Evening star., 1898-11-18
MANILA
The Cause of Misunderstanding Stated in
the Singapore Free Press.
Mr.. Bray Tells Some Inside Facts
and Refers TO PoItroonery OF
Correspondents.

Mr.. w. II. Bray. who. with Consul ,yua-
man, has been upon intimate terms with
AEdinaldo. the leader Of the Philippine in
scrgents has published the following in the
Singapore Free Press OF which he is editor
Under Gate of September 26 last. Ii Will Ne
read with interest because Mr.. BRAY has
had every opportunity to learn the facts.
and because he is fearless enough 10 sneak
his mind plainly. Under the head OF Pol
t'oonery of Correspondents" Mr. Bray
says:
We have already called attention 10 the
wlA1ul Misrepresentation of the atu-uIa of
the fllplnc government and its forces to-
ward the Americans, by certain special and
so-called resident correspondents. and al
though much Of the claptrap that has been
written is due to ignorance of the country
and popular inclnations, and also lack of
acume1 to discriminate between tho worry
dubious and prajudiced opinions pro.fered
oy handful of foreigners hostile TO anv
Change in the existing regime for obvious
reasons, sun there is no longer any room
Tor doubt that political trickery is actively
az work and designedly suppressing i'm
portaht facts, magnifying mole hills into
mountains, and even STOPPING to baser mo-
tlves with the manifest object of damaging
the reputation OF the young Philippina gov
ernnent, and influencing public opinion
ISHoTdnl, save IN very rare instances of
Phllippine affairs except for reports I'm the
pubic press-by unworthy means against
the people who have heroically, honor
AMY and generously sacrificed their blood
and treasure for their independence
We can understand the motives of tho
yellow journals" pandaring for sensation,
| but the fever had been caught by paDers
OF undoubted reputation, hence one is led
to believe the occult hand Of a Machiayel-
nan priesthood on the one hand and the
power of monkish gold the other have
also in this respect played an important
part
Some Light on the Subject.
From unimpeachable private advices re-
ceived from Manila We are now enabled to
throw some light on the recently reported
friction between the Filipino authorities
and the Americans. A Philippine half
caste, son of a Spanish father and Philip
pine mother-ramed Eugenio Blanco, a
strong partisan of the Spaniards by whom
he has been signally favored, first with ths
eIIecuNe rank Of colonel in the Spanish
army, then with the grand Gordon of the
| order of Isabella la Catolca, carrying with
1t the title of excellency in consideration of
his having raised battalion Of loyal %
volunteers in the province of Pampanga,
where his family owns large properties and
Wlelds a certain amount of influence, has
been bribed by these agents Of the church
whom certain persons not hundred psilrs
from Singapore would have us believe ara
such poor innocent and maligned persons,
to stir uD strife and bloodshed between the
Americans. who are as yet but mere nov
Ices in the country. and the Philippine gov
ernment and troops
After the return of General Aguinaldo
and his brilliant campaign against tho
Spaniards. the province of the Pamnauga.
one of the richest and most enlightened in
Luzon. including Blanco's volunteers. rail-
lied to a man round Aguinaldo's standard.
BlancO thereupon went to Manila and con-
cocted with the friars. some Of whom had
in the meanwhile returned disguised as
civilians under assumed names from Hong
Kong, his nefarious plans for disturbing
the peace. With money supplied by them
he gathered together some of the bad
characters always to be found in every
country. and the remnants of the veteran
civil guard of Manila dissolved by the
Americans body of men utterly despised
and held in contempt by all loyal Filipnos
and as corrupt and demoralized as possible
to be. Under promises Of a reward Of $500
each-a small fortune for men of that class
he succeeded in raising a troop Of about
SOC men, and thinking he had sufficient
prestige to rely on some men who were
officials pressed into the service of his
volunteer corps and who are now Volun-
tarily serving in the ranks of the reVolu-
tionary army, ne endeavored to promote a
conflict with the Americans, and make
them believe. knowing fun well how they
could be hoodwinked owing to their scantv
knowledge of the country, that the Philip
pine army was concerned in the nefarious
business. His late officials. however re-
maned loyal to the cause of their country
ana prOklutntlaltN disclosed the plot in
time to avoid any disastrous consequences.
The band have all been captured. including
Blanco. who has been handed over to the
American authorities. General Aguinaldo
has demanded that Banco be court-mar-
tailed and shot. The influence Of the Paul
list fathers accompanying the American
troops will doubtless be used to save him
from his well-meritcd punishment but he
will never dare show his face again in the
Philippines. In fact his father and family
passed through Singapore a few days ago
on their way to Spain.
No Importance Attached to IT,
This is the cause of the inexplicable fric-
ton reported in the press lately as exist
ing between the Americans and FiIipinos,
to the surprise of every one. In Manila
no Importance is attached 10 it now. and
the delimitation of tie lines Of occupation
will be satisfactorily arranged. The indig-
nation against Blanco and the friars is in
tense. and should any of these ''peacemak-
ers be caught returning in disguise from
exile, woe betide them!
The above facts were known to the for
eign correspondents and many of their
foreign advisers in Manila. but were ma
lic-ously suppressed in wiring to their pa
pers for reasons before given which is clear
evidence of a settled purpose to cheat the
F1lipinos out of their well-earned indepen-
dence without just cause. and subiugate
the welfare of the nation to the selfish in
terests OF few monopolists and their nom
sensIcal and chimerical fears about injury
to trade and imaginary vested Interests
Let those who are so fond of proclaiming-
rather through misapprehension of the
situation than to any real grounds-that
the FilipinOs should not be allowed an op-
portunity 10 govern themselves because
they do not know how, refer to what
Macaulay said, follows: Many politi-
clans are in the habit of laying down as a
self-evident proposition that no people
ought to be free till they are fit to use
their freedom. The maxim is worthy of
the fool in the old story who resolved not
to so into the water till he had learned to
Swim.'