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strongest is by Mr. Edwin D. Mead, from which we make the following extracts:

You characterize as "A Foul Aspersion' the utterance of a certain newspaper asking us to "have an end of this twaddle about benevolent assimilation and all the rest." "It is an ill bird that fouls its own nest," is your comment; "it is a poor patriotism that slanders its own people ;" and you ask what the American people have ever done that would justify such criticism and suspicion. I suppose you would readily enough admit that every great people but ourselves have fallen into sin again and again, in spite of having splendid things in their records. Prussia surely was a miserable sinner when she took a hand in the partition of Poland, despite the fact that Martin Luther

made a still more heroic fight for liberty than George Washington; and it would have been no adequate answer to the Prussian critic who said so to tell him that "it is an ill bird that fouls its own nest." France has great names in her history-Danton, Lafayette, and others; and great words in her vocabulary-liberty, equality, and fraternity; but do they make the Tonquin affair "benevolent"? Italy is the Italy of Dante and Mazzini; but that does not answer Gladstone's Neapolitan Letters of 1853, nor the charges of equal tyranny spread at length in your columns in 1899. England is the England of Magna Charta and the Commonwealth and Gladstone; but from the time of King John to Joseph Chamberlain and Cecil Rhodes, she has been up to her knees in deviltry, and only kept from being up to her neck by the plain exposure and stern rebuke of those faithful patriots among her citizens who would not call evil good and good evil. The high warrant for the charges which you denounce as wicked and absurd are the utterances of Mr. Denby, the real head and hand of the President's Philippine Commission. "The cold, hard, practical question alone remains," are his exact words, will the possession of these islands benefit us as a Nation? If it will not, set them free to-morrow, and let their people, if they please, cut each other's throats." He is the real force

in the Commission, the one man of diplomatic

and business experience, the student of Pacific trade and politics, the influential man. You are doubtless familiar with the interview with Mr. Denby published in the San Francisco papers the middle of February, on the eve of his sailing, when he reiterated these sentiments in the most sweeping and most brutal form. EDWIN D. MEAD.

New England Magazine, Boston, Mass.

We put little confidence in "interviews" of absentees, especially when they attribute sentiments so atrocious to men of public repute. The sentiments and purposes of the Commission have been officially declared by its President, Dr. Schurman, and by official acts, and by these the Commission is to be judged; he sentiments and purposes of the Ad

ministration have been officially dec by the President, by members of the inet, and by official acts, and by thes Administration is to be judged: ne are to be judged by newspaper inter such as the one from which Mr. 1 quotes. Doubtless a nation is to b buked for its sins. But when the que is raised as to the motive which ani it in public acts which may be ins by either noble or ignoble motives ignoble motive is not to be presume the case of a Nation whose public National life has been generally ins by noble motives. This also answer following letter:

Do you believe that our course in g possession of those islands is to any ext entirely by the desire to keep them from philanthropic one, and is not dictated a ing into the hands of another power, t velop them commercially, to maintain enlarge our influence and our trade in C and so, to use the somewhat offensive p lining our own pockets"? You say: of the Chattanooga "Times," "help to American people won liberty for thems in the American Revolution, and straigh opened their doors to the oppressed other lands, and invited the poor to shar wealth of the new continent on equal te etc. Do these words mean that you b that we will open our doors in a similar ner to the Filipinos and to the other na of the archipelago?

STEPHEN CHA

They mean that we believe tha Filipinos will be governed for their fit, whatever that benefit may inv We do not believe that a minority cient to be counted even under the of "scattering" in a Presidential tion can be found in the United S to support a war waged for comm advantages. The motive which ani an overwhelming majority of the porters of this war is the sense of Na honor and the obligations of the N to the people of the Philippine Isl We reaffirm this also, in the face c in response to the following letter:

You have asserted that the invading are overthrowing anarchy and restoring we answer that they are overthrowing and restoring anarchy. The question a is entirely one of fact, and on your si have only cited the now discredited pro tion that all foreign residents in the pines should be slaughtered. General R mation, if issued at all, no more represe attitude of the Filipino authorities tha

statement has made it clear that this

eral Shafter's reported willingness to kill half the Filipinos in order to subjugate the rest represents the attitude of The Outlook. There is left no official report-though these reports are all animated by the spirit of conquest— which even indicates that Aguinaldo's government means anarchy. On the other hand, there have been a succession of such reports showing that Aguinaldo's government established order till our troops restored the anarchy of the old rebellion, such as the following:

He [Aguinaldo] has made life and property safe, preserved order, and encouraged a continuation of agricul tural and industrial pursuits. He has made brigandage and loot impossible, respected private property, forbidden excess, either in revenge or in the name of the State, and made a woman's honor safer in Luzon than it has been in three hundred years.-Consul Wildman.

