Evening journal., 1901-11-01
FRIDAY. NOVEMBER 1, 1901
rNcouRAGING THn REBELLIoN

ENCOURAGING THE REBELLION
The Every Evening has returned To
It's attack on the policy OF our Govern
mont toward the Philippines, and after
its interval OF quiet, sallies forth with
all the zest of an Edward Atkinson,
and with it's wonted venom. 1t accuses
America OF adopting the policy of Wey-
Ter. because it declares the army Off
GERS have applied the policy of recon
centration to certain parts Of one Of
the rebellious provinces.
Many things must be granted before
the conclusions drawn by our contem-
porary are warranted, and among these
it must ba shown that the policy OF re-
concentration is necessarily barbarous
andinhuman. And the American peo-
pie will require specific evidence Of the
crimes of which their servants are ac-
cused before they will accept the con
clusion that our Philippine forces are
adopting the line of conduct OF the
Butcher Weyler. In order to make out
its case the Every Evening says:
What do we see now. in this opening
year Of the twentieth century? The
armed forces of the United States have
been placed in the Philippine Islands.
just as the armed forces OF Spain were
placed in Cuba. and for the same pur-
pose-the suppression of a rebellion
that has for it's sole object the freedom
and independence OF the people. More
than that. the fight for freedom in the
Philippines has been conducted. with
patriotic self-sacriice and indomitablc
courage against great odds. for more
than 300 years Shameful enough
would be the record OF the Governments
OF the United States engaging in such a
war with only the must humane meth
ods. But what shall be said of the say
ago Spanish methods of concentration
being employed?
Nov IL history must be distorted to
make out a case. why not so further
and declare that our army is composed
of head-hunters and cannibals? If our
contemporary wants TO be fair and
truthful it should revise the above
paragraph. The armed forces OF the
United States were not placed in the
Philippines to subdue a rebellion, but
to drive out the Spanish forces and
thus put an end to the war in which we
wero engaged.
There was no thought of fighting the
natives. While all were awaiting an
adjustment Of the difficulties, and be-
fora 4ha efo4nfr,o 80 tI,n ,,..,t..f 4t...
Filipinos treacherously sought to mas
sacro the Americans in Manila. They
Immediately engaged in a warfare, har-
assing our troops and seeking to drive
them from the islands That is his
tory Now what could an American
President with a drop Of blood in his
veins do? Evacuate the islands under
pressure? That would have caused a
howl from the opposition. Now let us
consider for a moment what is said
about the policy OF concentration:
The same Infamous policies are pur-
sued in each instance-in the one by
Spain, in the other by this country. Is
the policy OF concentration any less
brutal, any less infamous. when prac-
ticed by the armed forces OF the United
States than when practiced by the
armed forces Of Spain? Doc the Gov
eminent Of the United States have the
right to emulate the brutal and bloody
practices OF Butcher" Weyler after
condemning them so justly and will
such righteous fervOr? Does the pay
ment by this country to Spain OF $40.
OOO,OOO Justify the application i'm tn,
fhlhppines Of the Spanish practices n
CuDa that so grievously offended tn
sense of right and justice in this coun
try?
rs the policy Of concentration an
less brutal. any less infamous whe
mactced by the armed forces of IN
United States, than when practiced b
the armed forces Of Spaing" The ouel
tion is worth repeating for its braze
effrontery and for it's low estimate
the character of the American peopi
II follows this line of reasoning. a
criminals are human beings. an
therefore. all men are criminal
Or we might say that some ncwsp
pers cater to The vicious. and as Il
Every Evening is a newspaper, is the
any reason f2r supp0sing that 1t do
not do it also? That would be unfa
to our able contemporary. Does
not know that some men use the We
pons of warfare brutally. and othe
according to humanitarian ideas?
Wey.er drove the people into L
towns and allowed them to stary
the Americans fed them. Is there a