Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-03-14
a War Of subiutatlon.


a War OF subiutauon.
Even the splendid valor Of the Ameri-
can troops in climbing to the top Of a high
mountain, dragging their guns after them,
and facing superior numbers of Moros
intrenched ia the crater at the top, fails
70 arouse the enthusiasm of the people of
this country, as suoh deeds of vnlor in-
variably have done in the past
Why
Because this splendid valor, this won
derful exhibition Of determined courage
in the face Of Threatened death. wis not
employed in a righteous cause.
II is held even by military sentiment
in Washington that this savage attack
upon the entfenchcd Moros, This massacre
Of nearly a thousand men, women and
children who preferred death 10 surrender
was unnecessary and mcaled for II
; was unnecessary from tho fact that the
entrenchmontu these people ia orator
at the top Of the mountain wus also their
undoing, Thereby had they entmpped
themselves, so that it would have been an
easy matter TO beaiege them and ulti-
mntcly compel their surrender IN order 10
avoid starvation It is not conceivable
that they would have held out 20 the
point of a horrible death by starvation
In preference to giving themselves up.
40 amy rate. Il Is held, the establishment
of siege would have made ultimate cap
turc by force possible without such an
awful slaughter in which oven women
and children were included among tho
victims.
These men, women and children who
went 10 death in defence Of their homes
ar called outlaws and murdorers. But
do outlaws and murderers, as rule. fight
TO the doathin preference to surrendcrng ?
Far from TO- Even savagos and fanatics
arc amenahle to the force Of superior
numbers and the absolute impossiblity
OF escape.
And SO it IS that this GLORIOUS victory %
marked by deeds Of valor for which
American soldiers have ever been famous.
causes no responsive thrill in the hearts
OF the American people. Rather IS tbero
"a sentiment Of horror at the terrible
slaughter a feeling OF pity for the victims
of the massacre
For nearly eight years we have con
dncted our war Of conquest and subiura-
tion IN the Philippines In this time we
have adopted the methods of Russia and
those of Spain, Torture has been em-
ployed in the suhiccion OF rebeIlious
prisoners. Our armed forces have been
set loose upon sections Of the islands.
under instructions to "hll, burn and dc
stroy' and 10 "spare none over ten years
OF age And now comes the crowninr
atrocity, the slaughter Of nearly thou
sand people, old and young. regardloss
OF sex, IN q savage attack which even
military authority docs not indor.e.
Can we over conquer these people by
such bloody methods Spain. Il \
naturally recalled. tried the experiment
for more Chan three hundred years. bul
without Success We have continue,
The Spanish methods for nearly oirh
ycar. and although no havc hccn mon
successful in the way of enforcing ac
qaicscenco 10 our niic. hi.vo we been an,
moro successful n suppro-sing tho spin
of liberty and independence chat has X
long been displayed hy those uniouunat,
people
What b page Of history our operation
IN the Philippines has written 10 Is ia.
record of a people who, after centuries O
resistance TO oppression, welcomed IA
among them as their dciiverors from tn
yoke of Spain, only to find in us even mon
cruel and insistent oppressors than Spaii
had proved Instead of taking them Il
hand and planting them firmly upon In
f9lid ground Of liberty and scli-govem
mentor which. according TO high testi
mony, they arc infinitely better itte
than were the people Of Cuba-we stampe
them 10 the earth and placed the iro
heel Of the despot upon their necks
No wonder the magnificent valor Of ou
troops in the Mount Daio massacre. s
splendidly exhibited but So auiully mr
applied, fails TO arouse Joy and enihus
asm IN this country. 10 was employe
in carrying out the policy Of the hrui
and the coward.