The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-04-02
.uNDER WHICH FLAG, BEzoN1AN?'

"The Spirit of Democracy was the
subject of an address delivered a few
days ago by the Hon. Charley
Towne, ex-senator of Minnesota, be-
fore a Michigan club Of the party
with which he now affiliates. Judg-
ing from his remarks OH the capture
Of Aguinaldo, the esprit Of democ-
racy'' has not changed much since the
days of the early sixties, when it took
tangible form in open rebellion to the
constituted government of the United
States. In the course of his speech
Mr.. Towne took occasion to bitterly
arraign the administration for %cont!nu-
ing the work of pacifying the Philip
pines and loudly lamented the capture
of the "second Washington" He de-
clared that 1.-The Filipinos will con-
tinue to fight, even though A%guinaldo
has been captured and expressed it
as his opinion that General Fun
ston's raid is the outcome Of %treachery
and a shame to America
Coming from a democrat, the lam
guage is not to be wondered at, but
coming from a man who only recently
represented his state in the United
States senate, it is remarkable, to put
it mildly. In the opinion Of the Min
nesota Tagalog his allegiance to his
captured chief is greater and more
binding than any he owes to the gov
ernm ent under which he lives and to
its laws, which for a time lie is sup
posed to have assisted to frame. Only
this construction can be put on his
utterances and leaves the gentleman
open to the suspicion that when he
took the oath of senator and accepted
the seat, which through the grace Of
an anarchist like himself he was able
to occupy, if not fill, for a short time,
he did SO with the mental reservation
to assist those in open rebellion to the
government, at the very first oppor-
tunity. That the opportunity did not
present itself is probably no fault of
his. Unlike the South Dakota rebel,
he was not long enough in the senate
to resort to a policy Of obstruction
and interference every time the gov.
eminent undertook to do something in
the direction of fastening the suppress.
sion of. the instruction and strength.
ening the hands of its representatives
in the islands. That che had the will,
aud desire to do SO, is evidenced by
his traitorous utterances in Michigan
Having been deprived of the oppor'
tunity while in the senate to assist
his Tagalog friends, he takes advant
age of his position as a privte citizel
to extend his sympathy to his fellow
across the seas and encourage them tt
further resistance by saying that "th'
Filipinos will continue to fight"
How he knows that they twill con
tinue to fight" this illustrious rene
gade does not tell, but like more Q
his kind, he is probably III communi
cation with the rebels, as we'll as il
sympathy with them, and has source
of information denied to others. Pos
sibly he meant to have said that b
thought they would continue to fight
but in the heat Of his Indignation a
the treachery of General Funsto
made a slip of the tongue and ez
pressed as a fact something he hope
for and possibly thought would hal
pen. But whichever the case, Towne
doomed to disappointment. He an
the rest of the ants nave shown then
selves such poor prophets during til
past two years that no matter whs
they may see fit 10 say little heed
paid to their m%outhings and the pull
lie, the patriotic public, will draw i,
conclusions from facts and events {
they are daily transporting. If tt
number of %surrenders which are r.
ported from the islands are to be take
as indicating anything, they oertainl
must be accepted as meaning that NJ
only will the Filipinos not "continr
to fight, but that they are hearth
sick Of 1t and anxious to accept tt
liberal terms Ioffered by the govern
ment to all who wish to avail then
selves Of them. Supported by tt
people and congress. the administer
ton has ret out to restore peace an
older ON the islands and it will NJ
stay its hands. Notwithstanding, q