The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1899-01-19
VERY SIMPLE
General Whittier Says Nothing Is
Easier Than the Philippine
Question.
It Could All Be Settled in Three
Days If It Were Properly
Managed.
Account of an Interview With
AguinaldO and Other
Leaders.
Theuid Be Given a Measure OF
Autonomy Until Able to
Go Alone.

New YORK, Jan. 19.-General Charles
IA. Whittier, who returned recently
from Manila, says:
Nothing in theworld is easier Of SGT.
Element than the situation in the Phil.
ippines. It could be settled in three
days"
General Whittier went to Manila
with General -Msrrit, and there served
as collector untn the end of October.
He returned by way of Paris, and on
his arrival in,t}nis country recently, his
first duty wassto make his report to the
officials in Washington. This done, he
now feels that he is sufficiently freed
from officiafebligations to speak of af.
fairs in the Philippines. His position
there gaxeaMm ample opportunity fol-
observing,the conditions in the islands.
"In thesfrst place" General Whittier
continued, there is wide ignorance
of the Philippines and the character OF
the Filipiros. The natives rare not ig.
norant, they are not savageS. They are
adept at .manufacturing and as account.
ants, mariners, and railroad operatives.
They are quiet, most tssnperate and
have shown great ability nm their mil.
itary affairs.
Witt frmness, accompanied by di-
plomacy and tact, think it the simplest
matters ossible to bring them under oul
control.
Nssvsnay give them offices of uino1
Importance, both military and civil, and
try the experiment f0rwhatever num-
Der of years may be necessary. unit
they develop their capacity for govern
ing, and we can then be guided by that
He Visited Ayuinaldo.
st saw Aguinaldo ON Oct 81, three
days before leaving Manila. He said
his people were about equally divided
one1half favoring absolute independ-
ence,. the other half favoring an Ameri
cam protectorate. I said to him in reply
to those favoring independence:
THE fact is, it must be the wish Of
ali@f you to develop the country. To
do this, roads must be built on scientific
principles; railroads must be construct
ed; sanitation will be necessary. You
have no money or credit, you have nc
navy. The islands are SO rich prize
that, apart from quarrels and schisms
between the different tribes, foreigners
are most likely to take from you por-
tio1s of the possessions from time to
time
"Aguinaldo replied: The civilized
world would never permit such thing,
to which 1 returned: How has it been
in China, where England, Russia, France
and iGermany are striving at all times
to take parts of the country He had
no answer for this.
think They CanControl Them.
"a confidential friend of Aguinaldo,
BueD Canine, joined the conference at
this point, and after talking while
with Aguinaldo, expressed very strongly
his opinion that the two could move
their people to the acceptance of pro
tectGate.
'.Aguinaldo and Buen Canine added
expressions of pleasure at my visit, as
theylfelt they had been neglected and
rather given the cold shoulder by Amer
leans since the day after the fall of Ma.
Mia, when they were assured of ou1
friendship.
"My view is that afsar the signing OF
the treaty in Paris, communication
should have been established with them,
and have no doubt that an under.
standing could have been arrived at
with no impairment Of aur dignity, and
with no suggestion that we were going
to give'up the islands, at beast for the
present"
Asked his opinion Of the appointment
by President Mckinley of the commits
sion to investigate conditions in the
Philippines, General Whittier replied:
II think it is most excellent thing.
In a letter to the secretary of state,
written Last September, ! recommended
that such commission be sent there to
study and report upon the conditions,
political, social and material, of all the
islands, and later, in my testimony be-
fore the peace commission in Paris, ]
made similar recommendation