The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-03-25
WANT TO KNOW, YOU KNOW.


Two recent incidents in the Philippine
situation have attracted much attention;
the engagement of Gen. Funston with ten
men TO effect the capture of Aguinaldo,
of the details of which We are appraised
by cable at current rates which are not
low by any means, and the payment of
100000 additional by this government to
Spain in connection with the cession of
the islands
The truth has been at every turn sup
pressed with reference to the progress of
affairs in the Philippines. The effect OF
the rigid censorship which has prevailed
is now manifesting itself; and it has be-
come apparent even to that class Of the
community which refuses to take sides
or purely political issues, that the coun-
try has been either kept in ignorance or
deliberately deceived as to the real state
of things.
The question which is again looming up
for intelligent answer is, Are we engaged
in the suppression of a rebellion on the
part Of the natives of a country recently
passing under our control who in good
faith regard their liberties as being en-
dangered, or are we merely keeping in
order a few semi-barbarous Tagalogs,
whose normal condition is one Of strife?
The answer is being demanded by those
who never asked the question before.
They see the national treasure being
istration of the Philippines; but they see
no tangible good coming either presently
or in the prospective.
The extent to which this popular curl
osity is showing itself may be judged
when periodical publications like the At
lantic Monthly and The Century open
their columns to it's eradication. The
former ma gazine for March in an article
entitled Give the Country the Facts
has much to say on this subject. Here
are few selections from that article:
The country has been deceived as to the
plain facts of the Philippine situation.
The reports of generals in the field, the
findings of the two commissions the mes
sages Of the president, the speeches of
recognized leaders of the party, contain
absolutely irreconcilable statements. Ours
is a government by public opinion But
how is the public-spirited citizen to learn
the truth about the most elementary
facts concerning the FilipinOS? Are the
revolutionists "a few disaffected Ia
galos," or are we encountering the pa
triotic resistance of a periodically united
people? Every American voter has
iChf 10 In Sci(, nf foo
provided the facts are known at Wash
ington. If they are not known at Wash
ington they ought to be.
The Century strikes the same note. 1t
declares the general conviction that the
Filipinos would be much better off if they
accepted our control and adapted them
selves to our social and political ideas
adds:
Nevertheless, they fight on. The situa-
ton is a depressing one from every point
of view. Good men are perplexed. Cues
lions of right and wrong, of consistency
with American ideals and principles, of
sitting the passion for independence, Of
national responsibility, eff prudence-au
the difficulty of ascertafning the actual
facts and conditions On top of this
there arises the further difficulty in the
idea that disagreeable facts ought not to
be brought out, and that opinions opposed
to official opinions ought not TO be ex-
pressed
There is not, it has long been plain,
the slightest intention on the part of the
people at Washington to let the facts of
this Philippine business be known 10 the
country if they can help it. They propose
to go on beclouding the subject with all
sorts of appeals to patriotism and ex-
pensive and incoherent yarns cabIed to
this country at enormous expense. There
are too many promoters standing by
waiting for the chances which will be
so general to exploit the islands if only
their political friends are permitted to
bring about peace in their own way and
at their own time