Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1899-11-11
PHILIPPINE REPORT
TO THE PRESIDENT
Preliminary Statement Of the Com.
mission Submitted to the
Executive.
ONLY ONE COURSE TO PURSUE
Admi u istration's Policy Approved
No Promises OF Independence
to FiIipipOs---Aguinal-
dos Perfidy.

Washington, Nov. Ain accordance
with the understanding reached at the
white house Wednesday. the Philip
pine commission yesterday submitted
to the president the preliminary re-
port which it had promised to pre-
pare.
The report appears to be compact
summary Of conditions on the islands
ms the commission left them; of the
historical events which preceded the
Spanish war, and led to the original
Filipino insurrection; of the eX-
changes between Admiral Dewey and
the other American commanders and
The insurgents; the breaking out and
progress of the present insurrection,
and finally statement of the capac-
ity of the Filipinos for self govern
ment. A notable feature of the re-
port is memorandum by Admiral
Dewey explanatory of his relations
with Aguinaldo.
The commission tells briefly how it
conducted the task entrusted TO it,
hearing statements from all classes
of people in Manila as to the capabil-
tiles of the Filipinos for self govern
ment, the habits and customs OF the
people, and also the establishment OF
municipal governments in many
towns. All this matter is to be in
cluded in the final report.
Turning TO the history of the ISL
ands, the commission attaches little
Importance to the divers rcbellions
which had preceded that of 1896. As
to this movement, they declare that
il was in no sense an attempt TO win
independence, but solely to obtain re-
lief from intolerable abuses. The COM
mission declares that on paper the
Spanish system of government was
tolerable, but in practice every Span
ish governor did what he saw fit, and
the evil deeds Of men in the govern
ment were hidden from Spain by
strict press censorship. Allusion is
made to the powerful Katipunan So
ciety, patterned Oh the Masonic order
and mainly made up of Tagalos, as
powerful revolutionary force.
The war begun in 1896 was termin-
ated by the treaty of Blac-Nah-B Bate.
The war, with the exception of an un-
important outbreak in Cebu, had been
confined to Luzon, Spains sovereignty
in the other islands never having been
questioned, and the thought Of inde-
pendence never having been enter
tanned.
The report then tells how General
came to Manila as governor
general at this juncture and when war
was brought about between Spain and
the United States Augustine sought
to secure the support of the Filipinos
to defend Spain against America,
promising autonomy, but the Fill
pinos did not trust him. Then came
the 1st of May and the destruction
of the Spanish fleet by Dewey, with
the resulting loss of prestige TO Spain.
Then, in June, Aguinaldo came. On
this point the commission says: "The
following memorandum on this sub
ject was furnished the commission by
Admiral Dewey"
Dealings with AguinaIdO.
On April "a, 1898, the following
cipher dispatch was received at Hong
Kong from L. Spencer Pratt, United
States consul general at Singapore:
"Aguinaldo, insurgent leader, here.
Will come Hong Kong arrange with
for general cooperation
in Manila if desired. Telegraph.
Pratt"
On the same day Commodore Dewey
telegraphed Mr.. Pratt: "Tell Agui-
naldo come soon as possible" the ne
cessity for haste being due to the fact
that the squadron had been notified by
the Hong Kong government to leave
those waters by the following day.
The squadron left Hong Kong on the
morning of the 25th, and Minister'S
bay on the Goth. Aguinaldo did not
leave Singapore until the Goth and so
did not arrive in Hong Kong in time
TO have n conference with the admiral.
1t had been reported to the commo-
dore as early as March I, by the United
States consul at Manila and others
that the Filipinos had broken out in
to insurcection against the Spanish
in the vicinity of Manila,
and on March 30 Mr.. Williams had tel
egraphed, give thousand rebels
armed in camp near city. Loyal to
us in case of war"
Upon arrival of the squadron at Ma
Mia il was found that there was no
to speak of and it was
accordingly decided to allow Agui-
naldo to go to Cavite on board the
He arrived, with thirteen
Of his staff, on May 10, and immedi-
ately came on board the Olympia to
call OH the commander in chief, after
which he was allowed to land at Ca
ute and organize an army. This was
lone with the purpose of strengthen
ing the United States forces and weak
ming those of the enemy. No alliance
If any kind was entered into with
Aguinaldo, nor any promise of i'm
portance made to him then or at any
other time.
Friction With Fiiipinos.
The commissions report then rapid
" sketches events now historical. 1t
tells i'm substance how the Filipinos
attacked the Spanish and how General
Anderson arrived and Aguinaldo, at
his request, removed from Cavite to
Baccoor.
Aguinaldo then issued n proclama-
ton in which he took the RESPONSE
Dility of promising national independ-
ance to his people on behalf of the
american government, although he adj
mitted freely in private conversation
with members of his cabinet that
neither Admiral Dewey nor any other
American had made him any such
promises.
The report states that Aguinaldo