Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1900-10-06
BRYAN rs ANSWERED
A CLEAR VIEW OF THE PHILIPPINE
SITUATION.
The Contention That We Are s4ran-
CLING q Republic Disproved - Our
Soldiers Preserving the Law go A
Father Writes to His Son.

/ Father Writes to His Son.
Ny Dear Boy;
So your employer, Mr. Skinner, says
that THE Filiplnos ought to have their
liberty, and United States soldiers
| ought to be in better business than
making war on an innocent people and
! strangIing the life out Of a new repub-
I lie"
Since Mr.. Skinner has put in a nut
shell the substance Of Mr.. Bryan's
| speech ! shall dispose Of Mr.. Bryan
/ and the whole anti-imperialist crew in
answering Mr.. Skinner. l know that
/ you have but little time to read and
shall use the fewest words possible, as
/ shall endeavor to give you a clear, in
| telligent view of the situation over In
! our new possessions.
| First.-Our soldiers are not strangling
| the life out Of a new republic for the
/ very good reason that there never was
any republic in the Philippines. A re-
| public is a government by the people
| through their chosen representatives.
The people Of the Philippines never
were consulted about the 50 called Fill
ipino republic. Its head was a tricky
young Tagalo named Aguinaldo, who
proclaimed himself dictator and en-,
deayored TO make himself so by force
of arms. Republics are not governed
by Dictator The form of government
which took the place of a constitution
in the so called republic was a lengthy
personal decree of Aguinaldo himself.
1t was not a republic but a despotism
which he sought to establish. The peo-
pie of the Philippine Islands are made
up of many different tribes Negritos,
Tagalos, Moros, Visayans and more
than so others. These tribes are sepa-
rate in blood, sympathies and to a
large extent in language. In addition
to them there are thousands of Span
| iards, Germans, Americans and people
of other nations who are resident there
| and whose persons and property are to
be protected. In addition to all these
are large numbers of Mestizos, people
whose mothers We're native Filipinos,
but whose fathers were japanese, Chi
nese or Spaniards.
There is no probability that one-half
or one-third of all these vast numbers
of people would consent to be governed
by Aguinaldo and the Tagalo tribe
which he represents. Many of them
would certainly fight against it. The
abandonment of the islands by the
United States army would mean, not
liberty to the people, but war among
themselves, resulting in either despot-
ism or anarchy.
Second.-The United States has never
made war upon the Filipinos We have
not even been engaged in war, often
sive or defensive against the Filipinos
as a people The Filipinos number
probably 100000 of people and 2,000,-
600 of men capable of bearing arms.
If they were united in war against us
the little army which we have there
would scarcely be a circumstance in
their way. But the majority of the
Filipinos are a quiet, docile people, not
disposed to fight and not engaged in
the instruction now practically quell-
ed. Aguinaldo had comparatively few
supporters outside of his own tribe, the
Tagalos, who comprise probably one
tenth of the whole mass of Filipinos.
He, in his mad effort for absolute rule,
attacked the forces of the United
States, and we were compelled to quell
the inSurrection.
Third.-The United States troops are
in the Philippines for the protection of
the people from murder, rapine and
misrule and for the preservation of
law. order and property rights. For
many years there have been robber
bands in the mountains who would
from time to time light down upon the
villages and rob and murder the peo-
pie. The Spaniards paid no attention
to the interior. but protected only the
coast. Last spring one of these bands
attacked Filipino village and in addi-
ton to the robbery and killing car
ried away 80 Filipino women to the
hills. Two companies of United States
soldiers pursued them, attacked and
dispersed the band and restored the
women to their friends. We are bring
ing to these islands true liberty, 'liber-
ty protected by law"
Fourth.-The possession and control
of these islands came 10 us providen-
| TALLY, Unexpectedly and unsought.
They are ours by treaty and a treaty
which Mr.. Bryan approved. We are
responsible TO the nations of the earth
and to the Judge of all the earth for
their care. We accept the respohsibili-
ty in the fear of God and the love of
humanity. | may not live TO see 1t, my
boy, but if you live 20 years you Will
see the NEST marvellous development
in the worlds history in the Philip
oines-good rosds, good schools, the
development of agriculture, manufac
lures and mining, the introduction OF
American push and energy among the
people, railroads and hundred other
mean. of transportation. You will see
there 20O0o,O0O OF contented and pros
porous people who will rejoice in theil
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