The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-04-04
THE CAPTURE OF AGUINALDO.

war began, on February 4, 1899, have
they been able to cope with the Amer
lean troops on anything like equal
terms. On the part Of the United
States the campaign has been con-
Quoted with persistent aggressive
ness, and from a military standpoint
the work Of our soldiers in the Philip
pines has been of an exceptionally
good quality. What Spain could not
do in $50 wears the United States has
apparently accomplished in little
more than two years. Ia order to
bring about this result an army OF
nearly 70, 900 men has been employed,
aided by the most formidable Ameri-
can fleet ever assembled in Asiatic
waters The conquest of the archi-
pelago has cost the Government sew
eral hundred millions of dollars.
Over 5000 American soldiers have
been killed in battle or have died
from wounds and disease. The title
which we acquired by purchase from
Spain has been established by the
sword-in so far as an imperfect title
can be established by force. That
would ultimately have been the result
of the war even if Aguinaldo had not
been captured. Now that he is a
prisoner the end ofFilipino resistance
is measurably in sight. There may
be guerrilla warfare in some parts OF
the archipelago, there may be lawless-
ness in others, but on the whole the
conquest of the Philippines seems to
be practically completed.
There has never been any doubt
that the Filipinos would be vanquish-
ed if the United States utilized its
| vast resources in subjugating the
natives. The only question was
whether public opinion in this country
would Justify the use of sufficient
force to overwhelm Aguinaldo's army.
Proceeding upon the assumption that
| it would, our Government sent to the
Philippines an army probably twice
| as large as the organized force with
which it had to contend. 4 campaign
| prosecuted with relentless vigor has
resulted ust as was expected. A
ma jority of the American people
apparently believe that there is no
moral question involved; that the
archipelago belongs TO the United
States as legitimate spoils OF war,
that the Filipinos' aspirations for in
| dependence did not deserve to be
recognized and that title establish
cd by conquest will be without a
flaw. That is the point Of view from
which the British Government jnsti-
| L, -. 3,,I stn
publics Of South Africa. By the same
reasoning Russia justiiies her con-
| quests in China. Republic, constitu-
tional, monarchy and absolutism all
meet on common ground in asserting
the doctrine that might makes right.
| The little states have no rights which
the grabbing nations are bound
to respect.
BY a large section of the press and
by many men in public life AguinaIdo
has been held up to scorn and dotesta-
ton. He has been pronounced an in
| CRATE. a traitor, an assassin; in fact,
fact the lexicon Of denunciation has
been exhausted in the effort to char
acterize him in such terms as our
militant eXpansionists declare his
conduct has justified. Yet the facts
and the circumstances, according to
such impartial Judges and good Amer
leans as Senator Hoar, OF Massachu-
sets, and Mr.. Herbert Welsh, OF
Philadelphia, present Aguinaldo in Il
very favorable light. In his able and
eloquent speech in the Senate last
April the Massachusetts Senator de-
scribed the Filipino chieftain as
worthy place among the patriots OF
history. Mr.. Hoar is a loyal Repub-
lcan and was not actuated by partisan
motives when he eulogized Aguin-
aldo. In his admirable book. The
Other Mans Country Mr.. Herber,
Welsh describes the Filipino leader
as "a man of honest and sincere char
acter, deeply patriotic, Indifferent tc
the temptations of wealth." In 1896
the Filipinos rebelled against the rule
of Spain, and Aguinaldo was the
principal figure of the revolution
The revolt was ended for a time with
the promise of reforms by Genera,
Rivers on the part of Spain and the
withdrawal from the Islands of Aguin
aldo and seventeen of his associates
General Rivers placed to the credit o
the insurgent chiefs 100000 in s
Hongkong bank. On May n. 1898
this sum was delivered by Aguinaldc
, to his attorneys in payment for arm:
and supplies to be used in another
revolt against Spain. On April "A
1898, one week before Dewey destroy
ed the Spanish fleet at Manila, Consul
General Pratt held a series Of secre
, meetings at Singapore with Aguin
aldo and made arrangements with tn,
latter whereby the Filipinos, unde
| Aguinaldo's lead. were to make wa
upon Spain. At his meetings will
Consul General Pratt Aguinaldo clear
ly stated that his policy embraced tn
independence of the Philippines
whose internal affairs would be con
, trolled under American and European
orders.
1t was at this time, according t,
Mr.. Herbert Welsh. that Consul-Gen
eral Pratt telegraphed from Singapor
to Admiral Dewey that Aguinald,
would come to Hongkong to arraug
for the general cooperation of TIL
insurgents at Manila. if desired
, Dewey, it is stated. telegraphed il
reply: Tell Aguinaldo to come a
soon as possible" Mr.. Welsh main
tains that there is no doubt Aruin
aldo and his people expected inde
E pendence in return for the servic,
they had rendered the United State
a and the risk they ran. Although
there was no formal and written com
pact between the Pilipinos and tn
' United States, there was. Mr. Welsl
declares, moral alliance whicl
brought both parties to it unde
j moral obligations. There was rea
e union and cooperation between on
f forces and those of Aguinaldo for tn
D overthrow Of Spanish power" AID
b.. miral Dewey cabled to Secretary Lon.
: on juno y, 1898: Il have give
| do 70