Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-09-17

| AN ELOQUENT ADDRESS BY AGU1N-
ALDO, WHO WAS GREETED WITH
CHEERS AND SHOUTS OF APPRO-
BATON FOR AMERICA-AGUIN-
ALDO ADMITS THAT HE is NOT A
STUDENT OF POLITICAL ECONO-
MY AND METHODS AND DE-
CLARES HE CAN UNDERSTAND
NOTHING BUT ABSOLUTE INDIE
PENDENCE-SAYS THE PHILIP
PINES NEED NO PROTECTORATE.
Manila, September 16.-The Philip
pine National Assembly was inaugural
ed at Malolos yesterday with great en-
thusiasm. There We're thousands of
visitors from the provinces and a great
display was made. Aguinaldo, at nine
O'Clock in the morning, entered the
| hall of the convent recently occupied
by the Spanish local government.
1t is an extremely plain room, adorn-
ed only with some religious pictures.
The insurgent leader was in evening
dress, according to the Spanish Gus
tom. The others wore ordinary COS
tunes.
Aguinaldo, who was received with
cheers and also with cries of. Viva
America" by the large crowd of ma
| tives inside and outside the hall, read
a decree converting the members, who
included several Spaniards. He next
and thanking the friendly nations
which set the historical example of
| liberty and had assisted a down-trod-
| den race.
Continuing, Aguinaldo urgently and
J eloquently eXhOrted the assembly to
follow the noblest principles and in
| voked the Spirits of the martyred
Filipinos.
The assembly then adjourned for the
| day.
A Spanish delegate suggested that
| business be resumed in the afternoon,
/ but Filipino objected and accused
! the Spaniard of attempting to under
mine the constitution. To this the
Spaniard replied that he was a sincere
| republican and that his only desire was
the welfare of the country. Thereupon
the Filipino apolc gized and the pro-
| ceedings terminated.
During the afternoon many Ameri-
! cans and Europeans arrived and Agu-
inaldo was kept busy receiving visi-
| tors, including the American consul.
The correspondent OF the Associated
Press had a private interview with Ag-
uinaldo, who is extremely unwilling to
compromise himself with the natives.
IL tl,ot w.t. - 4 h.
had been struggling for freedom for
years and centuries, and that they now
believe that object has been obtained.
Aguinaldo protested entire ignorance
| of the autonomous systems in vogue in
| the British colonies, Of protectorates
and of American State autonomy He
said he was unable to understand the
| idea and only understood absolute in
dependence" Personally, he believed a
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 CT government. He inquired
whether Australia was an American
colony and said he had never heard of
Malay prOtectO1ate.
Continuing, the insurgent leader said
there was no need of protection for the
Philippine islands. because the Fill
pinos were able to cope with any army.
He admitted that. he had never seen a
| foreign army, with the exceptions of
| the garrisons at Hong Kong and Singa
pore. and he had never seen these
troops on parade.
Aguinaldo declined to discuss the
American army and protested his I'M
dying gratitude to the Americans
He said they had come to the Phil
| ippines 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 I'M
| willing to believe that the Americans
! would demand reward for an act of
| humanity and he declined to admit the
necessity of a Quid pro quo.
The Filipino leader expressed himself
confident that the newly founded gov
| eminent would build navy ultimately.
! In the meantime, he said the great ma
tions should protect and aid a young
nation instead of grabbing her terri
! tories. If the Amedicans should refuse
to withdraw, the national assembly, he
said, must decide the policy to be pur-
| sued-a policy which he declined to
! forecast.
| Further conversation was prevented
| by the strains of brass band, but Gen.
Aguinaldo was interviewed also by a
| dozen American journalists and one
Japanese.
A Spaniard. supposed to be an Off
GER unauthorized. traversed the town.
| sneering and denouncing the principal
| Filipinos. On his resenting a friendly
remonetrance, he was placed under ar
| rest
| Several Filipinos assure this CORE
| spondent that they have personally
witnessed horrible tortures at Iloilo.
| the feet Of natives held to a candle
| flame for hours, electric current applied
to the most sensitive parts of the body
| and various unnamed cruelties. all in
! tended to extort confessions This is
/ scarcely credible. but there are numer-
Gus alleged. witnesses of such outrages
and several who show scars of recent
origin and unhealed Some say they
escaped only through bribing the Span
| ish officials
| It is natural that there should be a
| yearning for revenge upon the Spanish
prisoners at Malolos, but these are not
ma1treated The cOrreSpC0dant saw.