The herald., 1898-09-23
Reach San Francisco En- Route
to Washington
THEY WILL PLEAD FOR INDEPENDENCE
Detailed Account Of Conditions Prevailing in Americas
Oriental Possessions Up to the Time the Trans
port Steamer China Sailed

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 22.-The United
States transport steamer China arrived to-
day from Manila via Hong Kong, Nagasaki
and Kobe. She brought with her as pas
sengers several distinguished military and
naval men, besides several noted, journal
lists and two representatives of the pro-
visional government of the Philippines
who re en- route to plead with Presiden.
Mckinley for the independence of the IS
lands. From there they will probably pro-
coed to Paris to appear before the peace
commission.
the Filipinos are named Felipe Agon-
clio AND Jose Lopez. the former being
Aguinaldo's chief emissary. In an inter-
view with an Associated Press representa-
tive he said that the insurgents fully ex-
pected to be allowed to govern themselves
and even limited that some sort of an agree
ment had been made with United States
Consul Wildman regarding the outcome of
the war made by the insurgents against
Spain, but what the terms were Agoncillo
would not state. He said that he expected
definite instructions from Aguinaldo by
cable. but automatically refused to give
the slightest hint Of any he might have
already received. The F!Mpinos are very
shrewd and speak English fiuently.
Alleged Promises
A passenger on the China disclosed some
further information regarding the reported
agreement between WiGman and the in
surgents. He said:
"Wildman promised General Agutnaldo
that the American forces would combine
with the insurgents for the purpose of
driving the Spaniards out of the Philippines.
1t was a joint war, and l think that the
insurgents understood that the America MS
were there to aid their independence and
cast off the yoke of Spain"
Aguinaldo lived in The same residence
with Consul Wldman for almost two years.
1t is very clear that there is some COM
plication in the matter of Consul Wild
mans promises, which were probably mis-
understood by the insurgent leaders. It is
also obvious that the native generals COM
missioners are bent on a mission to argue
independence for the group.
Other Passengers
Among the passengers on the China were
Privates jenkins. Thomas. Brown and
Nyles of Battery G, Third Artillery; Nc
Cam, Eighteenth Infantry; Russell and
Whitehead, Fourteenth Infantry, and Ul-
BRIGHT Of the Montana Volunteers. VI
BRIGHT returned on account of disability.
while all the other men came back be-
cause of the expiration of their terms of
service
Other passengers on the ship were Brig
Gen. Greene and staff, Adjt.-Gen. Bah
cock, Captain Hethers, Assistant Surgeon
First California Volunteers; Murat Hal
stead and John Fay, Chicago newspaper
man.
General Greene says that he was not re-
called for any particular reason that he
knows Of. He received his orders to re-
turn to San Francisco the same day that
General Merritt received orders to proceed
TO Paris by way of Suez. With reference
to the report that he was recalled owing ia
his action If conducting an illegal court
martial at sea, General Greene says that
Major-General e. S. Otis gave him the
cases to try and showed him paragraph
In the articles Of war giving him the au-