The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-11-16
WAN TED A PALACE.
.Aguinaldo A SIX e d
That Churches be
Given Him.
OTHER ARROGANT DEMANDS.
Prof. Dean Worcester Talks
About the Malay
Pretender.
OTHER ARROGANT DEMANDS.

Chicago, Nov. 15.-Prof. Dean Wor-
cester spoke tonight before a large au-
dience in Music hall on THE Philippine
question:
The address, which was delivered I'M
der the auspices Of the Hamilton club,
local republican organization, was re-
ceived with every manifestation of ap-
prevail. There was large audience.
| Prof Worcester said at the outset
| that the issues raised by the Philippine
question, directly or indirectly, We're
more important, more far-reaching in
their consequences, than any our nation
has been called upon to meet since its
birth. He deprecated the idea of those
willing to make party politics of ques-
tions which involve the well-being and
the future destiny of millions of their
fellow beings. Proceeding, the speaker
said:
IF all the accusations brought by
those who declaim against our so-called
crime in the Philippines are true, we
have indeed committed a great trans
erosion against the people of those
islands. l propose to take up some of
the alleged facts often quoted in sup
port of the curious charges and scruti-
niZe them somewhat closely. l shall
try to make my explanation wholly dis
passionate"
Prof. Worcester then took up various
arguments presented against the AM
erican policy in the Philippines, quoting
opinions of Aguinaldo, and from a mass
Of evidence, most of which has been
made public heretofore. His answers
We're directed specially to the argu-
ments ''of a gentleman who recently
delivered a speech from the same ros-
trum on which I now stand.
He also stated that members of
Aguinaldo's own cabinet testified be-
fore the commission to the fact that
even after his proclamation of June
18th, Aguinaldo freely admitted that no
American promised him independence
for his people. The speaker added:
1T has been often stated that our
consul at Singapore, Mr.. Spencer Pratt,
exceeded his authority and made the
promise in question, if not directly, at
least indirectly. I am indebted to Ad
miral Dewey for the statement that Mr..
Pratt is ready to take oath to not hav-
ing made any such promise, and 1 may
add that suits brought by Mr.. Pratt
against publishers resulted satisfacto-
rilly." Prof. Worcester said, after cit
ing much evidence:
Il believe 1 have shown that there
was no true cooperation between our
land forces and the FilipinOS, except in
the fact that we fought a common foe,
each in his own way may add that
we required no help in taking the city,
1t lay completely at the mercy of
Dewey's guns, and soldiers were needed
to occupy it, not to take it.
After the fall of the city, Aguinaldo
modestly demanded of Gen. Merritt the
royal palace for himself, and in addi-
ton, the principal churches, share in
the public funds and, most important
of all, the arms and ammunition sur
rendered by the Spanish troops, of
which he had long planned to possess
himself. 1t Is needless to add that his
efforts to avoid a conflict, Prof. Wor-
| cester said:
II am often asked the question:
| Might not all this have been avoided,
| if, even after the fall of Manila, at
tempts had been made to come to an
understanding with the insurgents
II am glad to be able to say to you
that such an attempt was made by Gen.
| Otis, who did not believe that the in
surgent leaders were plotting trouble,
had repeated interviews with one and
another of them" After recalling the
| fruitless negotiations, Prof Worcester
said
THE prime cause of the failure of
these final negotiations lay in the fact
that the Filipino commanders were I'M
able to formulate any definite statement
of their own desires. They did say that
they desired independence under the
United States protection, but they
themselves did not know what they
meant by the word"