Dr. Stiggins:
motto is, as you are aware, "the end justifies the means"? Well, that being so, I repeat that America freed the Filipinos from Spanish tyranny. They didn't want to be free after the American pattern of freedom? So much the worse for them. What they want is not of the slightest consequence to anybody. Haven't you seen it laid down by a consensus of Liberal journalists and politicians that the Chinese coolies in South Africa are miserable slaves who pant for freedom? It is true that the coolies themselves decline to be free; but that, as you will have seen, does not affect the question in the least. So, if the Filipinos, as you say, object to be free citizens of the greatest country in the world, they must be convinced of their error by such methods of suasion as are available. But I do not believe for a moment in the report that the American soldiers tortured their prisoners; and if large quantities of water were poured down the throats of these misguided persons with the very laudable object of gaining important information, I am sure that
30