Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-11-03
THE TRUE STORY
Of Situation in the Philippines
Told by Commission.
At No Time Has It Been Possible to
Withdraw from Islands.
Natives Not Yet Ready for Sell Government
Dewey and Asuinaldo.

with the understanding reached at the
conference at the White House. yester-
day. the Philippine commission. today.
submitted to the President the prelimi-
nary report which it had promised to
prepare. :.
Inc report appears to be a compact
summary of condition on the islands
as the commission left them of the his
torlcal events which preceded the
spanish war and led to the original
Filipino insurrection: of the exchanges
between Admiral Dewey and the other
commanders and the insurgents: the
breaking out and progress of the pres
cnt insurrection, and, finally. a state
ment of the capacity of the Filipinos
| for government. A notable fea-
ture Of the report is a memorandum
by Admiral Dewey explanatory of his
| relations with Aguinaldo. The memo
| randum says in part:
"On April "a, 1895. the following
| cipher dispatch was received at Hong
| Kong from Mr.. f. Spencer Pratt. Unit
cd States consul general at Singapore:
| 'Aguinaldo, insurGent leader, here
VIII come Kong Kong. Arrange with
commodore for general cooperation
Insurgents Manila If desired. Tele
graph. Pratt
ON the same day Commodore Dewey
telegraphed Mr.. Pratt: Tell Aguinal-
40 some soon as possible The neces
sity for haste being due to the fact
that the squadron had been notified by
the Hong Kong government to leave
those waters 10y the following day.
The squadron left Hong Kong on the
morning of the 25th. and Mrs bay on
the 21th. Aguinaldo ala not leave
Singapore until the 18th. and So did not
arrive in Hong Kong in time TO have
conference with the admiral.
lit had been reported 10 the com
modore as cary as March 1st by the
United States consul at Manila and
others that the Fnipiuos had broken
out into instruction against the Span
ish authority in the vicinity Cf Manila.
and, on March 3Oth Mr. Williams had
telegrap hcd: Five thousand rebels
armed in camp near city. Loyal to Us
in case of war
Upon the arrival Of the squadron
at Manila it was found that there was
no insurrcCtion to speak of and il was
accordingly decided to allow Aguinal-
do to come to CaVite on board the Nc
Cullough He arrived with - of his
staff on May 10 and Immediately came
on board the Olympia 10 call on the
commander in-chief. This was done
with the purpose of Strengthening the
United States forces and weakening
the enemy No alliance Of any kind
was entered into with Aguinaldo nor
was any promise Of Independence made
l. - he, ir,1.,
The commissions report then rapidly
sketches events now historical. 1t
states that Agunaldo wished to attack
the Americans when they landed at
Paranaque. but was deferred by lack
of arms and ammunition. From that
point there was a growing friction be
tween the F'ilpinos and American
troops.
There We're no conferences says the
report, between the officers of the
Filipinos and our officers with view
to operating against the Spaniards. nor
was there cooperation Of any kind.
- There never was any precon-
certed operations or any combined
movements by the United States and
Filipinos against the Spaniards.
The commission is of the opinion that
there has been no time since the deS
struction of the Spanish squadron by
Admiral Dewey when it was possible
to withdraw our forces from the
islands, either with honor 10 ourselves
or with safety to the inhabitants
The commission then takes up the
condition of the country at the time of
its arrival. comparing ii with c0nd-i lions
existing at the time it left short time
ago. A vivid picture IS given Of the
anarchy existing among the inhab-
itarts. in and about Manila. during the
early spring. The report continues:
Before the commission left the Phil
ippines nearly all the inhabitants had
returned to the ruined villages Many
Of the houses had been rebuilt. Fields
that had lain fallow for three years
were green with growing crops. Mu-
nicipal governments had been estab-
lished. and the people. protected by our
troops. were enjoying peace. security
and degree of participation in their
own government. previously unknown
in the history of the Philippines At |
temrts of the insurgents TO raise re
cruits and money in the province of
Bulacan were proving abortive. except
when backed by bayonets and bullets, |
and even in such cases the natives
were applying to us for help to resist
them"
One of the closing chapters OF the re
port is devoted to a tribute to our sol |
diers and sailors in the war. The com
mission dismiss the reports Of the desc
Grating churches. the numbering Of pris
oners and the committing Of unmention
able crimes. and say they are glad to ex.
press the belief that war was never more |
humanelv conducted. The report con-
Cludes:
"Our control means to the inhabitants
Of the philippines international peace ana
order a guarantee against foreign ag
gression and against the dismemberment
of their country, commercial and indus
trial prosperity and as large share q
the affairs Of government as they shall
prove fit to take.
The report is signed by j. G. Schurman,
George Dewey. Charles DENLY, Dean {.
Worcester.
The monthly statement of the director
yf ~, ,,,i,,t cboXS that IIripy the pl1ut n u