The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1900-02-27

President could not nave "Oio
that because he had no warrant
for it. since he did not know
whether the American people
would wish to keep the Phllip-
pine Islands. But what warrant
then. had the President for put
ting before the Filipinos by ms
benevolent assimilation order,
the alternative of submission to
our sovereignty or war HAD
he any assurance that the Amer
can people willed that ? Ii such
was his dream, there may be q
rude awakening in store for him.
But I say that for asserting TO
the aspiration of the Filipinos to
freedom and independence he
would have had the fullest pos
sible warrant in the spirit OF our
institutions and in the resolution
of Congress stamping our war
war against Spain as a war OF
liberation and humanity. And
such q course would surely have
been approved by the American
people, except perhaps some
Jingoes bent upon wild adven-
ture, and some syndicates of
spectators INSCRIPTIONS in their
greed of gain.
There are also some who, with
the mysterious mien of super
Tor sense of responsibility, tell
us that the President could not
have acted otherwise, because
Dewey's victory devolved upon
us some grave international or
other obligations which would
have been disregarded had the
President failed to claim severe
ignty over the Philippines.
What ? Did not the destruction
of Cervera's feet, and the taking
of Santiago devolve the some
obligations upon US with regard
Cuba ? And who has ever as
serted that therefore Cuba must
be put under our sovereignty !?
And, did everybody pretend that
our victories in Mexico fifty
years ago imposed upon US in
ternational or other obligations
which compelled US to assume
sovereignty over the Mexican
Republic after we had conquered
it much more than we have con-
quered the Philippines. Does
not, in the light of history, this
obligation-dodge appear as a
hollow mockery ?
An equally helpless is it, that
the Presiden could not treat with
Aguinaldo and his followers be-
cause they did not represent the
whole population of the islands.
But having an established gov
eminent and an army of some
1000 or 10000 men, and in that
army men from various tribes,
they represented at lesst some
thing. They represented at least
a large part of the population
and a strong nucleus of nation
al organization. And, as we
have to confess that in the Phil
ippines there is no active op-
position to the Filipino govern
ment except that which we our
selves manage to excite, it NAV
be assumed that they represent
the sympathy of practically the
whole people.
But, pray, what do we repre-
sent there ? At first, while the
Islanders confded in us as their
llberators, we represented their
hope for freedom and independ-
ence, Since we have BETRAYED
that hope and have begun to
slaughter them, we represent, as
a brute force bent upon subiug.
atlng them, only their bitter
hatred and destation. We have
managed to turn virtually tina +
whole people who at first greet.
ed us with childlike trust as
their beloved deliverers. into
deadly enemies. For it is a
notorious fact that those we re-.
gard as amigos" today will to.
morrow stand in the ranks If
our foes. We have not a trne
friend left among the islanders
unless it be some Spectators
and the Sultan Of Gil .,