The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-29


Funston has covered himself with re-
nown in the daring adventure which
has resulted in his capture of the rebel
chief Aguinaldo and the safe delivery
of his prize at Manila. Public opinion
will demand that he be adequately re-
warded, and il would not surprise us to
see him made brigadier general in the
Regular Army. in spite of the fact that
his achievement undoubtedly has placed
the Administration in position of great
embarrassment. But it would never do
TO let the masses of the people under
stand that, and so. we suppose, there
will be perfunctory expression of off
cial satisfaction. sugared with a little
thankfulness TO Providence, over some
thing which the powers that be really
wish had been left undone.
1t is all right to have Aguinaldo. The
question is what to do with him. To
kill him would raise a howl in the
United States which might ieopardiZe
the prospects of the Republican party
in the next Congress. To shut him up
in prison would simply make him a
kind of composite of PrOmetheus and
Napoleon Bonaparte, and excite for the
treacherous and murderous little Tagal
an amount of paretic and senile SYM
pathy that would make a prize martyr
of him. and cause the Government end
less annoyance. But on the other
hand, it would never do to turn him
loose, now that he is in our clutches
That would raise commotion equally
as undesirable.
We are afraid that General Funston
was unable TO rise to the plane of his
opportunity II he had been a really
good and well trained Administration
man, it should have been plain to him
that, while he would earn the thanks of
his country and the plaudits of posterity
by arresting and producing the head of
the rebellion at headquarters, the deliv-
cry ought to be made in a box. That
this did not happen was an oversight
which even the most pious Administra-
ton that, heretofore, ever brought
blessings upon nation unquestionably
regrets and resents.
Are we to have a lonely exile of ST
Helena in our midst, to be wept over
by Mr. Hoar. and to be made the
means OF advertising Edward Atkin-
sons oil stove? II looks very much like
it. Still, there is always the chance that
Aguinaldo may save his neck and lib !
crty at the same time by means of a !
miraculous conversion into a person
more of a royalist than the king-more /
American and loyal than anybody, him |
self included. Such things have hap
pened before, and the game usually has I
been successful since the advent of Nc |
Kiniey and prosperity. He might give !
verbal assurances" which always pass
current at their face value in the neigh |
borhood of Executive Avenue, and so
perhaps find himself at the head of a
commission for the pacification of the |
Philippines instead of lingering out |
miserable existence chained to the wall 1
of some Jail cellar Aguinaldo's prom |
Uses woulc be quite as good as those the |
Administration has accepted with child 1
ish faith from the Chinese; in addition |
to which there is the customary joy ac- |
companying the spectacle of zone sinner |
that repeDIeth.''
PertUr3ed as he may be by this agi- |
tating Philippine development, we have |
no doubt that Mr.. Mckinley will feel
convinced that it viii all come right in |
the course of time, and that the best |
thing to do with Aguinaldo is to find |
him remunerative office. There is |
nothing harsh OF cruel in the nature of |
our President. Some of his advisers, |
perhaps, are less full of the milk of |
human kindness, and it might strike /!
them. or one Of them, that it would be !
brilliant idea to let the Filipino Wash 1
ington attempt to escape, and have an !
unavoidable accident happen to him in |
the course of the effort.