The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1898-09-27
AGoNciLLo's STATEMENT TO
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE,
His Mission 10 Washington 10 Demand
Hearing by Paris comminaIon-De'
nics Seeking European Aid.


correspondent on board the overland Inn
tied ielcgraphs from carroll. Iowa. that
Felipe Agoncillo. the firat accredited ern-
lusary Of Aguinaidos revolutionary goy'
ernment 10 any foreign power with his
secretary and interpreter will. upon ar
rlying at Chicago. proceed 10 washing
ton over tho Pennsylyania line 20 lay be.
fore President Mckinley the appeal OF
the Fllpplnos for representation on the
peace commission az Paris.
n oflcial representation on the peace
commission cannot be granted, he will
urge that the administration al Washing
ton. In justice 10 the people Of the Phil
ippines. should secure for him the right 10
bc heard by the commission In order that
any unjust charges or false accusations
agains, the filpplnos which the spanish
members OF the commission may set forth
shall not no unanswered.
Following Is Agonciilo's formal state
monl 10 the American people OF his mis-
slon and the grounds upon which he bases
his appeal.
II is TO grant 20 the Philippine people
ofiiclai representation In the course OF
the discussion OF the spanish American
commission In Paris or that the prov'
alonai government or It's ofiicial repre-
sentative 10 be heard before the Spanish.
American commission. shall reach any
decision regarding the Philippines.
II IL justice that the Philippine people
should not be undefcnded. for II might
happen that the representatives OF spain
would make formidable charges against
the Filplnos and In lack OF representa-
might BE- credited.
Therefore. u Is lnadmlssable, under the
most rudimcntary beginnings Of natural
or written and sound reason. that the
Flllpinou should be without a hearing,
OF conditions In the Philippine islands
and the hopes aud wishes OF the Filipinos
this Is what Agonclllo says:
IN the outcome OF the peace negotla-
tons 'shall be that this government Is
the slightest doubt that II left alone by
foreign powers the Islands would be well
and orderly governed. when | left Hong
Kong there were IN the assembly lS rep
rcsentativcs coming from all the prov
inccs In Luzon and from several OF the
other Islands, and l expect to learn upon
reaching Washington that sull more have
been chosen These representatives are
the most popular men m their provinces,
and the people accordingly have conh- .
dence In their government.
'As to the power OF the Filipino govern
ment to control the islands and maintain
order provided the Spanish forces are
have no mlsgivings. There
are 5000 armed men In It's army. some
of It's arms came from captured Span i
Iards and some from foreign countries.
am not at liberty 10 say where
"No. they did not come from Germany,
and the statements that the Fillpinos are
secretly connving with the Germans are
false and unjust. Il Is true that few .
days after the destruction OF the Spanish
neet In Manila bay, representatives OF .
the German empire made proposals 10 the
Insurgents TO aid them In forming an in
dependent government This ofrer was
refused. the reply made to the Germans .
being that under an agreement entered
into between Agulnaldo and Admiral
bound to refuse the offer"
Agoncilo was asked what would be the
attitude OF the Fillpinos and the provis- +
lonal government II the outcome OF the .
peace negotiations SHOULD be that the .
islands should pass into the United States .
either for temporary or permanent con- /
troll, He replied:
Whether or not the Filipinos would {
resist such disposition OF the Islands,
cannot state, The question would 80 I
before the assembly and Agu!naldo's at
titude must, under the constitution, be
determined by the attitude Of that /
body The form of the provisional gov
ernment IL thoroughly republican, But /
win say that the feeling OF the people
Of the Philippines with regard to the
question, would depend largely on what
form OF government Americans should
propose II II meant simply the control
Of the islands by the United States, I
the government OF this country assuming
the responsibility of maintaining good
order and controlling the revenues of the
islands, do not think the feeling against
such a move would be strong though the
ttlipinos are anxious to govern them-
selves, but II 1t should be planned that
the United States take the islands for
the purpose of colonization, which might
eventually crowd out the native popula-
ton, In my opinion there would be greater
in bringing the people of the
Island into submission. tLss
"Our appeal to the United States Is for
aid In securing what We most desire and 4
what we believe to be for the best inter-
ests of the islands, 1t is not made for
the purpose Of playing into the hands OF
any other nation, and II the Filipnos are
not to govern themselves there Is no ma
tion they would prefer to be governed and
by than the United States.
AS to the possibility Of maintaining an
orderly and harmonious government
among the people of the ISLANDS II 1t is
left to them many opposing arguments