Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1902-05-30
JUSTICE CALLED FOR
THAT ALONE CAN BRING PEACE TO
THE PHILIPPINES.
Policy of the Government Calculated to
Make Cruel and vindictive Soldiers
Fillpinos Have Not been Dealt with
Frankly.

Senator Teller is justified in re-
polling the accusation that those who
| condemn the cruelties which have
| been perpetrated in the Philippines
traduce the American army. There
is no denying certain most deplOrable
facts. They are admitted by the very
men who are charged with RESPONSE
bility for their occurrence.
AS Senator Teller says, the recital
of these facts involves censure of in
dividuals in the army, but it does not
involve censure of the army as a
whole. Senator Lodge stated only
the other day that more than 300 Of
ficers and men had been court-mar-
tailed for wrongs done the natives.
Here was censure of individual SOL
diers by army courts, but it did not
involve censure of the army as an Or
ganization.
Mr.. Teller spoke the undeniable
truth when he said: THE very policy
of this government in dealing with
these people is calculated to make a
cruel and vindictive soldier"
1t is not that the officers and men
in the army are exceptionally inclined
to be cruel and vindictive. They are
very much like the rest of the Ameri-
can people in character and DISPOSE
ton. 1t is the system of arbitrary and
irresponsible military government in
the islands that has been productive
of cruelty and vindictiveness.
The senator suggests the explana-
ton when he says to the republicans:
You have got to face this PROPOSE
ton. Give these people free gov
eminent or declare that they shall
never have one"
From the first there has been no
frankness in dealing with the people
of the Philippines. The republican
leaders who have shaped the policy
have carefully abstained from indi-
eating purpose to give them free
government such as other people un-
der the American flag enjoy.
So far from indicating any such pur-
pose, they have pursued course cal
culated to make them believe they
were never to have an American free
government. Their policy has been
such as to make enemies of the entire
population, including those who were
disposed to welcome us as friends.
There is too much reason to believe
that in consequence of this policy the
Americans in the islands with whom
the natives have come much in con-
tact have fallen into the habit of
treating all of them with contempt or
as enemies, with the exception of a
few Macabebe heather who are hered-
itary enemies of the Tagals, the CIV
ilized and Christianized people of the
islands.
In this way enemies have been
made of the people until, according
to Gen. Chaffee, they are practically
all hostile. The hostility thus engen-
dered has been reciprocal and has
seemed to our officers and men to JUS
tify extreme measures of cruelty and
vindictiveness.
If we are ever to have genuine
peace in the islands-anything more
than sullen truce or submission I'M
der silent protest-this policy must
give place to frank declaration of
purpose to give the people of the
islands free American government at
the earliest possible moment.
Tbic declaration must he accOmnan.
led by such a course of conduct, both
civil and military, as will satisfy the
people that we mean what we say and
that they will be as truly free and
much better off in every way under
the American flag than they could
ever expect to be under any other.
This is the only path to peace with
honor. 1t is the particular path which
Elihu Root refuses to walk in.