Mark Twain and the Balangiga Bells

Last of a 2-part article

IN the Treaty of Paris after the pseudo-battle in Manila between the Americans and the Spaniards, the former offered $20 million which the latter accepted, for the possession and sovereignty over the whole Philippine Islands. The treaty which gave control of Cuba, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Philippines to the US government quickly changed Mark Twain’s opinion on the matter. Twain was disgusted by the fact that a war which had been meant to give freedom to the Filipinos was really a pretext for further US expansion. He fumed: