The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1900-08-03

turF: they are quick TO ie'rn, aud are |
making progress IL education; they |
are vivacious IN temperament; they |
love music and poetry, many Il Tagal
being able to compose poem extern
poraneously.
"a third and final Immigration was |
in progress during the fourteenth and |
fifteenth centuries. The invaders this |
time were fanatical Mohammedans, |
vino go no farther than SulU Island. |
They are bold and treacherous pirates |
who no doubt would have pushed
further had not Europeans interfered.
in addition TO these four funda
mental elements in the population OF
these islands, there are also inhabitine
them many Chinese, japanese and
Spaniards who have mixed with the
Malay population and given rise to
many curious haif-breeds. The most
important cross is that between the
SpAniards and Malays, chiefly Tagats.
This mixture represents the highest
class of nagives in the cities and big
towns.
The total population Of the islands
is between seven and twelve millions.
Leaving out Chicago they are It's
deuse!t populated > sqGare miles as
Iowa, IS, or Illinois, Al. The Philip
pine islands, unlike the Louisiana dis
trict purchase from France III the time
OF Jefferson-are not empty. Thet
are not open for colonization. The
land is for the people who inhabit 1t
and they must take care OF them
selves.
"They are capable OF self-gcverr
nent. We talk of trouble under home
rule. S;:ain did not control all Of the
country. She ruled by means of the
Tagals. These Tasals, in turn, having
learned government from Spain and
being the most powerful Of all the
tribes, are plenty able to cope with the
conditions and can do so better than
anyone else. What is needed in the
Philippines is the iron hand-uot that
of some forei-n power, but that OF
their strongest tribe. The Tagaie
military force will be necessary for d
long time. If we hold them we must
do so with the iron hand. This would
mean large army in the country for
a long time. The Tagals can manage
the country with much smaller force
and should be let alone to do so.
THE climate conditions are such
that one-fourth OF our soldiers would
have 10 be withdrawn every year and
the vacant rauks replenished. Even a
short service in the Philippines meers
both physical and moral degeneraty
to the American soldier.
The Tagais, still recently interfered
with, were expanding; they had been
making great progress for 100 years.
Tney are the largest and best equip
ped OF all the native population. Left
alone they would predominant in the
group; they were pushing forward
education; in all respects they were
progressing as fast Us any tropical
population can.
That cur government should hob
moo with the sultan of Sulu and his
subjects is most homogeneous. The
NJ oros are the most degraded Of all
the FilipinoI; Jhey are treacheruus
and deceltful, warlike and pirate Il.
Aguinaldo, On the other hand, be.
longs to the best race of the island; he
is Il mixture of Tagal and Span eh.
He is Il great man and born leader.
'If left alone there would doubtless
be revolutions in the Philippines. But
they are only in the nature OF things
the world over and would 90 good.
"If Aguinaldo and his followers were
left alone they would doubtless es-
tablish a republic, and elecS Presi-
dent and Congress. is absurd to
say that any people cannot rule them
selves. l give much credence to the
statement that the Filipino congress,
in point Of intelligence and education,
WaS al iCtlSO Sduil w. IL AiSp ehSot Va
our own.
THE mass of the people are Hitter
ate, it is true, but they must SO re-
main for long time. In $50 years we
could not educate all of the tribes;
they are Tot capable of taking it in.
ITO retain Our new pos< ions is II
mistake economically, to say nothing
of other sides of the question. 1t would
cost Us more in money and vfrtuous
manhood than we could ever gain. 1t
is blunder for this country to per
sist in holding tie Philippines.
II AIN thoroughly opposed to the
policy of the present administration.
Let the Philippines go! Let them gon
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