Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1902-02-20
IN THE PHILIPPINES.
Rule Calls for a Change in
Our Policy.

One cannot escape the weight and
drift of Gov. Taft's testimony before
the senate committee, which is that
there is a state of persistent hostility
in the Philippines, that it will be a long
time in passing, and that thus far it
has caused US great expense, great
sacrifice of life. and, as the governor
admitted, has led to some cases of re-
taliation that are a reproach to us.
We have no doubt that what Gov. Taft
calls these %infractions of propriety"
have been committed in defiance of d.
rect orders. There would be no such
things happening between two civilized
peoples, but with an inferior oriental
race engaged in a guerilla warfare
against conquerors. the temptation to
treat captives harshly is very strong.
The governor is plainly out of pa
thence with some phases of the situa-
ton, for he thinks it is a crime
against the Filipino that a state of war
should continue, and says they have
worn out the right to any treatment
but that which is severe, within the
laws of war. This will hardly do. We
have entered the Philippines as con-
querors. There has been no growth
of our civilization there from colonists
establishing trade and having normal
relations. We have come bodily from
the outside, imposed ourselves on the
situation, and that we should be met
by guerilla warfare is the most nat
Irai thing in the world. 1t is a thing
chat occurs in the history of every
people. If we are determined to con-
quer me Philippines, we must have
patience and keep at tn work. The
testimony of others accords with the
is a large work. Stephen Bonsal, a
well-known writer for the press, en-
presses in the New York Herald. after
spending some months in the Philip
pines, the opinion that civil govern
ment in the Philippinesi is a failure, and
that its seeming triumphs are.those of
misguided optimism. 1t might not be
too long d stretch of vision to see some
thing like this between the lines of
Gov. Taft's statement.
While GOV. Taft's work has been
wise, patient and sincere, Mr.. Bonsal
holds that the Filipinos are solidly
against American supremacy in any
shape or form, and, to use his own
words, "if We do not wish to govern
them rigidly and by force for 10, 20 or
30 years, we had better hit upon a
scheme Of s%cuttle, saving appearances
as much as possible" He r%einforces
his view by reference to numerous in
stances where friendly Filipinos and
those who hold high Offices have been
found guilty of smuggling arms and
ammunition for the insurgents. He
calls attention also to the fact that the
co%nstabuiary is composed in large
measure of the insurgents who have
come in not because they are convinced
that our government is good, but be-
cause they have learned that it is bet
ter to carry an American rifle with a
salary than to stand up against an
American firing line. But they are
brothers in blood and sentiment with
the insurgents in the field, and they
will show it whenever they get oppor'
tunity.
It may be added. says the Indianap.
oils News, that private information
that is, information from men who
have been in the Philippines quite as
long as Gov. Taft, harmonizes with Mr.
Bonsal's. These men report that the
Filipinos are determined in their hos.
tility to American rule. that they have
sion. and that if we hold the islands
we have got to hold them by force
and a generation at least must pass
away before we car have the semblanct
of civil government. Of course, WE
ought to be able to discuss this sub
ject without passion. If we are hon
est we want to find out the actual con.
dition in the Philippines that we may
know what is best to do. To this enc
we must allow freedom of speech ant
must gather testimony wherever W.T.
can. We are big enough and strong
enough to be able to charge our policy
without any imputations of cowardict
or Inconsistency. We do not have to dc
a thing to keep up appearances. W.
are too great and strong for that, ant
we ought to be too great and strong
to do anything but justice.
POINTED PARAGRAPHS.