The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-07-10
How Philippine Natives Were OPP
pressed and Deceived.
WHAT AGUINALDO WANTS
EXPECTS AMERICANS TO IN
AUGURATE REFORMS.
One of His Leaders Describes the
Situation-Spanish Governor Sc
cured Surrender of the Insurgents
By Promising Certain Reforms
English Language Will Be Sub
stituted For the Spanish.

| Copyright, 1925, by the Associated Press.)
London, July Zone of Aguinaldo's
leaders in the last Philippine revolt is
living incognito in London and practically
acting as Aguinaldo's agent, being in re-
! ceipt of kilograms and letters from Cav.te.
! Questioned on the Philippine situation by
a representative of the Associated Press.
he said:
The Philippines republic as pro-
| claimed in October 1886, and its first
president was Andreas BoniIacid- When
he died. over a year ago. Aguinal3o was
elected president and cOmmander-in-chief.
On the arrival>of Captain General Primo
de RIVERA that officer adopted a policy
to bring the rebellion TO an end by means
Of concessions, force having failed. Our
leaders were approached and the result
was the pact of Biaonabatc, so-called
from the valley where 1t was signed, on
December IA, 1897.
Senior Sagasta the other day denied
that in the past General Riviera prom
lsed reforms. Here is an official copy of
that pact wherein is promised the ban
ishment or at least the disbanding of the
religious orders; Philippine representation
in the cortes; the same administration of
justice for the natives as for the Span
iards; unity of laws between the Philip
pines and Spain; the natives to share the
chief offices of the Philippine civil admin
istratfon: Encouragement of the property
OF the friarS and of the taxes in favor
of the natives; recognition of the ,individ-
ual rights of the natives, with liberty of
public meeting and of the press, and
general amnesty.
These sum up the native grievances,
and are what we shall expect the Ameri-
cans will institute.
For those reforms Aguinaldo and the
other leaders promised that if Rivera car
ried out the pact they would eXpatriate
themselves for three years and fOment
no movement against Spanish authority
during that time. Upon the rebels sur
rendering the arms, ammunition and
forts, Aguinaldo was to receive 100000 pc
setas. This money Aguiualdo deposited in
the Honglong and Shanghai bank at
Hongkong, not for his personal use. but
as a fund. the interest of which-in case
the captain general carried out his part
OF the ,pact was to be devoted to the
education of natives in England. In case
the pact was not fulfilled by the Span
1ardS the money was to be used for Q rms
and ammunition. for the rebellion. The
eral amnesty, denied the existence of the
pact and shot several rebel leaders who
returned to Manila on the strength of it. !
Since the renewal of the rebellion, |
under the inspiration of Admiral Deweys
victory. the present captain general has /
approached ASuinaldo 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 bonafide. he created a legis- |
lative council. to which he nominated 20 !
leading ministers of the Philippine repub- /
lie. All overtures were scornfully re-
jected.
The German pretenSions are simply /
pr OsterOus. They are practically little
n fe than Deddlars. All the large mer-
camille houses are English. who have in
their hands quite three-fOurths in bulk
and value of the commerce. The banks,
railways. telegraphs. cable anu local
steamship lines are English the only cot
ton mills belong to the English and the
English control the sugar and hemp trade
The Germans are trying for some of the ;
heavier trades. but have not capital or
credit. There is only one American
house in Manila. There is only one Rus
sian subject in the islands. Up to now
the Spanish has been the official language
but by last weeks mail l learned Aguin-
aldo intends, as far as the republic is
to substitute English
The root cause of the Philippine re-
bellions has always been the steady %
Drivation of the natives of their rights ,
oy the Spaniards. Year by year security
Tor life and property has diminished. par
Licularly so as to the native frars in
The Philippines. The Spanish friars, too.
have sent to Spain all the mOnastary
wealth they could dispose of. particularly
hat willed to the monasteries by rich ma
ives. Then, too. the, persecution of the
free Masons by the friars caused the 1000
Masons being lodged in Jail. at the in
stance of the friars. and loaded with
rons. Besides. no promise ever made by
he Spaniards with the natives has been
Kept