inaldo
that he was bought and paid for, but he has maintained the fund,
though there were those professors of rebellion, who made claims
to a share of the money. The second installment of the money that
the rebels were to have been paid is yet an obligation not lifted,
and the hostilities were revived as soon as the craft of the Spanish
negotiators in promising everything because they meant to do nothing,
became obvious. The actual proceedings in this case can be summed up
in a sentence: The Spaniards took four hundred thousand dollars out
of the Bank of Spain and gave it to the insurgents, for a temporary
armistice. General Aguinaldo, though he appears very well in refusing
to employ the money paid by Spain as a bribe for himself, has not
the elements of enduring strength as the leader of the insurgents. As
against the Spaniards he can keep the field, and carry on a destructive
guerilla warfare, hopeless on both sides, like that going on in Cuba,
when that island was invaded by the American army. But as against
American rule the Philippines would cease to be insurgents. The
islanders will not be controlled by sentimentalism. Government by the
United States would differ from that by Spain, as the two nations are
different in character, in the nature of their political institutions,
in their progressive movement. America is all active and free, and her
freedom would be extended to the islanders. The transformation would
be one from the paralysis of despotism to the life of liberty. The
words despotism and freedom would instantly have a distinct business
meaning. Make known in the city of Manila that the Americans will
abandon it, and the reviving hopes of the men of affairs would be
instantly clouded, and the depression deepen into despondency and
despair. Let it be the news of the day that the Americans will stay,
and the intelligence of the city would regard its redemption as
assured, every drooping interest revive, and an era of prosperity
unknown under the dismal incompetency of Spain, open at once. It is
legitimate that there should be freedom of speech as to the details
of the proceedings. If our Government should do what Admiral Dewey
did when he was the master of Manila, because he had annihilated the
Spanish fleet and had the power to destroy the city--cast anchor and
stay where we are already in command--the task is neither so complex
nor costly as its opponents claim. Our territorial system is one easy
of appl