The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1899-11-10
THE preliminary REPORT
Of the Philippine Commission Given
to the President.
EXCERPTS FROM THE REPORT.

Washington, Nov. 4.-The Philippine
commission have made a preliminary
report to President Mckinley. 1t starts
with complete summary of the condi-
lions prevailing in the islands as the
commission found them. A notable
feature is memorandum by Admiral
Dewey explanatory of his relations with
Aguinaldo.
The report declares that in all the
numerous revolutions against the Span
ish authorities they were in no sense an
attempt to win independence but solely
Ito obtain relief from intolerable abuses.
The Spanish system of government was,
on paper, tolerable, but in practice
every Spanish governor did what he
saw fit, and their evil deeds were kept
hidden from Spain. The people never
had entertained the thought of indie
pendence.
Upon the arrival of the squadron at
Manila it was found that there was no
instruction to speak of, and it was ac-
cordingly decided to allow Aguinaldo
to come to Cavite on board the McCul-
Tough. He arrived with thirteen of his
staff on May 10, and Immediately came
on board the Olympia to call on the
commander-in-ch after which he was
allowed to land at Cavite and organize
an army. This was done with the pur-
pose of strengthening the United States
forces and weakening those of the en-
envy. No alliance of any kind was en-
tered into with Aguinaldo, nor was any
promise of independence made to him,
then or at any other tune.
After that and for the first time arose
the idea of national independence.
Aguinaldo issued a proclamation in
which he took the responsibility OF
promising it to his people on behalf OF
the American government, although he
admitted freely, in private conversation
with members of his cabinet, that
neither Admiral Dewey or any other
American had made him any such pro-
mise.
There were no conferences between
Aguinaldo or his officers, with our Off
GERS with view of cooperating against
the Spaniards, nor was there co-opera-
ton of any kind. When Aguinaldo
demanded that he be empowered to
loot Manila it was well known that he
intended to get possession of the arms to
attack the Americans.
1t is not to be conceived OF that any
American would have sanctioned the
surrender of Manila to the insurgents.
Our obligations to other nations, and
to the friendly Filipinos, and to our
selves and our flag demanded that
force should be met by force. What
ever the future of the Philippines may
be, there is no course open to us now
except the prosecution of the war until
the insurgents are reduced to submits
Bion. The strong anti-American feel
ing was confined to the Tagalos pro-
vinces. Throughout the archipelago at
large there was trouble only at those
points to which armed Tagalos had
been sent in considerable numbers.
The machinery of the insurgent govern
ment served only for plundering the
people under the pretext of levying
war contributions while many of the
insurgent officials were rapidly accu-
mulating wealth. When we left Man
lila stories of the corruption of insur-
gent officers were becoming daily more
common, and the disintegration OF the
enemy's forces was steadily progressing.
The hope of assistance from outside
sources seemed to be all that held them
together The rebellion is essentially
Tagalo, and when it ends in Luzon it
must throughout the archipelago.
Only through American occupation,
therefore, is the idea of free, self
governing and united Philippine COM
'nonwealth at all conceivable.
Death of william Speer.
Wichita Nov 3-William Speer died