The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-09-17

Manila, Sept 1s.-The Philippine gen
eral assembly was inaugurated ut Ma
lolos yesterday with great enthusiasm.
There were thousands of visitors from
the provinces and a great display was
made.
Aguinaldo, at o'clock in the morn
.ng, entered the hall of the convent re-
Gently occupied by the Spanish local
government, 1t is an extremely plain
room, adorned only with some religious
pictures. The nsurgent leader was in
evening dress. according TO the Span
fish custom. The others wore ordinary
costumes.
Aguinaldo, who was received with
rheers and also with cries OF "vive
America" by the large crowd of ma
tives inside and outside the hall, read
d decree, conVening the members, who
included several Spaniards. He next
read a message, eulogizing the army
and thanking the friendly nations
which had set the historical example of
liberty and had assisted a downtrodden
race.
Continuing, Aguinaldo urgently and
eloquently exhorted the assembly to
follow the noblest principles" and in
voked the spirits of the martyred Fill
ippinos." The assembly then adjourned
for the day.
a Spanish delegate suggested that
business be resumed in the afternoon,
but a Filipino objected and accused
the SpaniaTd of attempting to under
mine the constitution. To this the
Spaniard replied that ne was sincere
republican and that his own desire was
the welfare of the country. Thereupon
the Filipino apologized and the pro-
.ceedings terminated.
During the afternoon many Ameri-
cans and Europeans arrived and
AguinaIdo was kept busy receiving Vis-
Itors, including the American consul. =
AGUINALDo's VIEWS.
The correspondent of the Associated
Press had d private interview with
Aguinaldo, who is extremely unwilling
TO compromise himself with the ma
tives He said that majority of the
FilippinoS had been struggling for free
dom for years and centuries and that
they now believe that their object has
been attained.
Aguinaldo professed entire ignor-
ance of the autonomous system in
vogue in the British colonies, of pro-
tectorates and OF American autonomy.
He said he was unable to understand
the idea and only understood absolute
independence" Personally, he said,
protectorate for the Philippine islands
was necessary, but he feared that the
people would be disappointed in this.
He had not studied political economy,
and knew nothing about the various
forms of government. He inquired
whether Australia was an American
colony and said he had heard of Ma
lay protectorate-
Continuing, the insurgent leader said
there was no need of protection for the
Philippine islands, because the Flip
pinos were able to cope with any army.
He admitted that ne had never seen
foreign army, with the exception of the
garrisons at Hongkong and Singapore,
and he had never seen these troops
on parade.
AMERICANS SHOULD GO.
Aguinaldo declined TO discuss the
American army and protested his un-
dying gratitude to the Americans. He
said they had come to the Philippines
to fight the Spaniards- only, and now
that they had finished the task it was
to be expected that they would return
to America He was unwilling to be-
lieve that the Americans would de-
mand a reward for an act OF human
ity and he declined to admit the neces-
sity Of quid pro quo.
The Filipino leader expressed him
self confident that the newly founded
government would build a navy Ultl-
mately. In the meantime, he said, the
great nations should protect and aid
any young nation, instead Of grabbing
her territories. II the Americans should
refuse to withdraw, the national as
sembly, he said, must decide the policy
to be pursued policy which he de-
clined to forecast.
Further conversation was prevented
by the strains of a brass band, but
General Aguinaido was interviewed
also by a dozen American journalists
and one Japanese.
A Spaniard, supposed to be an officer,
un-uniformed, traveTsed the town,
sneering at and denouncing the princi-
pie of the F'ilippinos. On his resenting
a friendly remonstrance he was placed
under arrest.
HORRIBLE TORTURES.
Several Filippinos assure the CORE
spondent that they have personally
witnessed horrible tortures at Iloilo-
the feet of natives held 70 a candle
flame for hours, electric currents ap-
piled to the most sensitive parts of the
body and various unnameable atroci-
ties-all intended to extort confession.
This is scarcely credible, but there
are numerous alleged witnesses of such
outrages and several who show scars
of recent origin and unhealed. Some
say they escaped only through bribing
The Spanish officials.
It is natural that there should be a
yearning for revenge upon the Spanish
prisoners at N1alolos, but these are not |
maltreated. The correspondent saw
several who were at perfect liberty, |
having peaceful employment and ap- |
parentIy quite content to remain.