The times., 1901-04-04
Circulation Statement.
Amnesty for Our Filipinos.

Amnesty for Our FiIipinOs.
Since. Notwithstanding his many de-
ceits. lies treaCheries. and crimes, Agui-
naldo has been allowed to swear ale
glance to the United States, and so TO
escape from the status of a rebel de-
serving death for treason, we feel i'm
PEELED to urge upon the President both
the benignity and propriety Of permit
ting Aguinaldos deIuded followers in
this country also to swear themselves
in. We are unwilingIy bound TO admit
that they are equally guilty with their
leader and idol; but they are not more
SO. and. since he has been or Will be
forgiven. they. too, should have the ben
eft Of the amnesty.
We are emotionany impressed by the
long headed ldndliness which Mr.. Nc
Kinley is displaying toward Aguinaldo,
and incidentally, through him. to his
American associates and coparceners.
The Chief Magistrate inclines to the
merciful view that the latter are mere
ly cranks too harmless to confine in a
sanitarium Notwithstanding their sue
cess in encouraging the Tagals TO think
y A
ty. represented by men like Macarthur.
Wheaton, and Funston, would be as
easy as when Otis was on the vice regal
throne in the palace at Manila. II the
opposite view were taken. and Aguinal-
do were To be held to fun responsibility
under the law he has defied, then his
conviction would seem almost certain to
involve the conviction of the American
Filipinos as accomplices and accessories
before. after and in the middle Of
the fact. Obviously the President does
not desire such a painful denouement.
and VIC are justified in assuming that.
since the lamp holds out to burn for
the presiding genius Of the Tagalo- Bos-
tonese combination, its lesser members
viii find an open door TO forgiveness. !
somewhere among the back basement
entrances to the White House
Wtile we honor him for his charita-
BILE disposition toward the erring it is
perhaps timely to warn the President
and his advisers that il is not safer to
allow Tagal agents or sympathizers
and orators 10 hide out in the woods of
Massachusetts and issue proclamations
and collect funds for a Filipino propa-
ganda than il would have been wise TO
leave Aguinaldo in the peaceful retire /
melt Of his picturesque retreat in the (
mountains at Palanan. Providence
placed a wonderful instrument for good
in Mr Mckinley's hand, in the person (
Of General Funston. That same daring
advance agent or civilization might be
used again at home in the execution Of
plan similar 10 that which resulted in
The capture Of the insurgent chief. In
less the necessity for drastic measures
should be obviated by the voluntary
surrender Of the Boston junta, it is not
impossible that the Administration
should consider it desirable to recall
Funston and employ him to entrap and
bag Aguinaldo's late main source Of
hope for the dictatorship Of the Philip
pines.
We trust. however, that it may not
become necessary to proceed 70 such an
extremity. Since It has become plain
that the leader Of the cause has de-
serted it, and has consented TO be gov
erned. perhaps his friends down East
may be induced to come in and submit
without waiting for the application of
force. IN other words, a great feeling
Of satisfaction would be excited
throughout the country if George Frls-
bic Hoar. Sixto Lopez. Erving Winslow,
old Mr.. Boutwell,. George Fred VII
liams. and two or three more. who CON
stitute the Filipino element in the
United States, could realize the hope
lessness Of the rebellion. and upon their
own initiative, present themselves be-
fore the nearest court Of record and
take the oath Of allegiance.
From all we can gather. they reDre-
sent about all that is left Of the move
naent FOR Philippine independence" in
cluding the enslavement Of eighty-eight
per cent Of the island population by the
Tagal twelve per cent. With their sub
mission we think we should be justified
IN saying that the rebellion was at an
end, and that the Government might al
once begin TO reduce its military and
naval forces in and around the archi-
pelaso. and TO prepare 10 endow our
rich Asiatic possessions with the bless
ings Of civil administration. either un-
der the Constitution Of the United
States or under the imperial system
erected in spite Of it by the Fifty-slxth
Congress, accordingly as the Supreme
C0urf may decida