New-York tribune., 1900-07-08
WHAT ANTIIUPERIALISTS WANT.
CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES, INDEPENDENCE
OF THE PHILIPPINES. WITHDRAWAL
OF TROOPS AND REPAYMENT
OF THE MONEY.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: In your leading editorial article on the %th
ult. you expressed desire to know Ito what
features of the Presidents Philippine policy the
anti-imperialists opposed, and what sort or
change they would like to effect; and you partlcu-
larly asked for information on these four points
Ffrst-Whether the anti-mperialsts would have
preferred that Spain should have beaten the Unlted @
States, and would even now restore the lsiahus 10
Second-Whether they hold that the destruction
of the Spanish Goyernment was b @ 1t 70 ne
held accountable or whether they would openly
have repudiated the obligation of replacing with
another the Government that had been destroyed
Thrd-Whether they would have pTeterired s do 70
left open TO dispute, rather than to have II con-
frmed by treaty to make our sovereignty ana
responsibility complete, unimpeachable and naw-
Fourth-whether they are opposed to the Admin
istrations efforts to restore peace and order, to
civil rights and to guarantee to the people the
inaenable rights of life. liberty and the pursuit
OF happiness
Now though l am afraid that these questions
may have been asked for rhetorical effect
than from any sincere and praseworthy desire
for information, nevertheless as they have been
asked l think they ought 10 be answered, and l
therefore crave the privilege of stating briefly for
the enlightenment of yourself and your readers
what I understand to be the views of the anti-im-
perialists, of whom I am proud to be one.
In reply, then, TO your specific questions, would
say:
First-That assuming that the with Spain
had to be, it better of course, for the United
States to win; and that no one would advocate
restoring the islands TO the former country.
Second-Your second question contains an IN
genious alternative. which would be more ef-
fectve if it were not based a suppression of
material facts. Certainly If ever an event was
brought about by human agency the destruction
of Spanish power in the Philippine Islands was di-
rectly due the active and persistent efforts OF
the Administration which, with its Filipino allies
is entitled TO all the credit which there may be in
the achievement. But, having with the vigorous
aid Of the Fiipinos destroyed the Spanish Govern
ment it found in the Philippines not anarchy, re-
quiring the establishment of a foreign rule. but
well organized and efficient native government,
maintaining peace and order already through the
greater part of Luzon and in parts of other ISL
ands which had been set up with the knowledge
and supposed approval of the United States. And
this friendly native government the Administration
for more than year has been trying to destroy,
without giving it a trial, by force of arms. The
anti-iInperialists do not think it is TO them that
your charge of playing the pirate" applies.
Thrd-Your third question is equally ingenious
and deftly ignores the real point at issue The
anti-imperalists were absolutely opposed 10 t me
any title by treaty or purchase or conquest,
left open TO dispute This was not the alternative.
They wished, and still wish, the title to be vested
absolutely in the people of these islands
Fourth-They are also absolutely opposed 70 the
a government over a foreign people, however good
may be the intentions of the conquerors. They
deny the right of the Government to establish even
the millennium at the point Of the ba}yonet, a?d
and the pursuit of happiness by the process of
destroying their cir native goveTnmsnt s'''
The whole opposition to the Administrators pol
icy may be summed up in few words: 1t is, in
view, inconsistent with the Golden Rule, with
and with the professed object of the War with
r Dong admitted % at pi the 8s
inspired more by supposed commercial interest
destruction in the Philippines and corrupting the
minds and conscences of our own people No good
the Peace Treaty The Philippines were not treated
like Cuba. Had this been done there would have
been no Philippine war and no anti-imperlalst
party.
The changes that we desire soon stated. We
wish for action looking to prompt cessation of
leaders, to an early acknowledgment of the abso-
lutte independenGe of the islands. and the gradual
treaty Of friendship and alliance with the Filipino
Republic providing. If you please, for the cession
Of the $20OO0GN paid to Spain;
There is only one difficulty in getting of this
one. It is the determination of the Republican
And therefore the only course for men who feel
before the country-for men who are In as deadly
earnest In this matter as the Abolition
conscience and and human rights the Republican
r oiIce m QI h1oNe an consloeratlons OF com
teri ter how they may differ with him on minor ques-
home and abroad. in Lqzon as well as in America,
Boston. July 3. 1900 81
q
courteous letter. though of course we do not
agree with the views it expresses. 1t does not
seem necessary, however to engage in any dis
cussion Of It, save to record our belief that on
at least one point 1t makes serious error as to
a matter Of fact. We have never been able to
find evidence that after the fall of the Spanish
Government there existed "a we'll organized and
efficient native Government maintaining peace
and order through the greater part of Iuzon
and in parts of other islands," On the contrary
there is the strongest evidence that there was
save a military despotism maintained in a small
area by virtue Of terrorism and murder. Mr.
Andre, the Belgian Consul at Manila declared
that the natives a whole did not desire indie
pendence. and that Agunaldo's insurrection
represented only one-half of one per cent of the
people. Professor Dean c. Worcester gave testi-
mOny 10 the same effect; and the Manila CORE
spondent of The New-York Evening POST re-
ported that Aguinaldo and his comrades got rid
Of opposition and terrorzed the people into Join
ing them by Sitting the throats or cutting off
We cannot regard a gang Of throat cutting
brigands representing less than one per cent of
the people as "a we'll organized and efficient
government Ed
DELIVERER EXPECTED.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir This Is my echo to your able article How
much longer must the respectable part Of the COM
munity submit the aggression OF the vugarP
One leaves his domicie in the morning, and though