El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-09-18
A WORD ABOUT THE. PHILIPPINES

All the Bryanite talk about our
"mskinR war on a new republic and an
Innocent people" In the Philippines 10
but empty twaddle to any who take
the trouble to inform themselves with
regard TO the facts. There never was
any republic In the Philippines 70
start with. Aguinaldo, . young Tsgal,
proclaimed himself dictator, and Was
ready to kill all who did not accept his
rule. He and his tribe represent only
Q very email part Of the population OF
the islands. What could our little
army do over there II the whole fight
ing population OF more than two million
men were really opposed to American
sovereignty?
Republics are not governed by dicta-
tors. 1t Was not Q republic bus .
despotism that ARuinsldo sought to
essa blish, and the freedom that he
promised WAS only slavery under .
new master. There are over eighty
different tribes in the Philippines.
Most OF these tribes are distinctly
friendly to the Uuited States. These
tribes are separate in blood, symps-
thies, and largely in language. In
addition TO these native tribes there
are many thousands OF foreigners and
half breeds whose persons and prop
erty must be protected.
Most OF these people would certainly
SIGHT Agufnaldo's dictatorship. Not .
shird of the whole population would
possibly submit to the domination Of
the Tsgal tribe. II the United States
should withdraw from the islands now
the inevitable results would bea prolonR-
ed and murderous civil war that would
not only cost Thousands OF lives but
would make the islands the easy prey
of any foreign nation that might want
to gain foothold there.
The talk that Bryan puts up about
our "protecsipg" q Filipino republic lie
most foolish. 1t does not take q very
acute mind to figure out that it would
take good deal bigger army and navy
than we have at the present time to
keep other nations from picking on q
weak native republic. It seems very
different to shose gentlemen when our
flag floats over the islands. Abandon
ment Of our position over there would
mean anarchy, despotism, and civil
war.
The American army is in the Philip
pines for the purpose Of protecting the
people and their property from muir
der, arson, and misrule, and for the
OF law and order. The pos
session of the leland came to US unexpeo-
teddy, but now that we are In IL is cow
srdly and un-American to propose that
We should bolt out of our responsible
lily. We are responsible to our own
people and to the nations OF the world,
to God himself, for the proper dis
charge of our great trust. And Ameri-
CO accepts the responsibility In full
of what il means.
A few years will see Q tremendous
In the Philippines. There
will be good roads, good schools,
the development Of agriculture,
and manufacturing, the
OF railroads, the intro
duction of American push and energy
among the people, and Transformation
in Q thousand different ways. The
people of the Islands will be proud Of
their privileges and their political
status, and the Successors OF the pre-
sent Brysnitss will be Boosting In
their platforms that They ratified the
original treaty with Spain, that They
we're the original and ouly expansion
lists, that They were always in favor Of
this thing, and that They brought the
blessings OF liberty and happiness to
the beniRhsed Filipinos.