Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-07-03
The Philippine Horror.

III q late uuIlD6F Oh OOllieES WEEKLY
is letter from the special war CORES
pendent of that paper in the Philip
pines, which we wish every American
citizen would read Mr.. Palmer, the
correspondent, says his ideas as to the
struggle of the natives for independ-
ence have undergone a great change
since he went to the islands last Decem-
Der. He then thought the war was
practically ended. He now thinks it
has only fairly begun.
Those at home who think it smart to
indulge in the fustianical twaddle of
calling it unpatriotic to tell the truth
should get lesson from the following
remarks of MIR. Palmer, who was with
the troops in Luzon and other islands
and does not derive his knowledge
from brief stay in Manila, like others
who have given us roseate views of the
situation.
When the army as whole is discour-
aged at the outlook it means great
deal. Election or no election, such dis
enlargement must impart itself to the
nation-even as it did a year ago, at
the last moment, when there was no
time left adequately to drill and organ
ize reinforcements-and the nation will
have to respond. We realize now what
we did not realize in January, that the
majority of the natives in all parts of
the Archipelago are determined to har-
ass our troops to the bitter end. The
masses hate us as foreigners and mis-
understand our racial characteristics,
while the leaders seem to possess great
confidence that if they can keep up "a
show of resistance they can drive us to
grant them independence. For my
part it seems that the time has come
when the people at home should know
the truth of the situation here. The
time is past when its concealment takes
any comfort away from the enemy. No
fact admitted by us would be as valu-
able to the insurgent leaders in keeping
up the spirits of their following as fol-
lowing the tales of their own invention;
the withdrawal of some of our garri-
sons, which has already begun, and the
resultant failure of some of, a mistak-
en- policy of self sufficiency."
What might have been," under a
wiser policy is intimated as follows:
"It is now too late to talk of giving up
the islands. There is no native
government to which we could turn
them over. He says we have effectu-
ally destroyed the native government
but have substituted nothing in its place
that can protect life or property outside
of garrisoned towns, and hardly then"
What the native government was
which we destroyed he does not say,
but one fact which he does state, is
ample proof. Describing the village of
Bulans as it was when he first entered
it with the American garrison which
was detailed to occupy it, he says:
"Under the rule of their own elected
presidente the people were as undis-
turbed and peaceful as the people of a
New England village" After the &C.
cupatiOn by the Americans the garrison
and town were attacked by the insurg-
ents, and the horrors of war in which
women and children were killed, took
the place of peace and prosperous in
dustry.
Speaking of the relations existing be-
tween troops and the natives, he says
"The Philippine despises the white
soldier for getting drunk. He hates
the white soldier because the white SOL
der calls him niger and despises
him. The white soldier hates him be-
cause, instead of making stand-up
fight, the little brown man keeps the
big white man on a wearying round OF
police duty. Those at home who think
that the war is over ought to know, il
they do not already know, that our
officers ard men are undergoing tor
ment that is more than war. Circum-
stances and the climate seem to put
fever of killing into mems blood, and
few of the band which a detachment is
able to surround, except where the
officers interfere, escape alive In
stances of the killing of from fifty to a
hundred natives without any loss of life
on our part, are becoming almost FIRE.
quent 1t depends upon the temper OF
the officers whether or not Secalled
engagement shall degenerate into a
sheer murder.
| have heard men new to the uniform
| of the United States and civilian APP.
p0intees of the United States advocate
the examination of the race as the
quickest way out of the difficulty, in.
| asmuch as the Chinese make much bet
ter coolies. 1t is to prevent the con
summation of this mockery of our orr
ginal intention that more troops and
well drilled troops are needed How
horrible all this is! And to think that il
is soldiers wearing the Z. s. uniform who
are thus described What shame to
bring upon what was once known as
the glorious flag of liberty Shall our
nation ever awake from this horrible
nightmare. 1t is simply indescribably
| horrible"
1t is now credibly reported that Gen
Macarthur is negotiating with the in
surgents with view to an honorable
peace. There is no doubt that if oul
government had done this two years
ago, two years of war which for some
months past has degenerated into s
series of massacres would have Ebeen
avoided Neither is there any doubt
that peace can be brought about now
by negotiation. But with such scenes
as Mr.. Palmer describes to be remem
bered by the Philippines they can never
again be friendly to Americans.
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