Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1902-06-26
DESPOTIC N CRUEL.
ment's Treatment of the People
of the Philippines.

Senator Teller is justified in repel-
ling the accusation that those who
condemn the eruelties which have
been perpetrated in the Philippines
traduce the American army. There
is no denying certain most deplora-
BILE facts. They are admitted by the
very men who r charged with re-
sponsibility for their occurrence, says
the Chicago Chronicle.
AS Senator Teller says, the recital
of these facts involve censure of in.
dividuals in the army, but it does not
involve censure of the army as .
whole. Senator Lodge stated only
the other day that more than 300
officers and men had been court
martialed for wrongs done the ma.
tiveS. Here was censure of indiyid'
ual soldiers by army courts, but il
did not involve censure of the army
as an organization.
Mr.. Teller spoke the undeniable
truth when he said: "The very pol
icy 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 in.
clined to be cruel and vindictive.
They are very much like the rest OF
the American people in character and
disposition. 1t is the system of arbi-
trary and irresponsible military gov
eminent in the islands that has been
productive of cruelty and vindictive.
ness.
The senator suggests the eXplana-
ton when he a y to the republicans:
you have got to face this PROPOSE
ton. Give these people a 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 a purpose to give them a free
government such as other people I'm.
der the American flag enjoy.
bp Iol iloll llltlNdllhS any F'N'
purpose, they have pursued a course
calculated to make them believe they
were never to have an American free
government. Their policy has been
such as to make enemies of the en-
tire population, including those who
were disposed to welcome us as
friends.
There is too much reason to be.
lieve that in consequence of this pol
icy the Americans in the islands with
whom the natives have come much
in contact have fallen into the habit
of treating all of them with con
tempt or as enemies. with the eNcep.
ton of a few Macabebe heather who
are hereditary enemies of the Tagals.
the civilized 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 tic
justify extreme measures Oh cflell Y
and indebtedness.
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 a frank declaration OF
purpose to give the people of the is
lands free American government at
the earliest possible moment.
This declaration must be accom-.
panied by such a course of conduct,
both civil and military, as will sat
isfy the people that we mean what
we say and that they will be as
truly free and much better off in ev'
cry way under the American flag
than they ever could expect to be un'
! der any other.
This is the only path to peace will
. honor. 1t is the particular patti
, which Elihu Root refuses to walk in