The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1905-07-20

our former friend and fellow American.
Datto Grande:
"Datto Grande. by the way. Is waning
in the confidence of the colonel of the
Twenty-third infantry. He has borrowed
money from numerous officers and failed
to repay, attempted to run glandercd pack
ponies along the Malabang-V Wears road
lost by contractural failures his wood and
packing United States contracts. probably
been skinned at gambling and cockhghts
by both the Chinese gamostors and the
sultan of Ganassi. Some of tho of1lccrs of
the Twenty-third predict that Giande
won't pose long as the friend of Amer
leans"
1t is such backsidlng as this that dis
heartons the American people In their
work of civilizing the Philippines. Here
was Datto Grande, political leader of
prominence, welding great influence
among the citizens of Malabang; man
of intelligence, who entered with zest
and apparent aptitude upon the task of
acquiring our habits and mode of thought.
Yet, at the and OF five or six years of
constant association with the brightest
minds of the army, we find him waning
in the confidence of the colonel"
Datto Grande, like many othors who
taste the wine of freedom, imbibed too
much. He learns some things too well
and other things not well enough. HIS
ability to borrow money from numerous
officers is presumptive evidence of his
facility In acquiring American ways. but
his failure to repay makes the evidence
conclusive that he has become overcivi-
lied. Ills attempt to run glandered ponies
along the public highway reveals, on the
other hand destitution of moral respon-
sibility akin to heathenism. 1t Is evident
that the veneer of civilization has already
worn pretty thin In this respect.
1t is the statement. however, that Datto
Grande has probably" been defeated in
gambling Journeys by the sultan of Ca
nassi that makes us most pe1slmistlc.
That a prominent citizen like Datto
Grande. on such intimate terms OF asso-
citation with American army officers as to
bo able to borrow money from them,
should fail to acquire that polish and
savoir fairc required to cope with such
a clouted and beniShted rake as the sui
tan of Ganassi Is intelligence that shat
ters our fair dreams of the civilization CT
the Philippines Clearly, the mere suspi-
cion that Datto Grandc has been 'skin-
ned" justife3 the assertion that he is
waning In the confidence of the army Of
flcers lie has betrayed penury of npti-
tude that Is appalling and all the more
inexplicabe when the fact IS remembered
that he was plausible enough to Induce
army officers to finance his disastrous
operations against the sultan of Ganassl
The army officers are right In dropping
Datto Grande like a hot potato He has
grievously abused their confidence and
disappointed their hopes. But there seems
to be metal of good quality in the myste-
rious sultan of Ganassi. Might It not be
good idea to cultivate and finance him
In order that subsequent "sknnings" of
Datto Grande may yield TO the army off,
GERS portion of that which was lost? We
throw out the suggestion merely as a
guarantee of good faith and as evidence
OF our detestation of Datto Grande. He
was once our friend, and we thought he
was a shining example. But he has
waned.