The representative., 1900-09-27

and swallow whatever their party leader
pours in. may think the presidents let
ter strong-and indeed it is the strong
est possible presentation of his case
but we can show to all open and rational
minds that its statements of so-called
facts are altogether untrustworthy; and
II the facts" upon which the presidents
arguments are based are false, the arg.-
ments themselves need not detain us.
Mr.. Mckinley says: Nobody who will
avail himself of the facts will longer
hoM that there was any alliance between
our soldiers and the insurgents"
Over against this statement of the
presidents. place the following plain
unvarnished recital of indisputable facts
recorded in Senate document No. 81.
On April "a, 1893. Spencer Pratt. u.
S. consul general at Singapore, tele-
graphed Dewey, through the U. S. consul
at Hongkong, as follows (Senate docu-
ment No. 62, p. 342): "Aguinaldo, in
surgent leader, here VIII come to
Hongkong arrange with commodore for
general cooperation insurgents Manila
if desired"
To this Dewey replied (Sen. document
No. 62, p. 342): Tell Aguinaldo come
soon as possible"
April q Consul General Pratt cable1
Secretary Of State Day, at Washington,
Senate document No. 81, p. 34D: Gen
eral Aguinaldo gone my instance Hong
kong arrange with Dewey cooperation
insurgents Manila"
June 16. 1898, Oscar F. Williams, U. s.
consul at Manila, thus wrote Secretary
Day (Senate document No. 62, p. 329):
L have the honor to report that since
our squadron destroyed the Spanish
fleet on May /, the insurgent forces have
been most active and uniformly success
full in their many encounters with the
crown forces of Spain"
July 4, 1898, Gen. Thomas M. Ander-
son, commander at Manila, wrote Gen.
Aguinaldo: 81 desire to have the most
amicable relations with you, and to have
you and your people cooperate with us
in military operations against the Span
ish forces" (See Senate document No.
62, p. 39O) ~e4
July "a, 1898, Aguinaldo wrote to Gen
Anderson (Senate document No. 81, y.
394): Il came from Hongkong to pre-
vent my countrymen making common
cause with Spain against the North
Americans"
Before the Paris peace commission.
Commander R. B. Bradford, chief of
bureau of equipment, U. S. navy, said
in reference to Aguinaldo (Senate doc
ument No. 62, p.498): HE is our ally.
and we are bound to protect him."
In the cold light of these facts, what
becomes of Mr.. McKinley's statement
above quoted?
Examine another assertion in the
presidents letter. He says: "It has
been asserted that there would haze
been no fighting in the Philippines if
congress had declared it's purpose to
give independence to the Tagal insur-
gents. The insurgents did not wait for
the action of congress. They assumed
the offensive, they opened fire on our
army"
Over against this assertion of the presi-
dents, place the statement of General
Otis, who was on the ground (report of
Maj. Gen. E. S. Otis, p. 96), and who
speaks of IAN insurgent approaching
the picket and refusing to halt or ans
wer when challenged" and adds: ''The
result was our picket discharged his
piece, when the insurgent troops near
Santa Mesa opened spirited fire on
our troops there stationed. The engage
ment was one strictly defensive on the
part of the insurgents and of vigorous
attack by our forces"
Look at one more statement made by
Mr.. Mckinley in his letter Of acceptance.
He says: "The American people are
asked by our opponents to yield the SOW
ereignty of the United States in the
Philippines to small fraction of the
population"
Query: If only "a small fraction of
the population" of the Filipinos can
keep up an insurrection which $4,000
American soldiers cannot quell, how
many soldiers would it take to quell the
insurrection if ever the majority of the
Filipinos once arose against our rule?
Over against the presidents wild as
sertion, place the testimony of Phelps
Whitmarsh, himself an imperialist, and
special commissioner in the Philippines
for The Outlook a rabid imperialist or
gan. Mr.. Whitmarsh says in The Out
look for April IA, 1900: Everywhere
the insurgents are reOrganizing or pre-
pairing for it. Everywhere when one
gets beneath the surface, one finds the
same old hatred towards the Americans,
the same hope and belief in ultimate in.
dependence. With the exception of
mere handful, too insignificant to be
considered, every Filipino in his heart
is an insurrecto and wishes to drive the
Americans from the islands" Comment
is needless.
Since the three assertions OF Mr.. Nc
Kinley, which we have taken the trouble
to examine look so black when reviewed
in the white light of truth, what is Mr..
McKinley's word on any cOntroverted
question worth? Nothing. Absolutely
nothing. Falus in uno. falus in omni-
bus. 1t is sad to have to say this. 1t is