American fury in the Philippines. XXIX / Extermination

Letter of an officer who had served in the islands .
- There is no use mincing words. There are but two possible
conclusions to the matter. We must conquer and hold the islands or get
out. The question is, Which shall it be? If we decide to stay, we must
bury all qualms and scruples about Weylerian cruelty, the consent of
the governed, etc., and stay. We exterminated the American Indians,
and I guess most of us are proud of it, or, at least, believe the end
justified the means; and we must have no scruples about exterminating
this other race standing in the way of progress and enlightenment, if
it is necessary.