Evening star., 1898-07-09
One Was Entered Into by De Rivera
and Aguinaldo.
SPANIhRDS PLAYED HIM FALSE
The Root Cause Of the Rebellion
in the Islands.
o V TURES SCORNED
IcOpyright, 1895. by the Associated press.1

loopsnght' ls9s, by the Associated Press
Correspondence OF the Associated Press
LONDON, July 2.-One of ASu,nal,io's
leaders in the last Philippine revolt is liy-
ing incognito in London. and practically
acting as Aguinaldo's agent, being in re-
ceipt OF constant kilograms and letters
from Cavite. Questioned on the Philippine
situation by representative of the Asso-
ciated Press, he said:
The Philippine republic was proclaimed
In october. 1895, and its first president was
Andreas Bonifacio. When he died. over a
year ago Aguinaido was elected president
and commander-in-chief On the arrival Of
Captain General Primo de Rivera that OH
GER adopted a policy OF bringing the rebel
lion to an end by means of concessions.
force having failed.
Our leaders were approached and the
result was the compact of Biaonabatio. so
called from the village wherein IL was
signed, on December IL, 1897.
The Promised Reforms.
''Senor Sagasta the other day denied
that in that pact General Rivera prom
ised any reforms Here is an official copy
or that pact wherein in the eighth clauses
are promised the banishment, or at least
the oisbarding, Of the religious orders:
Philippine representation In the cortes; the
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 administration; rearrange-
ment of the property of the friars and OF
the taxes in favor OF the natives: recogni-
ton of the individual rights of the natives,
with liberty Of public meeting and Of the
press, and a general amnesty. These sum
up the native grievances and are what we
shall expect the Americans will institute
For those reforms Aguinaldo and the
other leaders promised that IL Rivera car
ried out the pact they would expatiate
themselves for three years and foment no
movement against Spanish authority during
that time. Upon the rebels surrendering
their arms. ammunition, forts, &c. Agui-
naldo was to receive 400. 900 pesetas This
money Aguinaldo deposited in the Hong
Kong and Shanghai Bank at Hong Kong,
not for his personal use. but as fund the
interest OF which-in case the captain gen
eral carried out his part of the 'pacC-was
TO be devoted to the education OF natives
in England. In case the pact was not
fulfilled by the Spaniards the money was
to be used for arms and to renew the re-
bellion. The captain general never pro-
claimed a general amnesty, denied the ex-
istence of the pact and shot several rebel
leaders who returned TO Manila on The
strength of 1t.
Scorned the Overtures.
''Since the renewal OF the rebellion un-
der the Inspiration of Admiral Dewey's
victory, the present captain general has
approached Aguinaldo and his leaders and
promised If they would make common
cause against the Americans he would
carry out the reforms stated in the pact
As a mark of bona ffde. he created legis-
lative council, TO which he nominated
twenty leading ministers of the Philippine
republic. All overtures were scornfully re-
jected.
The German pretensions are simply pre-
posterous. They are practically little more
than peddlers. All the large mercantile
houses are English, who have in their
hands quite three-fourths bulk and value
of the commerce. The banks, railway, tel
egraphs. cable and local steamship lines
are English; the only cotton mills belong
ing to the English, and the English con-
troll the sugar and hemp trades. The Ger
mans are trying for some Of the heavier
trade. but have not capital or credit. There
is only one American house in Manila.
There is only one Russian subject in the
Island. Up to now Spanish has been the
officisl language. By last weeks mail 1
learned Aguinaldo intends. far as the
republic is concerned. to substitute English.
Cause of the Rebellion.
The root cause Of the Philippine rebel
lions has always been the steady depriva-
ton of the natives of their rights by the
Spaniards. Year by year their security for
life and property has diminished. Particu-
larly so as to the native friar in the Phil
ippines The Spanish friars. too, have sent
to Spain all the monastery wealth they
could dispose of, particularly that wiIled to
the monasteries by rich natives. Then,
too, the persecution Of the Free Masons
by the friars caused much resentment,
5000 Free Masons being lodged in Jail at
the instance of the friars, and loaded with
irons. Besides, no promise ever made by
the Spaniards with the natives has been
kept.