The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1898-07-14
SOME HISTORY
Aguinaldo's Representative in
London Tells of Some Nego-
tiations With Spain.
800 ..t s--.. Er."
Agreement Made For Certain
Reforms Which Never
Came,
And For Which Aguinaldo and
Others Agreed to Expatriate
Themselves.
The United States Will Be Elk
pected to Inaugurate
Them. '


dos leaders in the last Philippine re.
volt is living iucognito in London, and
practically acting as Aguinaldo's agent,
being in receipt of constant kilograms
and letters from Cavite Questioned
on the Philippine situation by repre-
sentative of the Associated Press, he
said:
"The Philippine republic was pro.
claimed in October, 1896, and it's first
president was Andreas Bonifacio.
When he died, over year ago, Aguin.
aldo was elected president and COM
mander-in-chief. On the arrival of
Captain General Primo de Rivera, that
officer adopted policy of bringing the
rebellion to an end by means of con-
cessions, force having failed.
"Oar leaders were approached and
the result Was the pact of Biaona bato,
so called from the village where it was
signed on Dec. IA, 1897.
Denied Promising Any Reforms.
"Senor Sagasta the other day denied
that in that pact General Rivera prom
| ised any reforms. Here is an official
copy of the pact, wherein is promised
the Punishment or at least the disband.
ing of the religious orders; Philippine
representation in the cortes; the same
same administration of justice for the
native as for the Spaniard; unity of
laws between the Philippines and
Spain; the natives to share the chief
Offices of the Philippine civil admins
tration; Encouragement Of the property
of the Friars and of the taxes in favor
of the natives; recognition of the indi-
vidual rights of the natives, with lib.
erty of public meeting and of the press,
and general amnesty. These sum up
the native grievances. and are what we
shall expect the Americans will insti-
tute.
Agreed to Expatsiate Themselves.
''For those reforms Aguinaldo and
the other leaders promised that if Ri
vera carried out the pact, they would
expatriate themselves for three Years
and foment no movement against Span
! ish authority during that time. Upon
the rebels surrendering their arms, am
munition, forts, etc., Aguinaldo was to
receive 10000 pesetas. This money
Aguinaldo deposited in the Hong Kong
and Chinese bank at Hong Kong, not
for his personal use, but as fund, the
interest of which--in case the captain
general carried out his part of the pact
| " Iouoto1 to tho o1-o e
natives in England. In case the pact
was not fulfilled by the Spaniards, the
money was to be used for arms and
ammunition for the rebellion. The
captain general never proclaimed
general amnesty, denied the existence
of the pact, and shot several rebel lead
ers who returned to Manila on the
strength of it.
"Since the renewal of the rebellion,
under the inspiration of Admiral
Dewey's victory. the present captain
general has approached Aguinaldo and
his leaders and promised that if they
would make common cause against the
Americans. he would carry out the re-
forms stated in the pact. AS mark of
bona fides, he created a legislative
council to which he nominated 20 lead
ing ministers of the Philippine repub.
lie. All ,overtures were scornfully re-
| jected.
German Pretensions Preposter0us.
"The German pretensions are simply
preposterous. They are practically
little more than peddlers. All the large
mercantile houses are English, who
have in their hands three-fourths, bulk
and value, of the commerce. The
| banks, railroads, telegraphs, cable and
local steamship lines are English; the
| cotton mills belong to the English and
| the English control the sugar and
hemp trade. The Germans are trying
| for some of the heavier trade, bat have
not capital ar credit. There is only one
American house in Manila. There is
only one Russian subject in the islands.
Up to now Spanish has been the
official language, but by last weeks
mail, Aguinaldo intends as far as the
republic is concerned, to substitute
English.
| Root Cause of RebeIlious.
.'The root cause Of the P hilippine re-
bellions has always been the steady de-
privation of the natives of their rights
by the Spaniards. Year by year Sc
curity for life and property has dimin-
ished Particularly so as to the native
friar in the Philippine islands. The
Spanish friars too, have sent to Spain
all the monastery wealth they could
dispose of, particularly that willed to
the monasteries by rich natives. Then,
| too, the persecution of the Free Masons
by the friars caused the g, 900
Masons being lodged in Jail at the in
stance of the friars and loaded with
irons. Besides no promise ever made
| by the Spaniards with the natives has
been kept. quit "