolved before il entirely
rystallized.
1T is believed and stated in Luzon. Pa
lay. and Cebu that the Filipinos have only
o fight. harass. retreat. break up into
mall parties, II necessary as they are
oing now. but by any means hold out I'M
II the next Presidential election, and our
orces will be Withdrawn. I say TO those
whose voices in America have cheered
hose misguided natives on to shoot our
oldiers down that the blood OF those dead
nd wounded boys Of ours is on their hands.
nd the flood OF all the years can never
'ash that stain away. In sorrow rather
han anger | say these words for ear
estly believe that our brothers knew not
hat they did
The Problem of government.
we cannot adopt the Dutch method in
ava, nor the English method in the Malay
tates. because both of those systems rest
n and operate through the existing gov
.uments of hereditary princes, with Dutch
r English residents as advisers But in
lie Philippines there are no such heredi- ]
lry rulers no such established govern .
ents.
Our government and our administrators C
ust be examples. You cannot teach the c
ilipino by precept An object lesson is
Ie only lesson he eomprehends. He has ,
conception OF pure. orderly equal. i'm I
irtial government under equal laws justly ,
because he has never seen I
Icb government. He must be shown the +
mplest results of good government by ac d
al example in order that he may begin to ,
iderstand its most elementary principles. :
such government will have its effect :,
ION MS here in America too. Model adj ~
inistration there will be an example ere q
ed by ourselves for model administration :,
re: and our own example is the only one q
neFicans ever heed. p
Our Power to Govern. q
Senators in opposition are estopped al
Dm denying our constitutional power 10 ~
vern the Philippines as circumstances 8
~ demand For such power is admitted bl
the case OF Florida. Louisiana. Alaska. th
Nv, then is it denied in the Philippines?
there a geographical Interpretation TO a.,
, Constitution? Do degrees of longitude el
constitutional limitations? Does thou w
nd miles OF ocean diminish constitutional IA
wer more than a thousand miles OF land?
IL ocean does not separate us from the ~
Id of our duty and endeavor-it joins US, "
established highway needing no repair. ~
d landing us at any point desired. The =,
Is do not separate the Philippine Islands On
IN us or from each other. The seas are "
always through the archipelago. which IN
uld cost hundreds of millions OF dollars I'M
construct II they were land instead Of ca
ter. Land may separate men from their tel
lire: the ocean never Russia has been
lturies in crossing Siberian wastes; the -
ritans crossed the Atlantic in brief and
ing weeks II the Beers must have
veled by land. they would never have
.ched the Transvaal; but they sailed
Liberty's ocean-they walked on ciyili-
ions untaXed highway the welcoming
Our ships habitually sailed round the
e and anchored in California's harbors,
ore single trail had lined the desert
h the whitening bones Of those who
de il. No. No, The ocean unites US;
am unites US; electricity unites US;
the elements Of nature unite us to
region where duty and interest call
There Is. in the ocean. no cOnstitu-
nal argument against the march OF The
:, for the oceans too. are ours. The
at Republic. before | die, will he The
nowledged lord Of the worlds hign
5. And over them. the Republic will
4 dominion by virtue OF the strength
has given it, for the peace Of the
IL ,,,I III. If man