The Worcester spy., 1899-01-07
Filipinos Wanted An
nexation.
INT TERES1ING FACTS
Correspondence of Consul
Williams and Others.

Washington, Jan. 6.-The correspon-
dence published officially in connection
with the peace treaty, contains much
m of interest from Consul Williams, who
"a was stationed at Manila prior to the
war.
He was in constant communication
E with Aguinaldo for some time after
+ the battle of Manila Bay, and his let
ters throw much light upon the rela-
tions with the Philippine chieftain.
MA February 22d last, Mr.. Williams
M wrote: "The governor general, who is
aniable and popular, having resigned,
v wished credit for pacification, and Ger
tain rebel leaders We're given a cash
brtbe of $1,650,000 to consent to public
deportation to China, This bribe and
deportation only multiplied claimants,
and famed the fires of discomfort"
On March 10, Consul Williams COM
plained that letters and kilograms were
tampered with, and he then found it
necessary to keep open house constant
~ for benefit of American citizens
j. there. He dWelt much on tne move
ment of the natives, showing the dis
loyalty of the native troops to SPAIN
and the growth Of the rebellion, and
ne also related many atrocities on the
" part of the Spaniards. One of these
occurred March rs, when a meeting of
natives was broken in upon by force.
many being wantonly shot to death,
and 81 taken prisoners. The next day
Y tne 62 prisoners were marched to the
\ cemetery and shot down. Many of
Ihese, Mr.. Williams added, were not
y participants in the meeting. He also
AHdded that such horrors, though on a
n smaller scale, were of almost daily oc-
ct1rrence.
He also reported that several hun
dred prisoners were disposed Of by be-
ing placed in low dungeons IN the city
where they were drowned by the rise of
tne tide, adding: "Cruelties too horrld
Tor an official report are detailed me
eyery day, and it seems that the cry
cf cdtra-ed humanity would soon com
y pei Spain to abolish middle age war
fare"
He spoke of the influence of the
Y church as the greatest bar TO progress
81 IN the islands MIR. Williams also sta
ted that every leisure hour was de-
voted to the inspection of the forts,
arsenals and battleships in and about
Manila even at that early day, and
that he was sending information thus
derived to Commodore Dewey who
with his fleet, was then at Hong Kong.
AN Spies were so thick that he did not
VI dare copy his dispatches in Office
books.
Mr.. Williams left Manila April 2S. He
was witness of Dewey's victory, ami
May IL resumed his reports from Ca
rs Vite. His first dispatch of that date
M began with assurance of ''the friendli-
r ness of the Philippine natives to our
country and to me as its representa-
s4 tive Scores Of times" he continues,
S Il have heard hopes expressed that
either the United States or Great Brit
ain would acquire these islands. "
"Aguinaldo told me today" he wrote
N June 16 that his friends all hoped
that the Philippines wou1c pe held as
a colony of the United States
This was only four days after the
first formation of provisional govern
ment by the natives. Mr.. Williams
said he was invited to be present when
"A this government was organized by tine
t1lipinos, but that he declined For
this he afterward received note of
approval from the state department.
On August 4, he wrote: ut has been
my study to keep on pleasant terms
with Aguinaldo for ultimate objects
Admiral Dewey says I have planted the
seeds of cordial cooperation MY ar
gument with Aguinaldo has been that
N the conditions of government by the
United States in the Philippine islands
t& would be vastly better for him and
s& his people in honor, advancement and
& profit than could exist under any plan
# fixed by himself and the Filipinos. |
'M have traversed the entire ground of
government with him, and he has
called his officials from 15 provinces to
meet for discussion, all stated as
# friendly but unofficial on my part
On September 5, Mr.. Williams cabled
M To-day delegations from 1000 Visayan
M soldiers, also representing southern
I# business interests, came to me pledgine
W loyalty to annexation. Several insur-
W gent leaders likewise Spain cannot con-
troll. If we evacuate, anarchy rules"
W On July Is, Consul Wildman wrote to
the secretary of state expressing his
Views on the reported policy of the
united States government to allow the
Fhllippine islands to return to Spain
among other things, he said, after Civ
lng che particulars of his long residence
wv 8and intimate acquaintance among the
people of the Straits settlements:
l consider the 40 or so Philippine
leaders with whose fortunes l have
peen very closely connected, both the
superlors of the Malays and the Gu
Aguinaldo, Agoncillo and SanticC
are all men who would be leaders in
snelr separate departments in any
country, While among the wealthy
Mtfllla men who live in Hong Kong anG
VINO are spending their money llberally
Tor the overthrow of the Spanards anc
anhexation to the United States, meI
IKE the Cortez family and the Paza
ramlly would hold their own among
fH bankers and lawyers anywhere. In spite
M OF stateSeSants to the contrary, 1 know
M they arcgighting for annexation to tht
5# United States first, and for indepen
i dence second. In fact 1 have had the
A most prominent leaders call on me ant
say they would not raise one finger un,
less l could assure them that the United
states intended to give them limited
states citizenship If they wished it.
There has been systematic attemp
70 olacken the name of AguinaIdo anC
ms cabinet on account of the question
able terms of their surrender TO tn,
spanish forces year ago this month
~ has been said that they sold thei
country for gold, but this has been con
Sluslvely disproved, not only by the
own statements, but by the speech q
Ihe late Governor General Rivera in tn,
spanish Senate. 1t was in Hong Kon.
in September, 1897, when Aguinaldo ant
ms leaders arrived under contract VIA
Spanish government. They waited