The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-11-03
REPORT ON THE PHILIPPINES
SUBMITTED 10 PRESIDENT BY HIS
SPECIAL COMMIsSION.

aldo--Attempts to Bring About a
Peaceful soIution-war Unavoidabi.
| and Must be Prosecutcd-NativesU Unfi
for SeIf-Govsrnment.
| Washington, Nov. 2.-The Philippine
commission to-day submitted prelim-
mary report to President Mckinley
The report is u summary Of conditions
on the islands as the commission left
them: of the historical events which
preceded the Spanish war and led to
the original Filipino insurrection; OF
the exchanges between Admiral Dewey
and the other American commanders
and the insurgents; the breaking out
and progress of the present insurrection,
and, finally, a statement of the capacity
of the Filipinos for self government. A
feature Of the report is memorandum
by Admiral Dewey explanatory of his
relations with Aguinaldo.
The commission next tells briefly how
it conducted the task entrusted to it,,
hearing statements from all classes Of
people in Manila as to the capabilities
of the Filipinos for lf-government, the
habits and customs of the people and
also the establishment of municipal
governments in many towns. The COM
mission attaches little Importance to the
divers rebellions in the islands which
preceded that Of 1896 This latter move
ment, they declare, was not an attempt
to win independence, but solely to obtain
relief from intolerable abuses.
This war was terminated by the
Spaniards making concessions and pay
ing money to Aguinaldo and other Fill
pino leaders who left the islands. The
Spanish promises We're not kept, how
ever, abuses broke out afresh and spor-
adic risings occurred, though they pos
sessed nothing like the strength of the
original movement. The report tells of
Dewey's victory in May and of the re-
turn of Aguinaldo from Hong Kong in
June. Admhal Dewey's memoranda
then follows. 1t declares that no alli-
anee of any kind was entered into with
Aguinaldo, nor was any promise of in
dependence made to him then or at any
other time. The report tells how the
Filipinos attacked the Spanish and how
General Anderson arrived and Aguinal-
do, at his request moved from Cavite
to Bacoor. Says the commission: Now
for the first time arose thea of national
independence. Aguinaldo issued proc
lamation In which he took the respon-
sibility Of promising it to his people ON
behalf of the American government al
though he admitted in private CONVEX
sation with his cabinet that neither Ad-
miral Dewey nor any other American
had made him any such promise
The report states that Aguinaldo
wished to attack the Americans when
they landed at Paranaque. but was de-
terret by lack of arms and ammuni-
ton. From that point on there was
growing friction between the Filipinos
and the American troops. There We're
no conferences" says the report, be
tween the officers of the F'ilipinos and
our officers with view to operating
against the Spaniards. nor was there CO.
operation of any kind. There never was
any preconcerted operations or any
combined movement by the United
States and Filipinos against the Span
iards.'
Reference is made to Agunaldo's de-
mand that he be allowed to loot Manila
and take the arms of the Spaniards.
The latter demand is said to confirm
the statement that he !ntended to get
of the arms to attack the
Americans. Further evidences of the
hostile intention of the F'ilipinos are
given, 1t is shown that a considerable
element of the Filipino congress wished
to address to President Mckinley a
request not to abandon the Filipinos
and to ask his desire as to the form
Of government he wished to establish.
But all this time Aguinado was pre-
pairing for war and delaying these mes
sages An effort made by General Mer-
ritt to arrive a a mutual ~nderstand- |
ing with Aguinaldo as to the intentions,
purposes and desires OF the Filipino |
people was unsuccessful.
This brings the story up to the out
break of February last and the at
tack upon the American troops by the
Flipinos. The report declares that al
ter the making Of the treaty of peace |
II ttlASs <tS u4leilbp dtlti iiilildllOu " |
fight the Americans was strengthened |
He excited everybody by claiming inde-
and it is doubtful whether he
lad the power to control his army
when hOStilities broke OUT. The report |
asserts that the war was unavoidable
,y us and that there is 10 course open
o us now except the prosecution of the
var until the insurgents are reduced to |
submission. The commission thinks |
hat there has been no time since the
destruction of the Spanish squadron by |
ADMIRAL Dewey when it was possible to b
withdraw our forces from the island
ither with honor to ourselves or safety
o the inhabitants.
The commission then takes up the
Of the country at the time OF
is arrival, comparing it with conditions
xisting at the time it left, while
,ivid picture is given Of .he anarchy
xisting among the inhabitants, in and
bout Manila, during the early spring.
ncendiary fires occurred daily. Ealf
be natives had fled. Business was at a
A reign of terror prevailed.
he report speaks of the issuance of
he commissions proclamation and the
ood effect it had on public sentiment
JatiVe law courts were established and
he flow of population soon began to