Washington sentinel., 1900-06-02

mad troops enough on the held TO m axe
us masters of the situation.
What happened thenr We took
Manila, summoning the Spanish com.
mander to surrender on the very ground,
among others, that he was hemmed in
on the land side by the Filiplnos. And
then we proceeded 10 conclude treaty
with Spain. That treaty was to decide
the fate Of the Philippine islanders.
The FilIpinos, our allies, whom we had
permitted to believe that Ihev were
fighting for their indepe ndence, asked
to be heard. We slammed the door in
their faces. And behind their backs,
we extorted, or bought as you like,
from Spain, the common enemy, the
sovereignty over our allies-the same
sovereignty which in the Cuba precedent
we had affirmed TO have been forfeited
by Spain, and rightfully to belong to the
people OF the country. And now we
recognized that sovereignty as still
possessed by Spain, the common enemy,
although we knew that Spain could not
deliver any part OF 1t, having not only
morally but actually lost it; end we
performed this anna zing act OF treacher-
GUS self qualification, in order to make
our late allies our subjects, because we
coveted their land
Thus we deliberately turned our
loudly Wanted war OF liberation and
humanity into a shameless war of con.
quest, which, to adopt the Presidents
own phrase, was in the extreme sense
an act OF criminal aggression" for
there was no element Of criminality
lacking. We did not stop with the
diplomatic betrayal. Weeks before that
treaty with Spain acquired any colOs OF
legal force by the assent OF the Senate,
President Mckinley issued an order to
our srmy-the notorious benevolent
assimilation order" assuming that our
sovereignty over the Philippines did
actually exist, and directing the army
to enforce it all over the Archipelago
as iagrant a usuroation OF power as was
ever committed, That order was oil so
inflammatory character, so clear
declaration OF war against the Filipinos
demanding freedom and independence,
chat Gen Otis, foreseeiug with alarm
the consequences II would bring on,
tried to suppress it. But. through a
subordinate, 1t became known to the
FiliPinos. and they understood it as
what L was "a declaration OF war ag Ainst
them, Then the ondct wantonly
provoked by the Presidents order came.
We destroyed by force the government
the FIlipinos had set up-a very respect
able government, as all competent
Witnesses testify--a far better COVE rn-
ment than the insurgent CuDans ever
had. We carried death and devastation
into the towns and villages OF our late
allies, We killed many, many thou
sands of them, and still 60 on killing
Them at the rate OF 900 to I, 500 a
month for no other reason than that they
refuse to submit to our sovereignty; but
as 1t may in truth be called, Tor no other
reason than that our former allies object
10 being sold and bought like herd OF
cattle, and that they still demanI that
liberty and independence 20 which, by
the principle we ourselves had affirmed
in the case OF Cuba, they are righttully
entitled.
Some time ago IN a public speech /
challenged the defenders Of our Admin
listration to point out in the whole history
Of the world a single act OF pertidy ever
committed by any republican govern
ment more infamous than that which
has thus been committed by our
Government against our Filipino allies.
That challenge has remained uuan-
.5wered to this day. / now renew It.
call upon them all-from the highest to
the lowest-members OF the Cabinet.
and Senators and Representatives who
tell us thar the honor and the best
interests Of the country demand us 70
approve and sustain such things; and
the bishops TO whom the moral aspects
of the case should be Of some couse-
.quence; and the laymen who listen &c
them-I call upon them all to show ms
in the annals Of mankind a similal
instance Of more knavish treachery
Let them answer me If they can. AnS
then let them tell me If the RESPONSIBLE
ties are growing from such conduct.
Is there any doubt about the facts