He [Aguinaldo] has organized a government which has practically been administering the affairs of that great island since the American occupation of Manila, and which is certainly better than the former administration; he has a properly formed Cabinet and Congress, the members of which in appearance and manners would compare favorably with Japanese statesmen.-Ex-Minister Barrett.

After waiting five days [January 3], I was brought an answer,... that the government of Panay and Iloilo had concluded not to permit the occupation of it by the United States troops without armed resistance. Meantime the natives had occupied Fort Iloilo with troops. Within less than an hour before I received this message, I had also received orders from Major-General Otis to the effect that in case I was not permitted to peacefully occupy the city to attack and take it. At about the same time I received a letter from the business people of Iloilo, principally the foreigners, stating that good order was being maintained, life and property being protected, and requesting me not to attack at present.-BrigadierGeneral Miller.

OHIO.

The existence of the "now discredited proclamation" calling for the extermination of all foreigners was officially certified to by General Otis, and is now reaffirmed by General Harrison Gray Otis, who says that he himself secured a copy of it. Since the Aguinaldo government had not power to prevent the posting of such a proclamation, we may well doubt its power to prevent the execution of the proclamation. Nor must it be forgotten that the expansionist believes that America is responsible for the protection of life and property in the Philippines, and has no right to take the risk involved in surrendering that authority to a government which is at best only an experiment.

We have heretofore given the official evidence that the United States was not the aggressor in this war; that it acted strictly on the defensive; that it simply protected from attack the city of Manila, for which it was clearly responsible, and fired no gun until an attempt was made to break through the protecting lines and capture the city. The following letter from an eye-witness, Captain W. H. Ackis,

of the Fifty-fifth Iowa Infantry, repeats and confirms this statement:

This talk about the American troops bringing on the conflict is all nonsense. Such forbearance as the natives received was never before shown to any people. Any other nation in the world would have slaughtered thousands of them where we never even fired a shot. During all those weeks that our troops were around the city, there was hardly a night but what the natives advanced their sentinels up to our lines and even tried to get past them; and this was done in spite of any number of agreements that they were to occupy certain terri tory and our troops were to do the same, and neither side was to make any advance. For them to violate such an agreement with any other nation would have been regarded as a declaration of war, and it would have been a war of extermination. But what did our troops do? They simply compelled them to return to the position they had agreed to occupy, and not a shot was fired-not a native killed. But such acts, repeated day after day, created a feeling of distrust toward the natives. Our soldiers felt that they were treacherous and could not be trusted to any extent; and the natives kept getting bolder and more impudent. At last it came to a climax. When a native officer tried to march some of his men past our outpost and refused to halt when challenged, they were fired upon, and soon there was a general engagement.

The kind of liberty the Tagal oligarchy is fighting for Captain Ackis illustrates by the following incident:

At the east end of Cavite is a Spanish navyyard which Dewey has been running for the repair of his ships here. It is quite an institution, and before February 4 it employed about a thousand natives, who lived over in San Roque. When the trouble occurred at Manila, the insurgents at San Roque refused to allow Dewey's workmen to come across the causeway to work in the navy-yard.... All Dewey asked was that their own people be allowed to work at what was no doubt the best place they had ever had, and certainly the best pay they had ever received-for the Spaniards were poor paymasters. But rather than allow their own people to earn a better living than they had ever done before, these stroyed their homes and the accumulations of simple-minded, ignorant, deluded savages degenerations.

To all our readers we counsel an even temper, an open mind, a frank recognition of the fact that there are honest, sincere, patriotic Americans on both sides of this Philippine question, and that it cannot be settled by calling each other names or imputing to each other base motives. We bring this correspondence to a close by printing here extracts from two letters, the contrast between them showing the con

trasted points of view of the expansionist and the anti-expansionist:

THE EXPANSIONIST

It is a positive evidence that the day of universal brotherhood is coming when we see civilized and Christian nations forcing barbarous peoples to respect law and order. And civilized and Christian nations are the only ones to grapple with this question. From the position I take, any other course than that at present pursued by the United States in the Philippines would be selfish and mean; and it is only selfishness of the most sordid kind that prevents every man in this country from indorsing that course. Every man in this country ought to be proud that he is an American citizen, in view of what has transpired in the last few months. Every man in this country ought to be proud that he belongs to a Nation with an idea, and that that idea has led this Nation to the position of a world-civilizer-a world-Christianizer. I am glad to see the position The Outlook takes on this question. I believe you have a majority of the people in this country with you.

