The herald., 1898-09-27
The PHILIPPINE ENVOY
TELI&WHY HE HAS COME TO THE
UNITED STATES
He WISHES TO GO TO PARIS
The Peace Commissioners in Justice
-, Should Hear the Filipino Case
Before Making Decision
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
CHICAGO, Sept. 26.-The Tribune's stan
correspondent on board the Overland Linn
ited telegraphs from Carroll, Iowa, that
Felipe Agoncillo, the first accredited ennis
sary Of Aguinaldo's revolutionary govern
ment to any foreign power, with his secre-
tary and interpreter, will, upon reaching
Chicago, proceed to Washington over the
Pennsylvania line to lay before President
Mckinley the appeal Of the Filipinos for
representation on the Peace Commission
At Paris.
II official representation on the commits
sion cannot be granted, he will urge that
the administration at Washington, in JUS
tice to the people Of the Philippines, should
secure for him the right to be heard by the
commission in order that any unjust
charges or false accusations against the
Filipinos which the Spanish members of
the commission may set forth shall not
60 unanswered.
Following is Agoncillo's formal statement
to the American people Of his mission and
the grounds on which he bases his appeal:
1T is to grant to the Philippine people
representation in the course of the discus
sion of the Spanish American commission
In Paris, or that the provisional govern
ment or Its official representative be heard
before the Spanish-American commission
shall reach any decision regarding the Phil
ippines.
TT is justice that the Philippine people
should not be undefended. for 1t might hap
pen that the representatives Of Spain would
make formidable charges against the Fill
ipinos and in lack of representation from
the Filipinos these charges might be cred
tied.
Therefore. It is inadmissable. under the
most rudimentary beginnings Of sound rea
son. that the Filipinos should be without
hearing"
OF conditions In the Philippine Islands
and the hopes and wishes OF the Filipinos.
this is what Agoncillo says:
III the outcome of the peace negotiations
shall be that this government is given tho
control Of the island, have not the slight
est doubt that II left alone by foreign pow
ers. the islands would be we'll and orderly
governed. When left Hong Kong there
were In the assembly 1870 representatives
coming from all the provinces In Luzon
and from several Of the islands. and ex-
pect to learn upon reaching Washington
that still more have been chosen. These
representatives are the most popular men
In their provinces. and the people accord
ingly have confidence in their government
'As to the power OF the Filipinos' gov
ernment to control the islands and main
tain order. provided the Spanish forces are
. withdrawn, I have no misgivings. There
are 10000 armed men In Its army. Some Of
its arms came from captured Spaniards
and some from foreign countries: I am
not at liberty to say where. s--1 ~ ,.-
s,.- .':No, they did not come from Germany
and the statements that have been made
that the Filipinos are secretly conniving
with the Germans are false and unjust. It
is true that a few days after the destruction
OF the Spanish fleet In Manila Bay represen-
tatives Of the German empire made propos-
ais to the insurgents to aid them in forming
an Independent government This offer was
refused, the reply made to the Germans
being that under an agreement entered
into between Aguinaldo and Admiral
Dewey the insurgents are In honor bound
10 refuse the offer"
Agoncillo was asked what would be the
attitude of the Filipinos and the provisional
government II the outcome OF the peace ne
gotiations should be that the islands should
pass into the hands Of the United States
either for temporary or permanent control
He replied:
whether or not the Filipinos would
forcibly resist such a disposition Of the is
lands cannot state. The question would
go before the Assembly and Aguinaldo's
attitude must. under the constitution, be
determined by action Of that body. The
form of the provisional government is
thoroughly republican. But will say that
the feeling of the people Of the Philippines
with regard to the question would depend
largely upon what form of government the
Americans should propose. If It meant
simply the control of the islands by the
United States, the government Of this
country assuming the responsibility of
maintaining good order and controlling the
revenues OF the island, do not think the
feeling against such a movement would be
strong, though the Filipinos are anxious to
govern themselves, but II it should be plan
ned that the United States take the is
lands for the purpose Of colonizati tion, which
might eventually crowd out the native pop
ulation, in my opinion there would be
greater difficulty in bringing the people of
the islands to submission.
"Our appeal to the United States Is for
aid in securing what we most desire, and
what we believe to be for the best interests
Of the island 1t Is not made with the pur-
pose OF playing into the hands OF any other
nation, and IL the Filiplnos are not to gov
ern themselves, there is no nation they
would more willingly prefer to be governed
and controlled by than the United States.
As to the possibility Of maintaining an or
derly and harmonious government among
the people Of the islands, If it is left to
them. many opposing arguments have been
urged. which are in large part groundless,r ~
M, e. CONFERENCE