The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-20
INDIANS, FILIPINOs AND DEMO-


states came into possession OF the IHAiIp-
pine islands it had to deal with a race
related by blood to the Filipinos and not
much less civilized. The relationship be-
tween the American Indians and the Fill
pinos is almost beyond question. The lat
ter are certainly Of Asiatic origin, and
there is little doubt that the former are.
DR.. Brown says in his Races of Man
kind Not only are the western Indians
in appearance very like their nearest
~neighbors, the northeastern Asiatics, but
in language and tradition 1t is confidently
afirmed there is a blending CT the people.
The Eskimo on the American and the
huktch on the Asiatic side understand
each other perfectly Most ethnologists
now regard the American Indians as a
branch of the Monaghan race. which. at a
from Asia to the American continent and
remained here for thousands of years sepa-
rated from the rest of mankind and passing
through various stages of progress or re-
PROGRESSION. Anthropologists admit that
between the various tribes of American
dDOIlbLiSS ItOh IL AIClAC Std " NdpO
Horn there is greater uniformity of phys
icaI structure and personal characteristics
than is seen in any other quarter of the
globe, and they are almost unanimous in
the opinion that these aborigines were of
Asiatic origin. AS the Filipinos are I'M
questionably Asiatic there would seem to
be NO room for reasonable doubt as to the
relationship between them and the Amer
lean Indians. Assuming 1t is a fact, 1t
has an interesting bearing on our dealings
with the two peoples. We had nearly a
century of warfare with the Indians. and
their methods never differed much. From
the beginning they were a race Of savages
-treacherous, vindictive, cruel, inhuman.
without regard for the laws of war or the
dictates of humanity, using and inventing
when they could infict the most suffering
on prisoners and victims. These charac-
teristics were demonstrated numberless
times in open warfare and in attacks
on unarmed settlers. Time and again they
ambushed and butchered small bodies of
III a. AeAcA - o~NA~AC0 8A1
cred defenseless families and settlements.
They had no regard for flags of truce
and gloried most in a victory that was
gained by treachery. The second Seminole
war, which lasted from 1884 to 1912, was
marked by a constant succession Of
breaches of faith and barbarous atrocities
by the Indians. President Van Buren,, in
his annual message of 1910. referred to the
Indians as "a formidable and ruthless
banditti." and said:
That this contest has endured so long
is TO be attributed TO causes beyond the
control of the government. Experienced
generals have had the of the
troops, officers and soldiers have alike
distinguished themselves for their activity.
patience and enduring courage, the army
has been constantly furnished with sup
plies of every description. and we must
look for the cause which has so long pro-
c~rastinated the issue Of the contest in
the extent of the theater of hostilities, the
almost insurmountable obstacles presented
by the nature of the country. the climate
and the willy nature of the avages
This fits the situation in the Philippines
almost as accurately as if it had been
written yesterday.
History and tradition record countless
acts of treachery and cruelty by the In
dams towards Americans, but none worse
than the Fflipinos have practiced towards
our soldiers and towards their own coun-
trymen friendly to Americans. 1t is not to
be supposed that United States troops
fought American Indians in kid gloves or
with blank cartridges. and If they were
sometimes goaded into repaying cruelty
with cruelty their countrymen did not find
fault with them. 1t was reserved for the
modern sympathizers with Asiatic Indians
in the Philippines, for Democratic poll
ticians enjoying safe and lucrative offices
in the rear, to attack the soldiers who are
doing their fighting at the front because
they nave killed a few treacherous semi
savages who had tortured and killed their
comrades and were trying to kill them.
No political party ever tried to make cam
paign capital out Of alleged cruelties TO
American Indians. One of the victims Of
their treachery was Genera L. r. S. Can
by, who had received the links OF Con-
gress for distinguished service in the civil
war. When he was treacherously muir
dered by the Modocs in 1873. under a flag
Of truce, it fell TO the lot OF General
Wheaton, now in the Philippines. to pun
ish the Indians. He did il thoroughly, and
was not charged with cruelty. Perhaps the
next Democratic national platform will
contain a resolution eulogizing the Fill
pinos and censuring General Wheaton for
prosecuting uncivilized warfare against
that humane n cultured people.