The times., 1899-06-29
A REPLY TO HoAR.
The Asuinaldo Myth Exploded by
Dr. seaman a. Knapp.

| Nyth ENViOdcu
Dr. seaman A. Knapp.
/ (FrOm the Christian Advoease.l
Ny attention has been called to the let
ter of Senator Hoar in your issue OF April
o. IL Is due the American people that the
/ facts should be correctly stated. whether
! they favor the retention of the Philip
pines or the reverse. and IL Is not In har-
mony with the spirit OF our race 20 Ill
low great questions to be settled by arro-
CANT assertion from any source. however
I exalted Allow me to state the case OF
the United States VS.. the AgIinaldo Gov
ernment. as l understand II. from SOME
personal knowledge Of conditions in the
/ Philippines.
First-The assumption that We are try
/ ing to impose a government on the Fill
4 pinos without their consent cannot be
maintained in the light OF the following
I facts, perfectly authentic and easily
proved; ta) Aguinaldo and his voluntary
following represented at the commence
ment of hostilities less than one-teuth of
the territory OF the Philippine Islands.
and never had even nominal control over
more than two-sevenths- The people of
the other nine-tenths Of the territory were
I opposed to him and his ambitious schemes.
tb) Over 90 per cent of the property in
I terests in the one-tenth OF territory with
| In the provinces of his Tagalog supporters
were opposed to him and his plan OF gov
| ernment They had no faith In mis- sin
cerity.
second-Aguinaldo was a fugitive In
Asia, and before he was allowed to re-
turn and organize following he signed
a written agreement with the officials OF
| the United States Government, consisting
OF four articles, two OF which | recall
| ta) That he would in all material re-
spects. be obedient to the authorities OF
| the United States in the Philippines. tel
/ In case the United States elected to hold
the Philippines, that he would do all in
his power to bring the natives into kar-
mony with this plan. This was stated to
me by responsible official who was pres
| ent when this agreement was signed.
Third-Arms and ammunition were fur
| nished him under the terms Of this agree
ment
/ Forthwith American arms and sup
I port. it was easy for Aguinaido and his
| followers to Overawe people without any
weapons for defence.
Fifth-Early in his career the so-called
Aguinaldo Government made sweeping con-
| fscations Of personal and real property l
I examined maps and plats of 10000 acres
OF improved real estate in provinces ad-
\ jacent to Manila which had been conhscat-
4 ed by him. and this was but 4 small pOr-
I ton of the real estate thus seized. In addi-
J tion TO wholesale confscation foreign own
/ ers were not allowed to visit their estates
! in the country without paying heavy
| tribute for the privilege.
| Sixth-The high-toned declarations for
/ a free government by Aguinaldo have been
mainly formulated TO influence American
public opinion. In reality his Government
/ has been extremely despotic and tyrannt-
/ cal, as evidenced by the summary behead-
| ing of General Legarda. his Secretary of
/ the Treasury. for advising against pro-
/ longing the contest with the United States,
4 and by his disregard of property rights.
( Seventh-From the first there has been
no effort or apparent desire upon the part
j of the AguinaldO Government to make ami
cable adjustment with the United States.
/ The insurgents believed they could easily
| defeat the American forces. at least they
openly asserted it. and. holding this de-
4 lusion, they did not want any amicable ar
| rangement
Eighth-Prior to the fail of Manila to
] have quietly withdrawn and left the Span
ism army and the foreign residents to their
+, fate. after destroying the Spanish feet,
would have been an act of eowardiee and
inhumanity too Infamous to be considered.
4 Since the fall of Manila there has been
no time when the American troops could
! have been Withdrawn without openly or
covertly retreating before an insOlent and
aggressive foe.
! Ninth-Had the insurgents sought
/ peaceful solution of the differences. the
/ United States could not have turned over
! the control of the Islands TO such an ir
! responsible government without incurring
( liability for heavy damages to foreign
/ owners of property.
! Tenth-It has never been shown, and
| cannot be shown, wherein the acquisition
of the Philippines differs in principle from
/ the acquisition OF New Mexico. New Mex
/ leo was acquired as a sequence OF war.
without the consent OF her people. II IL
! ''trampled under foot the principles upon
/ which the American Republic itself rests.
! why have American statesmen remained
silent for fifty years, and legislated an
J nually TO perpetuate the so-called enOr-
nifty?
Eleventh.-The allegation that the Phil
/ ippines have been acquired with the intent
! to govern them without the consent of
| their people is pure assumption. as un-
! just as it is unpatriotic. Every deciara-
I tion of our Government, every page OF our
( history or traditions, and every impulse Of
| the American people openly contradict
1 such statements. All the froth Of turbu-
1 lent rhetoric about violating the principles
| of Washington and jefferson arises from
I the false assumption that the insurgent
/ government under Aguinaldo represents
| the people of. all the Philippines. Once
concede the fact that it was the purpose Of
I Aguinaldo and his adherents TO use the
arms provided by the United States 20
/ force Tagalog domination upon the people
! OF North Luzon and upon the tribes which
| inhabit the other islands, and the veil is
| lifted from the romance of Philippine lib
/ erty, and the tragedy of Tagalog usurDa
( tion and cruelty is revealed.
| Twelfth-Whateyer may have been the
causes, the fact is evident that the United
] States is engaged in war. and. ii bostili-
| tbs be prolonged. it will be because the
| insurgent leaders are encouraged to believe
| that some party may soon come into power
/ which will recognize Tagalog supremacy
/ in Luzon. and possibly aid them in an eff
! fort to subjugate the remaining 1899 ISL
| ands of the Philippine group which have
never recognized Aguinaldos Government.
| Thirtesnth-While thoughtful and loyal
men are reading what our foremost states
men said about liberty. let them also read
| and ponder what they said about giving
moral aid and comfort to the enemies of
our country when We are engaged in war.
S A KNAPP.
Pension Commissioner Evans.
7 (I-o,,, tt,a N,r. OrIcsrs T;r,s-- D,-,oo-,.