The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1898-09-27

friendly intercourse with the United
States Government in all particulars.
They organized Congress Thursday
at Malois, twenty miles north of this
city, to frame plan Of government.
Manila Is very quiet. A military
government is being perfected gradual
ly and a large force is policing and
cleansing the city. The health Of the
command Is satisfactory. Trade and
commerce are active. Treasury re-
ceipts since August 14th, $4,000, Mex
lean current money. The Philippines
monthly expenses will aggregate at
least $350,000, nearly one-half being
required to subsist Spanish prisoners.
1t Is believed that receipts will largely
exceed expenditures. Tariffs and du-
ties were imposed as directed by the
President on July 18th, but received
in the currency of the country as
gold basis would almost double the
former Spanish duties. United States
laws have been applied to the admis-
sion of Chinese and opium. The sales
of licenses for lotteries and other pas
times opposed to public morals have
been discontinued.
OTIS, Commanding.
AGUINALDO'S SIDESHOw.
Manila, Sept. 16.-Further details
are current of the first meeting Of the
Philippines general assembly at Ma
lolos yesterday. There were many
thousands of visitors from the prov
inces and great display was made.
Aguinaldo, at 8 o'clock in the morning,
entered the hall of the convent recently
occupied by the Spanish local Cover
nor. 1t is an extremely plain room,
adorned only with some religious pic
lures. The insurgent leader was in
evening dress, according to the Spanish
custom. The others were in ordinary
costumes.
Aguinaldo was received with cheers
and also with cries Of "Viva America!"
by the large crowd Of natives inside
and outside the hall. He read a decree,
converting the members. who included
several Spaniards. He next read a
message eulogizing the army and
thanking the friendly nation which
had set the historical example OF liber-
ty and had assisted a down-trodden
race. Continuing, Aguinaldo urgently
and elOquently exhorted the assembly
invoked the Spirits Of the martyred
Filipinos." The assembly then ad-
journed for the day.
The correspondent of the Associated
Press had private interview with
Aguinaldo, who Is extremely unwilling
to compromise himself with the ma
tives. He said that a majority OF the
Filipinos had been struggling for free
o., las nd ho
they now believe that their object has
been attained.
Aguinaldo professed entire ignorance
of the autonomous system 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"
Aguinaldo declined to discuss the
American Army and protested his un-
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 1t
was to be expected that they would
return to America. He was unwilling
to believe that the Americans would
demand reward for an act Of humani-
ty, and he declined to admit the ne
cessity of a quid pro quo.
The Filipino leader expressed him
self confident that the newly founded
Government would build a navy ulti-
mately. In the meantime, he said, the
great nations should protect and aid a
young nation, instead of grabbing her
territories. II the Americans should
refuse to withdraw, the National AS
sembly. he said, must decide the policy
to be pursued-a policy which be de-
clined to forecast
NO MORE TROOPS.
NEW YORK. Sept. l6.-The Suns
dispatch from Washington says: The
Administration has abandoned its plan