The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1899-11-10
KEEP PHILIPPINES.
COMMISSION ADVISES RETEN-
TON OF ISLANDS.
Agulnaido Wanted TO Loot Manila TO Get
Arms to right Americans with--Fiiipl-
no Independence Would Mean An
archy -neview Of situation.

Philippine commission submitted to
the president the preliminary report
which II had promised TO prepare.
This report appears TO be compact
summary Of conditions on the islands
Us the commission left them; Of the
historical events which preceded the
Spanish war aud led 10 tho original
/ Filipino insurrection; Of the exchanges
between Admiral Dewey aud the other
American commanders aud the insur-
gents, the breaking out aud progress
of the present insurrection, and finally
a statement OF the capacity OF the
Filipinos for self-government. A no.
table feature Of the report is memo
randum by Admiral Dewey, explana-
tory Of his relations with Aguinaldo.
The commission tells briefly how II
conducted the task entrusted to II,
hearing statements from all classes OF
people 10 Manila, as to the capability
OF the Filipinos for self.government
the habits aud customs Of the people,
aud also the establishment Of munich.
pal governments Ia many towns All
this matter Is to be included in the
final report.
Turning to the history OF the islands,
the commission attaches little import-
ance TO the divers rebellions which had
I preceded that Of 1890. As to this
movement, they declare II was In no
sense AN attemps to win Independence,
but solely to obtain relief from intoler-
I able abuses. 10 sustain this state.
ment they quote from an insurgcut
proclamation showing what was de-
maDdcd was the expulsion Of the friars
and the restitution 10 the people OF
their lands, with division Of the
Episcopal sees between spanish aud
native priests.
The report states that Aguinaldo
wished to attack the Americans when
they landed at Paranaquc, but was de-
TERED boy lack OF arms and ammuni.
tion. From that point on there was
a growing friction between the Fiji.
pinos and the American troops. There
was no conferences, says the report,
"betwcen the officers OF the Fillpinos
and our officers with view to opcr.
ating against the Spaniatds, nor was
there cooperation OF any kind. There
never was any preconccrted operations
or any combined movement by the
United States aud Filipinos against
the Spaniards
Reference is made to Aguinaldo's de-
aud take the arms OF the spaniards,
Z Thc'latter demand Is said 10 con firm
the statement that he Intended TO get
possession OF the arms to attack the
Americans Further evidence OF the
hostile intentions Of the Filipinos was
found Ia the organization OF popular
club, which later ON furnished local
militia to attack the Americans The
DEGREES of the Filipino congress are
also cited a. we'll as the making OF
bolos Qsnivesl in every shop in Manila,
1t Is shown that considerable ele-
ment In the Filipino congress wished
TO address TO President Mckinley re-
quest not to abandon the Philippines.
tAt this stage the Paris conference
was discussing the future of the Phil.
ippines.l The president was also to
be asked his desire as to the form OF
government he wished to establish.
But all this time AguinNldo was pre-.
pairing for war and delaying these
messages, and It was understood the
attack would come when the first act
by the American forces would afford a
pretcNL
Should our power by any fatality
be withdrawn, the commission believes
the government OF the Philippines
would speedily lapse into anarchy,
which would excuse, II it did not nee
essitate, the Intervention OF other
l powers and the eventual division OF
the Islands among them.
"Only through American occupation,
therefore, is the idea OF free selfgoy-
eminent and u united Philippine com.
monwealth at all conceivable. And the
A"t"A' h'NN AAhNA AlAN AlNAlDDAnt
[ point of view OF maintaining American
sovereignty over the archipelago Is
recognized 10y all intelligent Fiupinoa
and even by those insurgents who de.
sire an American protectorate. The
latter, II Is true, would take the reve-
enues and leave " the responsibilities
Nevertheless they recognize the indu.
bitable fact that the Eilipinos can not
stand alone.
Thus the welfare Of the Filipinos
comedies with the dictates OF national
honor In forbiddinR our Abandonment
OF the archipelago, We can not, from
any point OF view, escape the responsi-
bilities OF government which our SOW
ereignty entails, aud the commission
is strongly persuaded that the per-
formance OF our national duty will
prove the greatest blessing 10 the peo-
pies OF the Philippine islands"