fast his most important hostages. If
he personally desired to release the priests, he probably would
not venture to do it. He is not so silly as to believe in his own
inviolability by bullets, and digestion of poisons; and those who are
such savages as to confide in these superstitions are not unlikely
to try experiments just to strengthen their faith. The potentiality
of Aguinaldo as a personage is not so great as has been imagined,
and if he attempts a rally against the American flag he will be found
full of weakness.

The Archbishop, I was told, had much pleasure in meeting an American
he was assured would attempt to be entirely just, and present
him according to his own declarations to the people of the United
States. He knew very well, unquestionably, the stories circulated
in the American camps, that his voice had been loudest and last
in urging hopeless war, in telling impossible tales of visionary
Spanish reinforcements, and denouncing the Americans as "niggers"
and "pigs." It is a fact that Spaniards have cultivated the notion
among the rural Filipinos, that Americans are black men, and pigs
is their favorite epithet for an American. The radical enemies of
His Grace are, no doubt, responsible for unseemly stories about his
animosities, for that he and those around him were sincere in their
respect for, and gratitude toward the American army of occupation,
for its admirable bearing and good conduct, was in itself too obviously
true to be doubted.

CHAPTER VIII

Why We Hold the Philippines.

The Responsibility of Admiral Dewey--We Owe It to Ourselves to Hold
the Philippines--Prosperity Assured by Our Permanent Possession--The
Aguinaldo Question--Character Study of the Insurgent Leader--How
Affairs Would Adjust Themselves for Us--Congress Must Be Trusted to
Represent the People and Firmly Establish International Policy.

If Admiral Dewey, after obeying the order of the President to destroy
the Spanish fleet at Manila, had steamed away and sought a station
to get coal to drive him somewhere else, there would have been no
Philippine question on the other side of the world from Washington
City. The Admiral desired to keep open telegraphic communication,
and made a proposition to that effect, but the Spanish authorities
curtly refused. Then the cable was cut by order of the Admiral, a
section removed, and both ends marked by buoys. Reflection caused the
Spaniards to regret that they had not consented to ke