The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1900-12-01


only function lett the army is that
OF protecting the industrious and
thoroughly pacified natives from
the few insignifcant marauding
bands that now represent the miser
able remnant Of the Aguinaldo elm
surrection." 1t is true that, con-
currently with this halcyon an
nouncement, the newspapers gave
the account Of serious disaster to
our arms in the. immediate vicinity
of Manila-an engagement in which
several hundreds of the scattered
Filipino rebels" had mysteriously
come together aud inflicted very
severe losses upon our troops. A
few days afterward we have official
Information to the effect that a
whole company of American SOL
diers had been wiped out of ex-
lstence by the skulking and dis
heartened followers of Aguinaldo.
Nevertheless, we must respectfully
consider the positive statements of
the commissioners, who are fear
lessly confronting the situation IN
Manila and, not to mention the
continual presence of an armed
guard at the door of each office
and a bayOnet at every corner
throughout the city, are taking
their lives in their hands in order
to complete with intelligence the
investigation they have undertaken.
On the other hand, Gen. Mac
Arthur, who is a plain soldier man,
and who derives his impressions
from former service in the field and,
now that he is in supreme COM
mand, from trusted and trained of
6cers who are in daily actual con-
tact with the militant Filipinos-
Gen. Macarthur expresses the
opinion that we have not a man to
spare in the Philippines; that the
trouble is by no means dismissed ;
that we may well look for long
and stubborn struggle before
making any calculations upon peace
and order in tho island. 1t is true
that he has enveloped some of his
sentiments in a cloud OF corpulent
and unwieldy language that might
easily confuse less alert and pen
etrating mind than that of the late
lamented Mr.. Pickwick. We freely
- =.
periods and eiephantine rhetoric OF
which the Sage of Princeton would
be jealous if he only knew. But
the spirit of the thing is there. We
are left in no doubt Is to Gen. Mac
Arthur's opinion of the commits
si"n's various pronuncia
Clearly he two authorities do no,
agree. AS clearly, we are called
upon to- choose between them.
SO far as concerns The Post, we
did not wait to hear from either
the military or the civil authorities
in Luzon. 1t has always seemed
evident that under the present dis.
pensation we are making absolutely
no progress in the Philippines. All
the information at our dispose
tends to satisfy us that the so-calleo
ssinsurrectiOn" is as serious now a:
it was eighteen months ago; tina
we hold nothing in the island save
the mere ground we occupy anc
garrison, and that, at the presen
rate, we shall be no better off ter
years from now than we are to-day
At one time-when Gen. Otii
was in command at Manila-the
civil and the military representa-
tives of the United States we're i,
sweetest accord. Both sang o
peace. Both sent us bulletins O
the approaching millennium. Now
with at least one branch of -ou
government acting instead O
dreaming, we may choose between
the fiction and the facts.
Worms take refuge in the small