The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1900-09-13

pines on July rs, 1893, and a dispatch
from Admiral Dewey to the government
al Washington said. Merritt arrived yes
terday. Situation Is most critical at Ma
nila. The Spanish may surrender at any
moment. Merritt's most difficult problem
will be how to deal with the insurgents
under Aguinaldo, who have become ng-
gressive and even threatening toward our
army Here is revealed the spirit of the
insurgents us early as July, 1898. before
the protocol was signed, while we were
still engaged In active war with Spain.
Even then the insurgents were threaten
ing our army.
"On Aug. 13 Manila was captured. and
Of this and subsequent events the Philip
pine commission says: when the city Of
Manila was taken, Aug. 13. the Filipinos
took no part In the attack, but came fol-
lowing In with a view to looting the city
and were only prevented from doing SO
by our forces preventing them from en-
tering. Aguinaldo claimed that he had
the right to occupy the city. He demand
ed Of General Merritt the palace of Ma
lacanan for himself and the cession OF all
the churches OF Manila, also that a part
Of the money taken from the Spaniards
as spoils Of war should be given up and
above all that he should be given the
arms of the Spanish prisoners. All these
demands were refused.
Generals Merritt, Greene and Ander-
son, who were In command at the begin
ming Of our occupation and until the sur
render of Manila, state that there was no
alliance with the insurgents and no prom
Use to them Of independence. On Aug
II, 1893, General Merritt was instructed
that there must be no joint occupation Of
Manila with the insurgents. General
Anderson under date Of Feb. TO- 1s99
says that he was present at the interview
between Admiral Dewey and the insur-
gent leader and that in this interview
Admiral Dewey made no promises what
ever. He adds: 'Hs tAguinaldo) asked
me II my government was going to recog.
nize his government. answered that I
was there simply in . military capacity,
that could not acknowledge his govern.
ment because l had no authority to do
so.'
would not our adversaries have sent
Dewsy's feet to Manila to capture and
destroy the Spanish sea power there, or,
dispatching II there, would they have
withdrawn II after the destruction of the
Spanish fleet. and IL the latter, whittier
would they have directed it to sail?
Where could it have gomez What port
In the orient was open to II? Do our
advsrsaries condemn the expedition un-
der the command Of General Merritt to
strengthen Dewey In the distant ocean
and assist In our triumph over Spain,
with which nation we were at war7 Was
every vulnerable point, that the war
nt~k NJ %,SIl AoA - ~
earliest practicable moment?
And was 1t not our duty to protect the
lives and property Of those who came
within our control BY the fortunes Of
war? Could we have come away at
any time between May 1, 1898. and the
conclusion Of peace without Q stain upon
our good name?
"Could we have come away without
dishonor at any time after the ratifca.
tion Of the peace treaty BY the senate
Of the United Statesf
''Thers has been NO time since the de-
strvcfion Of the snsmy's feet when we
could or should have left the Philippine
archipelago. After the treaty Of peace
was ratified no power but congress could
surrender our sovereignty or ALLEVIATE n
foot Of the territory thus acquired. The
congress has not seen ht to do the one
or the other. and the president had no
authority to do either X he had been so
inclined, which he was not So long as
the sovereignty remains In us II IL the
duty of the executive, whoever he may
be, to uphold that sovereignty and II it
be attacked to suppress Its assailants.
Would our political adversaries do less2
At has been asserted that there would
have been no fighting in the Philippines
IL congress had declared its 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. Those who assert our RESPONSE
bility for the beginning Of the conflict
have forgotten that before the treaty was
ratified in the senate and while it was
being debated In that body and while the
Bacon resolution was under discussion
on Feb. 1, 1899, the insurgents attacked
the American army after being previous
ly advised that the American forces were
under orders not to fire upon them except
in defense. The papers found In the re-
Gently captured archives OF the insur-
gents demonstrate that this attack had
been carefully planned for weeks before
1t occurred. Their unprovoked assault
upon our soldiers at a time when the SEN
ate was celebrating upon the treaty
shows that no action on our part except
surrender and abandonment would have
prevented the fighting and leaves no
doubt in any fair mind of where the re-
sponsbility rests for the shedding Of
American blood"
Fatal Fire In Pennsylvania.
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa, Sept. S.-Fire
early yesterday morning destroyed Semp-
sey's hotel at Liberty. Tioga county; ia.
cob Kimble's blacksmith shop, Robert
Reeds wagon shop, Huyler's tailor shop,
Ferguson's furniture store and the Wood.
ruff business block. George Wegand,
who occupied room in the Sempsey ho