The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1898-10-07
F|L|P|NOS FOR FREEDOM.
Reasons Why They Ask a
Hearing by the Peace
Commission.
AWAIT HOME ADVICES.
They Claim the Filipinos Are Capa-
bic of Self Government and That
They Deserve Liberty.
AWAIT HOME ADVICES.

willing to Listen to Ideas Regarding Pro-
Electorate, But Combat Them AlI-They
Have Assisted the American Arms, and
Always Regarded Them as Friends-Are
Not Controlled by Spanish or Americans.
Washington, Sept. 30.-Agoncillo, the
+ Vice-President of the Filipino's pro-
visional government and the repre-
sentative of Aguinaldo and the rev.
olutionists did not receive his advices
from Manila as he had expected. He
will make no effort to obtain an audi
ence with President Mckinley until
he receives advices from Aguinaldo.
When these arrive he will present the
request of the Filipines that they be
heard before the Paris Peace Com
mission.
In speaking of the ground for the
claim that he should be heard before
the commission, Agoncillo said to-day
that the Filipinos control the greater
part of the Philippine islands, that
they are intelligent, capable of self
government and that it is not right
that the United States should dispose
of the interests and the future of
100000 to 100000 people with
out hearing them in their own behalf.
Agoncillo stands firm for a republic
in which the Filipinos shall be the
rulers. He is willing to listen to ideas
regarding a protectorate or annex
alton, but he combats them all. The
natives, he says, have been fighting
for freedom for $50 years, ever since
the foot Of the Spaniard touched the
soil of Luzon. They do not wish to
fight America for it They believe the
American people to be just and fair.
The Filipinos have assisted the Am
erican arms. They fought side by side
with the Americans. Their blood has
soaked many battlefelds. They have
regarded the Americans as friends.
But they have been fighting for liber-
1, and they expect to attain it. They
have not continued the warfare
against the Spanish, for they respect
the American armistice. They have
not turned their arms against Amer
cans, for they desire to obtain their
independence by peaceful steps. All
they at present asked for was permits
sion to lay their case before the Peace
Commission.
Neither the Spanish nor the Am
orleans control the Philippines" said
Agoncillo. "It is the Filipinos who
control them, and they should be con-
suited before the commission under
takes to dispose of the islands. How
can the Spanish give to the Ameri-
cans what they have not got, or the
Americans return to the Spanish what
they have not taken from them? They
may say that they will dispose of us
this way or that, but how can they
without our consent? At any rate, it
would not be just, and the Americans
are just people"
Agoncillo has been amused since he
arrived in this country at the express
sions which he has heard of the opin-
ion entertained by the Americans of
the Filipinos. The people, he said,
have the idea that the Filipinos areun-
couth, rough and practically savages.
t'They apparently thought we were
cannibals," he continued, running
naked and of fierce nature. In
some places surprise was expressed
that we should dress and act like Euro
pean gentlemen.
"They forgot that the Filipinos have
advantages of wealth, that many of
them are educated at European uni
versities, that there are many pro-
fessional men among them, and that
we have had advantages of civiliza-
ton far superior to the other countries
of the Orient OF our native popula-
ton IS per cent are able to read and
write. Even in the country districts
there are many learned men, such as
doctors, lawyers, teachers, chemists,
and other professional men,
It was suggested that while he and
his secretary, Lopez, who has had
European education, were undoubted-
1y polished and well educated, the
Americans regarded them as being of
the highest type of the Filipinos, and
while there might be a few of such
type, it was the opinion that the vast
majority were of a much lower caste.
Agoncillo modestly refuted this as
sertion. "There are hundreds of
men" he said, more able than I,
much more polished, much more
learned, and much better fitted to rep
resent the F'ilipinos. I did not care to
undertake the mission on this account.
1 feared that 1 could not do justice to
the cause"