The sun., 1901-07-28
RILIPINOS ARE WE'LL OFF.
an ARHY 0SyICsRy VIEW 0v fHB
SITUATTON WOW.

Far Moro IsSsrsy ora.ssA - ne vsiipaass
TAas Thsy Ever ExpsessA 70 oss Us1ss .
Bspsblss a 1hsir Owa a-rhs Prsblso q
shs Hytars -Capahllissss e The People.
One Of tho General officers Of tho army.
who has seen much service In the Philip
pines. has written to friend In this city
q letter discussing the situation there a.
he sees It. Of which this u q part
You want to know how things are pro-
crossing. Well. I think We are doing well.
Tho Civil Commission has worked hard
and u an excellent body Of men, Just
at the present time. during the formative
period Of the Government. II 10 OF tho ut
most Importance that only strong. able
men should be put at the helm Of State.
The commission 10 making every effort
possible to select only flrst-class men.
and believe IL succeeding very well.
You doubtless remember that. not
withstandins l sometimes fight Flipinos.
l always advocated kind and confederate.
just and generous policy. l think tho
great majority OF officers agreed With
me. There was an occasional exception
Of a blackguard In shoulder straps who
thought 1t q fine thing to tyrannize over
defenceless and ignorant people, but he
was the great exception. For the above
reasons our people have continued TO pur-
sue Q mild and benignant policy. not
our people are beginning to 80 the re-
suit. and to say told you %;
The people. worn out With the exao-
tions Of insurgents and the intimidAting
policy pursued by them, resulting many
times In assassinations or torture, have
had time i,a. and opportunity to reject upon
really are and what they have been repre-
sented to be by designing persons. Tho
consequence Ia decidedly favorable to US.
AT the present time Americans are
everywhere. In every town. almost In the
archipelago. All natives. except a few
IN the atmosphere ere Of mountain peaks. have
had chance to minsle with and know
Americans. This Is also in our favor. Gen.
Tinio. who surrendered few days ago. re-
marked that with the Spaniards they would
certainly have succeeded because tho
SPana.ards would have helped them .Sme q
caught and on friendly people, thus con-
verting them into real Insurgents, but that
the Americans had been % kind, 10 just
and so liberal with the people It was hard
to convince them that they needed inde-
pendence to achieve their happiness; that
Americans had granted them more personal
liberty than they have ever expected to en-
10y on earth Under such conditions II was
pretty difficult to make people take their
lives In their hands to fight for an ideal
which they really had no hope OF attaining.
Cruel war engenders bitterness and mu-
tual hatred. This was true In our Civil War.
after which II was very difficult for Southern
people to forgive the Government. This
bitterness lasted thirty years or more and
there are still many unreconstructed among
the women. but have yet to know single
sane person who wanted 70 have civil war
again. SO think 1t will be with these
people, ,,... ..-m
away In time. and don't believe they will
want any more insurrection. l am not
meaning TO say, however. there may not be
ambitious blaokguards with no considera-
who who may ma get set up small uprsinSs and % Give e the
Government small bit Of trouble. but the
people will not be with them. 1t will not
be a general uprising such as we have
struggled against for several years. No
sensible man could fail to expect such up
mated and trained BY BY spanIard.' Spa % o' We
Americans are too familiar with Mexican
and South and Central American history
not to expect to hear OF somebody wanting
to 'revolute' every week or 80.
Under the American Government
really believe those people are going to get
more than they originally demanded in
the nature Of reforms from the Spnaiards
They will meet with one keen disappoint-
ment. however | fear; they will not secure
their long-hoped-for Joy OF seeing the
religious orders kicked out OF tho Islands.
Uncle Sam has too much respect for time
honored principles to be guilty Of such
violence, but that Ii where he Is a ohump.
We ought to kick them out, and would
hail the day with delight when the last
mothers son OF them shook the dust OF the
Philippines from his feet.
They are going to be thorn in our side
forever: Uncle Sans principles are all
right but they were made for civilized
apply them Unfortunately. These people
are not civilized, and they are not At for
G. forbearing, self-restraining government
like that Of the United States. Neither are
these Spanish priests. They are a miserable
lot, these Spanish friars. and don't deserve
TO be treated like civilized beings
Now, want 1t understood I am not
attacking the Catholic religion | am
more than half Catholic myself, but these
padres are not disciples OF Christ or min
isters OF the Gospel They are lot OF
merchants, and their corporation Ia a pure
business one which they have reduced TO
a science and understand down TO the
ground They are experts in their line
Their business Ia 10 wheedle money out OF
the faithful. and they do it by means OF
cultivating superstition and idol worship.
There isn't enough religion In the whole
institution TO All your wfe's thimble Every
American priest who has had the nerve TO
be independent has been disglisted at the
manner in which the great Catholic Church
has been administered in these islands.
These people have stopped AT committing
no crime In the name Of religion. They
have seduced the young and innocent,
have accomplished the killing Of those
who opposed them, have robbed the igno-
rant by inspiring them with an overpower-
ing fear OF purgatory or hell Their sole
business In these Islands has been to collect
money, not TO propagate religion.
i have been using pretty strong Ian
guage, but pledge you my word Of honor
/ have not exaggerated in the slightest
degree. and l will also say with perfect
| sincerity and truth that l have not the
slightest particle Of prejudice against
these people For instance. have stated
nothing about the priests having families
and raising children. OF course IL Ia a
violation OF their VOWS Of celibacy, but
that is nothing for they ought never to
have made any such vows. 1t Is unnatural,
and have generally found that there Ia
too much OF the animal In every man to
be restrained by VOWS They have gen.
orally been kind TO their families and edu-
Gated their children, whom they cannot
| acknowledge. The country is full OF chill
| dren who are proud OF the fact that their
| o.. Al 81. n .l.ksI o.