West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1903-02-26


the Terrible Conditions That Exfst.
Plague, Pcstticncc and Famine Are
Devastatins the Islands-FaiIure OF
"beneveient Assimilation"
Tho once prosperous Philippine Is
lands have como TO sad pass. After
war. murder. torture, raplno and fire
have devastated the greater portion OF
these islands, the inevitable plague,
pestilence and famine have followed IN
their train. Two hundred and nifty thou
sand Fflipinos are said TO have been
killed In the war, and like number
have pcrishcd from the plague. How
great Is the number OF the widows and
orphans that have no providers is prob
lematical. but the number must APP
proach 100000 OF helpless onea- These
arc now dying OF hunger. and the mum.
Der IL added TO daily. for the plague has
not been stayed.
So desperate are. the conditions that
President Roosevelt has transmitted TO
congress u message incloslng letter
from Secretary Root describing tho ter
riblo conditions that prevail and asking
that special appropriation OF S3,O00.-
900 bc made FOR the relief OF the desti-
tutc. The secretary of war says:
ut seems TO me that tho, conditions
resulting from the destruction by rim
derpest or 90 per cent OF the carabaos,
the draft animals of tho islands, and
the consequent failure of the rico crop,
followed by an epidemic OF cholera. arc
so serious and distressing az To call for
action by congress beyond that for
which the commission specifically nslrs.
/ think the occasion for relief
I'm the Philippines Is now greater than
IL was In Cuba when congress appro.
prlated $3,000,000 for tho payment of
the Cuban soldiers out of tho treasury
of the United States, or than II was IN
Porto Rico when hundreds OF thousands
of dollars were contributed by the pCo-
pie OF the United States and moro than
S1,0O0.000 fslid out OF tho national
treasury for tho relief OF tho sufferers
from the hurricane OF August, 1899"
Never before has message OF pres
ident TO congress presented such sad
and disastrous condition as existing In
any OF the territory OF tho United
States-worse than Cuba nfter tho iron
despotism OF Spain and the brutality of
Weyler had devastated that fair islnnd.
Gould any parallel be worse?
The great heart of the American peo-
pie freely gavo relief to- the Cuban dis
tress and now viii respond with even
greater liberallty, for Cuba was only "
neighbor In distress, but the FiliDinos
are our own people, whom we have un-
dertnken To provide for. We bought
them with great price and have spent
hundreds OF millions to force our gov
ernment on them. We have been told
we are there TO stay whatever betides.
The moro reason they should be cared
for. There should be no delay In max
ing this appropriation TO relieve this
distress. for which we are Mt least par
tally responsible. If 100000 is not
enough, let II be doubled on even ten
fold appropriated.
The government we have instituted
IN the Philippines collects all the reve-
nues, and. sorry to relate, most OF 1t is
expended on our own officials who have
been sent there 10 administer IL. The
gilipinos arc helpless; their fate is I'm
our hands.
Whatever disposition IS 10 be made of
the Philippine Islands will be settled
hereafter. The present is no time for
quibbling on political conditions when
thousands are dying of hunger and dis
ease
The Republican administration OF
benevolent assimilation for the islands
is q failure-our chief officials acknowl-
edge &C. Instead of the pictures OF CON
tentment and good government that
have been the constant theme OF tho
iDperialists. they are now forced TO
portray impoverishment and distress.
Is II TO be wondered at that ladrones
are organized into bands, even for
plunder, with gauDt hunger stalking
through the land, up TO the gates OF
Manila7
Government OF the people without
their consent has always been dlsas-
trous TO tho governed and usually
brought misfortune 20 those who have
attempted It.