Washington sentinel., 1899-06-24
Our Shameful Treatment OF the
FiIiptnOs.

|
| Our late allies never for a moment
thought that government
founded on the principles for which
they were fighting would be SC
dead to every sense OF shame as to
inaugurate a war of conquest ior
the purpose oi crushing out those
principles. How his countrymen
were deceived in this respect is
thus described bV the president oi
the Filipino Cen raj Committee"
We are, in any event, entitled to our
liberty. 1t was our object and clearly
expressed intention to fight for our
liberty when AguInaldo was landed from
the United States steamship McCulloch
IN May last at Cavite. We were assured
by responsible officers OF your Govern
ment Gncluding Admiral Dewey at
we should be granite Independence and
a protectorats, that your Government
would adopt the same policy with regard
to us as had been decided upon for
Cuba, We had IN mind, too, the grand
principles upon which your o Pn Govern
ment was founded, and il was absolutely
inconceivable that the Mckinley Gov
ernment could possibly be guilty Of such
a direct departure from the principles
OF just government as TO endeavor by
force of arms, by the slaughter OF unoi
Tending and friendly people, to fitch from
US the sacred right Of liberty
This shameless betrayal was pre-.
ceded by acts which would have
goaded less warlike people than
the Fllipinos into taking up arms
The military representatives OF the
United States, instead OF treating
the natives with the consideration
they were entitled to in return for
their active and effective CO opera
ton in the fighting that took place
before the capture OF Manila, acted
as il they were dealing not with
allies, but with conquered enemy.
The letter from which we have
quoted above gives the account Of
the gross indignities to which the
Filipinos were subjected to:
Trested with contumely by Gen. Mer.
ritt and Gen Otis, harassed by vexati-
Gus delays in the settlement Of the most
simple questions. treated as friends and
allies at ole time and as dangerous
enemies at another, our special envoy
treated with supreme contempt, our
people treated more like beasts Of
burden than human beings bv the
American troops and the military police
in Manila; frequent attempts made bv
Gen. Otis to lower our great leader,
General Emilio Aguinaldo, in the eyes
Of his own people, and finally fired upon
during the night OF the 4th OF February
by. the American outposts, Aguinaldo
had no alternative but to at last pick up
the gauntlet which had been so repeat
edly thrown st his feet. General Agui'
naldo and the members Ot our national
goyernm ent had tor SIX months repeat
edy strained their authority with our
people to give effect to the wishes Of
Gen. Otis respecting the Withdrawal of
our forces from the outskirts OF Manila
and to prevent retaliation for Outrages
upon and irritating affronts to our
countrymen.
All thin contumely the leaders
Of the Filipinos patiently submit
ted to in the hope that an amicable
settlement would be finally reached
by them. But the Administration
at Washington had resolved to an
mex the Philippines and nothing
that the native leaders could do
was able to change this resolve.
Only pretext was needed to bring
about an armed conflict which
would be the prelude to an
nexation.
On Feb. 4 the pretext was found
when several Filipinos were shot
in cold blood bY American SOL
diers. On that daV the order was
given that a bridge which hitherto
had been freely used by all should
be closed to the public. Some
Filipinos who knew nothing Of the
military order attempted to Cross
over the bridge and because they
did not instantly halt, when ordered
to.do so IN language they did not
understand, they were shot down
in their tracks. This was the sig
nal for the commencement Of hos
tilities. What followed is thus
told by the president of the Flip,
inc Central Committee"
The fatal shots were fired as has beer
admitted by the Mania Tines OF Feb
4 and the Manila Frsedom) and the di,
was cast. The guns OF your warshipt
were turned upon defenseless Villages
without the usual warning Of intended
| bombardment, and shocking massacr,
uhe recollection Of which brings t ars t
my eyes) Of men. women and childrei
followed. The issue then becam
unalterably one Of independence o
death. A fter the terrible scenes Of III
first week OF February no half measur
could sati,iy either the army or tn
people. They declared, as they declar
today, that death is preferable I
submission to foreign yoke which