The Forrest City times., 1902-02-28
IN THE PHILIPPINES.
Determined Hostility (" American HcIe Calls for Change in
 Our Policy.

One cannot escape the weight ard drift of Gov. Taft's testimony before the senate committee. which k that there is a state of persistent hostility in the Philippines. that ii will te eng time in passing. and that thus far it ba, caused us great expense. great sacrifice of life. and, as the c0FtrHtr admitted. has led 10 some eases uf re- faljation that are a reproach tu ds.
 We haye no doubt hat what Gov. Tai
 calls these infractions of propriety"
 have been committed in defiance of d.
 rect orders. There would he nc sach things happening between two civilized peoples. but with an inferior orieTta] race engaged in a guerilla warfare against conqueror>. the temptation to treat eaptives harShly is very streHg.
 The governor is plainly out of pa tience with some phases of the sitaa- tion. for he thinks il is crime against the Filipino that state of war should continue, and sa1~ they haee worn out the right 10 any 'reatmtat but that which is severe. within -f, laws of war. This will hardly Ga.# V, have entered the Philippines a. con querors. There has been no crewth of our civilization there from co-e4ists establishing trade and having re9r.aI relations We have come bndiA fftm the outside, imposed ourselves oa tLe situation. and that We should be met by guerilla warfare is the mos sar- ural thing in the world. | i~ tH,He that occurs iH the history of every people. If We are determined to#ef7- Guer the Philippines. Ne mus; ha.e. patience and keep at Il work. The testimony of others accords with ett drift of Gov. Taft's statement tha- 4 k large work. Stephen Borsal. weIl-knoNn writer for the press. tx- presses in the New York Hera'G. after spending some months iH jhe Philip pines. the opinion that civil govern ment in the Philippines fs failure. and that :ts seeming triumphS are the>s f misguided optimism. It might no7 fe too long a stretch of vision 10 see sene- thing ike this between the lines ct Gov. Taft's statement.
 While Gov. Taft's work has been wise, patient and sincere. Mr. Roa~al holds that the Filipinos are >olidly against American supremacy in any shape CT form. and. 10 Use his c@H words, If we do not wish to govern them rigidly and by force for q. 20 CT % years, we had better hit upon scheme of scuttle. saving appearance. a mneh as possible" He reiHferees hi> view by reference to numerous IT, stances where friendly Filipinos and those who hold high offices have beeu found guilty of smuggling arms and ammunition for the inSurge He calls attention also Q the fac, thae tht eonstabn.ary is composed in large measure of the insurgents who have come in not because they are convinced that our government is good. hut he cause they have learned that it i, bet ter 10 carry an American rife Wiih salary than 10 stand up against ali American firing line Bur they are brothers in blood and sentiment with the insurgents in the field. and ,hey "i'l show ii whenever they get opPor- unity.
 T. may be added, says the Indianap- oBs News. that private information, that is. information from men who have been in the Philippines quite as long as Gov. Taft, harmonizes with Mir Bonsafs. These men report tha, tht Fiiipinos are determined in their hos tility to American rule, that theH have in their hearts no feeling of suImis- sion, and that if We hold the i>lanG> We have got to hold them by force. and generation at least must pass away before we can have The semb.ance Of civil government. Of course. we ought to be able 10 discuss this sub lect without passion. If we are hon est We want to find out he actual con dition in the Philippines that We may know what k best to do. To this end We must allow freedom of speech and must gather testimony wherever we can. We are big enough and strong enough to be able 10 change our policy without any imputations of cowardice or inconsistency. We do not have 10 dc thing to keep up appearances We are too great and strong for that. and we ought to be too great and strong