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Prof. Dean C. Worcester

Prof. Dean C. Worcester image
Parent Issue
Day
17
Month
November
Year
1899
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

           Says Americans are Waging
                       a Humane War.

                      ________________

                    THE PHILIPPINE WAR

                      ________________

                 Is Waged by one Tribe Only
                which Represents Less than
                     a Sixth of Population.

                      ________________

Prof. Dean C. Worcester, of the university, spoke on the Philippine question in Chicago last evening. In answering those who criticised American posseession of the islands, he stated that members of Aguinaldo 's own cabinet testified before the commission to the fact that even in his proclamation of June 18 he freely admitted that 110 American had ever promised him independence for his people.
He continued with the statement that Consul Pratt was willing to make oath he had never made the promises to Aguinaldo he was said to have made.
The only co-operation against the Spanish was that each fought a common foe. The Americans required no help to take Manila. It lay completely at the mercy of Dewey's guns. Soldiers were required to occupy it, not to take it. Prof. Worcester said :

'I have no hesitation in saying that the United States did infinitely more than Aguinaldo' army toward driving out and destroying Spanish power in the Philippine Islands. If our claim to sovereignty was shadowy, what shall we say as to the claim of a tribe representing less than one-sixth of the population of the islands ; and exercising jurisdiction over but a small part of the Philippine territory?"

As showing the bloody work of the insurgents, Prof. Worcester said :

"At the time I left Manila, the province of Batabgas was overrun with thieves and murderers. No attempt was being made to enforce law and order.
The public schools were abandoned.
Forced contributions had been wrung from the people at the bayonet point until many of thein were ruined.
Unwilling contributors had been punished by having their hands hacked off, and even by being buried alive.
The individual houses in such important towns as Taal were intrenched in order that the inhabitants might defend themselves against their neighbors.
The military governor of the province, although a Tagalog and an insurgent, had characterized the condition existing as 'complete anarchy' and had repeatedly sent in secret to Manila, asking for aid to restore order, and promising to surrender with his troops if he would only dispatch a small force to his aid"
The speaker denounced as false statements that the Americans had no friends among the Filipinos, and declared we had many good, true friends among the leading Filipinos. He proceeded:

"I hear it said if only a small fraction of Philippine population is in arms against us, and if the great majority of the people are ready to accept American sovereignty, why is it that we are compelled to send a great army to the islands ?
I answer, first, because we are waging the most humane war in history. If it were simply a matter of killing, we should not need so large an army. two regiments of troops could go where they choose in the island of Luzon today and kill to their hearts content without serious risk.
It is because we are attempting to protect the peaceable inhabitants from the depredations of the lawless that we require so large a force.

"Finally, a word as to the way out. Is it conceivable that we should withdraw our troops, abandoning our friends to certain vengeance of our enemies, and the people at large to civil war and utter anarchy ?
There can be but one answer to this question.
Our troops must stay until armed resistance has ceased and public confidence has been fully restored. The day will come, sooner or later, when native soldiers, under American officers, or under officers of their own, will do a large share of the work that remains to be done.

"In closing, let me say that there does not live an anti-imperialist who has a more sincere regard for the people of the Philippine Islands or a keener interest in their present and future welfare than myself.
I have great faith in them.
I believe that under our guidance they will make rapid progress in civilization and will soon be able to take an important share in the burden of their country, but I know if the full weight of that burden were thrown upon them today they would inevitably sink under it."