Bradford, Pa.

L. C. BLAKESLEE.

THE ANTI-EXPANSIONIST

The principle for which our Revolutionary fathers fought is at stake. I make no comparison of persons, but there is a marked anal ogy in the situation in our land in 1776 and in the Philippines to-day. Then George the Third was determined to enforce his sway over the colonies; then he promised material help and protection; the obnoxious taxes had, for the most part, been repealed; the colonists refused to submit, not because of grievous wrongs, but because they demanded their God-given rights. Many in this country sided with the King, and some of the noblest leaders in England pleaded the cause of the colonists. So to-day we promise aid, help, material development; but we say, Submit or die. And these Filipinos reply by throwing themselves again and again against our arms. They will die by the thousands. Some of them would submit, like the Revolutionary Tories; and, on the other hand, some of our truest, noblest statesmen to-day are denouncing this shameful treason to the corner-stone of our institutions, and pleading, not for the Filipino so much as for their own blood-bought land and principles-for the land of Washington and of Lincoln, for the land of Lexington and Valley Forge and Yorktown and Antietam and Gettysburg and Appomattox. England had more excuse to compel our allegiance, for we had been her subjects; these people never have submitted to us. EDWARD C. CAMP. Whitman, Mass.

With this publication we have endeavored to give a full and fair showing to the positions of the critics of The Outlook, answering them only so far as was necessary to make clear our position on this subject.

The "Lost Tribes "

We have two letters seriously qu ing Dr. Abbott's statement, April 2 974, of the futility of search for the tribes" of Israel. One letter spe lectures that have roused public by identifying the lost tribes with Anglo-Saxons. Another requests believe, on the strength of a m Bible texts, that the authority of th stands or falls with the belief th twelve tribes will yet be reunite nation for all time. As to this last: distinguish between what can fairly out of the Bible by an unbiased hi interpretation, and what can be p read into it by one to whom a t text, irrespective of the limits set

context.

(2) We utterly dissent f idea that the authority of the B pends on the fulfillment of every tion introduced by "Thus saith the Compare Ezekiel xxvi., 7-14, an 17-20. Recognizing in his seco diction the failure of the first, settles it for us that " Thus saith the

in the mouth of the Hebrew prop simply the prophet's utterance of deepest assurance, but not alway pledge to the prophet's words. A identification of the lost tribes Anglo-Saxons, it compares well w Milton's carrying his History of back to "Brute, the Trojan."

Readers of 2 Kings xvii. mig clude that the ten tribes were tra en masse to Assyria. But 2 CH xxx. shows otherwise. Five tri there mentioned as still in Palest bidden to attend the Passover at lem. Most of the nation, doub mained. By intermarriage with the who were colonized there they a population of semi-Jewish ch These were the Samaritans of time, detested by orthodox Jews half-breeds and heretics. They lost to history through absorption termarriage with other peoples changes wrought by many wars. prevented the Judean Jews from b similarly lost was the barrier of or (particularly against intermarria aliens) erected in Ezra's time. tion of the lost tribes, as our con ents present it, is not sustain thorough Biblical study.

FOR THE LITTLE PEOPLE

Fairy Stars

By Kate Whiting Patch

See how they twinkle and dance and shine! Father says they are fireflies bright, And mother thinks they are fairy lamps To light the elves of a summer night When they meet to frolic and dance and play,

Safe in the grasses hidden away.

But I believe they are fairy stars

That twinkle and shine in the fairy sky; For the elves have the tiniest little eyesI'm sure they never could chance to spy The great blue sky that our eyes can see, Or stars that twinkle for you and me.

A Small Life

By Nanci Lewis Greene

Margery was spending a week with her grandmother in the country, and had enjoyed country life as only a city-bred child could, as long as the weather was bright; but it had now rained for two days, keeping her indoors, and she stood at the window looking out on the wet lawn disconsolately.

There was a tank down in the pasture which held three feet of water; its brim was on a level with the ground, and Faust, the bird-dog, was looking down into it, Wondering what he could see to bark at in such a place, Margery put on her hat and went down to the tank, peering anxously over the edge, while Faust became more and more excited. At first she could see nothing, then, looking closer, what do you think she saw? Swollen by the rains, the water was high, but floating placidly upon a bit of plank was a tiny, rain-drenched mouse, with very bright black eyes, and a very chilled expression indeed. Margery imagined she was sent to rescue him, just as people in books are sent to rescue shipwrecked heroes and heroines, and she did not have the heart to leave him to his fate after the terrors which she was sure he had experienced during the night. There was the tiny

hero, and there was the deep sea tossing his raft about; so she got a dipper, tied it to a pole, and lowered it to the rescue. Would you believe it, he seemed to understand and welcome the help offered? He stood on his hind legs and climbed into the dipper almost before it touched the water, and did not attempt to jump out when Margery brought him to land. He did not even seem aware of her presence, for he was extremely busy rubbing his wet jaws with his tiny paws and shaking his wet fur. When Faust was not looking, she turned him loose in some dry straw and let him finish his toilet at home.

