Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1902-03-14
BENEVOLENT ASSIMILATION.

BENEVOLENT ASSIWlLA HUN.
The Olathe Mirror of the 9th inst publishes
letter from Frank Pettegrew, of Co. B, 2Is,
infantry, dated at Lpa, Philippine Islands,
January 26, 1902, III which he says
''Lipa has about $4,000 Inhabitants and is
90 miles from Manila ard IS miles from Batan-
gas, the nearest transportation by water. There
are certain towns for natives to go to, or to
concentrate in, and all outside of these towns,
or lines, ARE SHOT ON SIGHT. Every living
thng-horses, cattle, carabo, swine-are shot,
and every house burned and all crops destroyed.
All rice found iii the country is either brought
into the military posts or burned. There are
500 troops stationed here. Food is becoming
scarce for the insurgents, and night before last,
two insurgents came TO natives house on
the dead-ine end begged something to eat"
That's benevolent assimilation" for you,
after the Butcher Weyler order. Certain towns
: in which natives must concentrate, and all out
side of these towns are "shot on sight" All
dumb brures are shot, all houses burned and all
crops are destroyed.
And this is the way our government is teach
ing the Filpinos the blessings of liberty and
Christianity! A powerful government starving
weak, but liberty-loving, people into submis-
lei in the worlds history.
An Associated Press dispatch dated Manila,
March 9th, says:
"a COURT martial has been ordered to try
Major Littleton W. T. Waller and Leutenan.
John A. Day, of the marine corps, March
I7th, on the charge of executing Iatives of the
island of Samar without trial. Some of the
circumstances in the case are peculiarly afro
Nae cd fN traa ouI
licly shot in the thigh. The next day, the
ran was shot in the arms. The third day, he
was shot III the body, and the fourth day, he
was killed.
Why court-martial these officers for execut-
ing natives without trial when Private Petite
grew says it is the common practice to shoot
them OH sight when caught outside of the con-
centration towns? Why, the capture Of Ag-
uinaldo, according to Funstons own story in
the September and October numbers of Every
body's Magazine, was brought about through |
forgery treachery and MURDER butt instead of
being court-martaled, he was given brigadier-
generals commission.
The truth is the people have been most out
The first dispatch, to the effect that the Filip-
nos had opened the war by firing upon our flag
was lie, for our forces fired the first shot, and
the plea of Aguinaldo for cessation OF hostili-
tion and for peace was ignored. Next, we were
told that the war would last but few months
at most, but now three years have passed, and
still we no nearer peace than we were at the
beginning. Forty thousand human beings
have gone down in the Struggle Hundreds
of millions OF treasure has been squandered
Heavy burdens piled upon the people. Cities,
towns and homes that required generations to /
build have been destroyed. Mothers with their
little ones forced to flee to the mountains for
safety. Mourning brought to thousands of
firesides in our own land. And what for?
What justification did our forefatbers have in
their struggle for liberty generations ago that
the Filipinos have not now?
Let the cruel war stop. Give the Filipinos
their liberty, and thus prove to the world that
our Declaration Of independence is not lie.
SECRETARY LONG has resigned from the cab