Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1900-01-16
IN THE PHILIPPINES.
GIVES A GRaPHlD DESCRIPTION
OF HOW AND WHY THE FILIPI-
NOS CAME TO REGARD
THE AMERICANS As IN
TRUDERS.
BY o. c. WHOM. Co. c. LIST Idaho.

The story is that at half past eight on
the evening Of Feb. 4th three Filipinos
left their lines and boldly approached
the post patrolled by private Grayson.
Halt, called the sentry as he brought
his gun to port, the fingers of his right
hand toying with the breech. The Fill
pinos came on. Halt" and the rifle
clicked. The Filipinos only laughed.
Halt and the rifle came to the Ne
braskans shoulder A Filipino came
across the line and Mr.. Grayson shot
him. The other two went back to their
lines and in a few minutes here came
the lnsurgent army and thus the war
began. may have seen private Gray
son, but if l have, did not know his
name, but am of the candid opinion
that he was one of the men who was
tired of doing outpost duty and want
ed something more exciting, and 1
think am Of the same opinion Of 95 per
cent of the Americans who were on the
island at that time. If the whole
United States army and all those who
have heard so much about the Filipinos
raising Ned and kicking up hades in
general, threatening to drive the Ameri-
cans into the bay, etc. would tell me
that the natives started the trouble
there could not believe it. | know too
much of the situation and of the feel
ing that existed in our ranks before the
fight began and after the war started.
l don't think the Filipinos to blame.
Reader you have heard many fantas-
tic stories of what the natives have
done and how the Americans have been
insulted by them, how they have borne
with the Filipinos and put up with their
sneers and all such trash, but want to
tell you that censored cable is a
wonderful thing in the hands of few
whose ecstasy is to predominant over a
weak and down trodden peoplel
shall ever raise my voice in defense of
those whom am SO assured are inno-
cent and so just in their claims, no
matter to what race they belong; nor
what may be their complexion. have
been among the natives, have visited
with them in their homes have made
the acquaintance of mary of them, l
have dined with them at their tables.
and have been treated with the great
est of kindness and respect by them as
have many hundreds of the American
soldiers, and for me now to speak of
them in any other way? No, my con
science does not allow me to! 1 have
went on guard every time it came nv
turn, have been on every outpost my
company has been, have never missed
a duty that fell to my lot to perform
before the fighting began. have been
in every battle, engagement, skirmish,
expedition and advance that my com
pany was in, and think have had n
chance to.know something about those
people on the island. I maintain be-
fore any all persons that / have never
seen an American i'll treated or abused
in any way whatever by Filipino.
They have acted only on the defense.
they have opposed those who have at
tempted to tyrannize over them and
none others, still contend that the
Philippine Islands belong to the ma
tives of those islands
We hail that manuscript approved
July 4th, 1776, as one of the noblest
documents ever penned by mortal man
and it contains the words; IAN men
are created equal" and that All gov
ernments derive their just powers from
the consent of the goverand." If there
are any who are not familiar with the
Declaration of Independence, read it,
and make its noble sentiments your
own, Then ask yourselves the aues-
ton: Have we the consent of the Fill
pinos to govern them and their coun-
try? The answer will be, mo" We
have not, or they would not oppose us
there. Before the trouble broke ont
with the Filipinos and Americans. there
was native news paper printed at Ma
lolos, called: La Independencia. y i
An article was written by Philippine |
resident of Manila and published in
that paper soon after the Americans
took the capitol, August 18th 1898. !