The War-Ship Dewey

It was the Fourth of July, and every boy and girl was celebrating. meant a good many boys and girls, for there were tall tenements on each side of the street. The middle of the block suddenly became the center of interest. A small boy knelt on the sidewalk with a small, home-made war vessel. The boat itself was a flat piece of board whittled out with a knife. Fastened to it firmly by pieces of wire were six empty spools, the holes in the spools being the bore of the cannons which they represented. Two very large spools, such as are used for wire, were mounted on the upper deck with the bores pointing over the bow. The upper deck was a narrow board raised on spools. A staff from which floated a small American flag was in the middle of the boat, and at the stern floated a Union Jack, not quite as well furnished with stars as it would have been if bought. You knew by the look of pride in a small girl's face, when this flag was referred to, that she had made it. Firecrackers were set in the bore of each cannon, but to the fuse of each was added a long piece of tarred cord. The war-ship was placed on the curb, the punk lighted, the crowd all compelled to move back, and then the young naval constructor lighted each cord and ran back. Every spectator leaned forward anxiously, while the designer and

At

maker of the war-ship was pale with through the manual of arms; he can excitement. the commands perfectly. The so adopted the plan of giving him mon extra service. He took all his mone day and returned to camp dressed i gaudiest colors; about the crown hat were bright ribbons that reach his waist. Petro will sit for hours lo at pictures.

Slowly, slowly, the tiny blaze and smoldering cord crept to the cannon fuse. last each fuse caught; there was a moment of anxious waiting, then a tremendous bang which made all the spectators jump; the war-ship sprang into the air and then struck the sidewalk, but unharmed. It stood the test. This was voted a great success, and the little barefoot, ragged owner named his war-ship Dewey. "I wouldn't called her that if she'd been broken," he said. The Dewey bombarded the forts, made of dirt and paper, all day, and was in good fighting condition July fifth, but there was no money left to buy ammunition.

Another Filipino Boy

A soldier in the Philippines who reads The Outlook, and is interested in children, has sent a description of a little boy who is familiar in the camp. He says the little boys from five to ten years of age in Manila used to come to camp to gather the food the soldiers left. For this purpose they carried tin cans. The soldiers would give them the food on condition that they did some work about the camp; usually they washed the dishes. The soldiers were allowed as much food as they wanted, and it became the habit to take large helpings, that these hungry boys might be fed. For in Manila, as in Cuba, there were hungry boys. One boy, Petro Annilio, an orphan, was temporarily adopted by our soldiers. His parents were killed by Spanish soldiers when he was a baby, and no one seemed to have charge of him. These soldiers clothed him, and though he could not speak English, the little boy was made to understand that he belonged to these soldiers. He understood English in a very short time, but he did not learn to speak it readily. Now, these soldiers did what you will think was wrong. When they were ordered to Iloilo, they smuggled the boy aboard the transport; he was so friendless, so lonely, that it seemed to them cruel to leave him. He is devoted to soldiers and everything that has to do with military life. He has learned how to go

The Filipinos, like every other p have their favorite form of amuse Our people, being made up of many ples, have taken golf from the S football from the English, and deve baseball as a National game. fighting is the favorite pastime o Filipinos. This small boy had two cocks. The soldiers, knowing th would not understand if they tried to away his pets, or what to him wa what bat and ball are to an Am boy, let him keep them, and trust teaching him better forms of play. the time came for the soldiers to home, Petro wanted to come home them until he learned that they wou be soldiers; then his desire was great.

The soldiers are so proud of hir they will try to bring him home and cate him. He is so bright and teac that they think he would make a va citizen. At any rate, they love hin no one else does.

A Curious Saw

We hardly ever think of diamon useful, though most of us know diamond will write on glass, and w glass. In Paris there is in user diamond saw for cutting stones. saw is circular, and the diamonds a in the edge, forming the cutting te the saw. The saw or circular stee revolves about three hundred tin minute. Steam is the motive p These diamonds are not the clear, iant, beautiful crystals such as we s in jewelry; but they have the red hardness and cutting quality to d work; there are about two hundr these diamond teeth in the saw. value for this work is that they ca stone faster than the steel teeth.

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