The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-06-16
CHARACTER OF THE Fm1p1Nos.

CHARACTER OF THE FILIPINOS.
During the past two years great
deal has been said about the capacity
and incapacity of the Filipinos to gov
ern themselves. The first to declare
that they are better able to govern
themselves than the Cubans was Ad-
miral Dewey, and the Cubans were said
to be worthy of freedom and indepen-
dence by the congress of the United
States. Then why not the Filipinos?
In an interview given out in Wash
ington the other day General Otis, who
has returned from the Philippines,
spoke as follows concerning the in
habitants:
II have spent year and a half among
the Filipinos, and I want to say they
are without doubt the best of any of
the Asiatic races living on the Pacific
coast and islands. Their acquisitive
abilities are remarkable. The young
and old are anxious to learn from the
Americans, and are quick to do so if
given an opportunity"
Why has not the Republican party,
"the grand old party" of liberty and
progress, which has been in supreme
control of both houses OF congress for
more than three years, instruct Presi-
dent Mckinley to treat the Filipinos
more benevolently than he has done?
Why has that party Disseminated be.
tween the ex-Spanisf subjects in Cuba
and the Philippines, both of whom were
up in arms against Spanish tyranny at
the same time? Why declare war iii
the name of liberty and humanity to
free the Cubans from Spanish oppres-
sion and then continue a bitter war of
conquest and determination against the
brave Malays of the Orient? Let Mark
Hanna, the Warwick of the party Of
plutocracy, answer. No Republican Or
gan in the country has ever attempted
to satisfy the public on the question.
How long is the Philippine war to
last? General Otis in the same inter-
view says that "for number of years
it will be impossible to control the stu
ton with fewer troops than we have
now in the Philippines" and he adds:
"When the terms of the volunteers ex-
pire they must be returned to this
country, but the troops withdrawn must
be replaced by Others" This is said
by the man who cabled several months
ago that ''the war is over" That means
that thousands of Americans will be
killed and wounded before the Filipinos
are enslaved for the sole benefit of
trusts and corporations. In a recent
report to the senate Secretary of War
Root gave some narrowing figures Of
the losses in the Philippines. Accord
ing to his report the casualties from
July I, 1893, to May "a, 1900, aggregated
4,211, of whom 3,81s were killed and
wounded. The lives and limbs of these
American victims of greed and spolia-
ton are worth more than the whole
volcanic group of islands in the sub
tropics, and thousands more viii meet
the same fate if the insane policy of
William Mckinley is endorsed at the
polls next November.
Though more than year has elapsed
since the United States obtained sover-
eighty of the islands by either conquest
or purchase-Republicans differ as to
how it was secured-yet the administra-
ton has not definitely made known its
intention towards the inhabitants. If it
said to the Filipinos: We will establish
a stable government in the islands and
allow you in due time to rule your
selves like the Cubans, the war would
Immediately cease. The Republicans
want to retain the Philippines perma-
nently and govern them on the British
colonial plan, and hence they have made
no expression of policy for the informa-
ton of either the American people OF
the islanders. Will they do it in the
platform now being prepared by Mark
Hanna for the Philadelphia convention?