The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-08-25
LOPEZ nc. ROOSEVELT.
Filipino offici:li ASKS Him for Proof
eft Charges


An open letter TO Governor Roosevelt
has been written BY. Sixto Lopez. who was
formerly secyesgyiito the Filipino Com
mission in Washington He says in part:
I haYe read your remarkable speech
delivered recently at st. Paul. Mimi, in
which you charge the FilipiHos with being
the precise analogues' of the Boxers and
Apaehes, and cur government with being
a bloody Aguina!dcan oIigarchy'
Il cannot believe thai d gentleman and
a soldier VIII make serious charges against
an opponent without being in possession
Of a0solute proof of the truth Of his state
ments.
Therefore. in the name of my country
men. 1 challenge you to furnish proof OF
the truth OF your charges or else TO with
draw them.
Let me draw your attention to the cir
cumstances as we FiIipinos view them:
You come to our country, you call US dear
General Aguinaldo. You ask. accept, and
profit by our aid in the defeat of your enc
my. You deliver Spanish prisoners over to
our charge; you place large number OF
your own sick t-nd wounded practically in
our care.
When your enemy has been defeated
you turn upon US, shoot US down by thou
sands. and when our resistance Is greater
than you anticipated you declare that we
are the precise aralogues' of Boxers and
Apaehes. and him whom you once styled
dear General when you required his aid
you now refer to as bloody AguinEldo.'
Honor bright, do you consider all this
as consistent with the conduct Of gentle
man and a soldier? There is only one es-
cape-prove your charges.
You are powerful and wealthy. You
can bring to your task of determination
the most deadly weapons CT so-eallel civ
ilized warfare. Your soldiers are well
armed. well fed. well Quartered
I'VE. on the contrary, are without
wealth. We have very few arms. We have
only such food as our soldiers can find in
forest and mountain, but We have fought
fairly
Yet. not content with having all advan-
tages On your side, you would now try to
take from US o1,r good name How pitt
abIei How infinnesimaII
"A brave man will always sympathize
with the smaller dog worthy foeman
will be generous to his weaker opponent,
gentleman and a soldier will not heap
dishonor upon his adversary
"Dou you oeIieve these mare truisms
Then there is only one escape: Prove your
Charges
Indeed you ought to have proved the
charges when making them. Honor, fair
play, the generosity you should have shown
to a weaker opponent who is absent, all
proclaim that you ought to have given
proof at the time. But let that pass. 1t is
not too late even now.
1T will not, however, suffice TO appeal to
imagination or assumption. to rumcr or
unfoundsd report. Such rumors and re-
ports cut both says
There have been as many evil reports
against the American soldiers as against
the Filipinos. Your own Commissioners
admit isolated occurrences. regrettable,
indeed but incident to every war but
they do not feel called upon 10 answer idle
tales without foundation in fact.
Why do you and they not apply this
noble reasoning 10 the Filipinos? Similar
charges have been made against BoeT and
Briton, against Union and Federal, against
every army In active war since time inn
memorial
We also admit Isolated occurrences
which we regret But you, sir. have charg-
ed US collectively with being the yilest OF
the vile. Every consideration Of honor and
fair play demands that you shall furnish
not idle tales without foundation in fact
buT absolute Drnpf -