Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1902-07-04
DEsPoTIc AND CRUEL.
ment's Treatment of the People
of the Philippines.

Senator Teller is justified in repel
ling 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 deplora-
BILE facts. They are admitted by the
very men who are 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 a
whole. Senator Lodge stated only
the other day that more than 800
officers and men had been court
martialed for wrongs done the ma
tives. Here was censure of individ-
ua1 soldiers by army courts, but it
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 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 eXp1ana-
ton when he says to the republicans:
10 hi
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 a purpose to give them free
government such as other people un
der the American flag enjoy.
| So far from indicating any suck
| purpose, they have pursued 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 eXcep-
| ton of few Macabebe heather who
are hereditary enemies of the Taga1s,
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 to
justify extreme measures of cruelty
and vindictiveness.
| If we are ever to have genuine
peace in the islands 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 is
lands free American government at
the earliest possible moment.
This declaration must be accom-
panied by such 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 I'M
der any other
This is the only path to peace with
honor. It is the particular path
which Elihu Root refuses to walk in