Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-05

| with, gives lucid and comprehensive a
| history of the present fnsurrectionary
| movement that the story need not be here
| repeated. II is enough to say that the
claim of the rebel leader that he was prom
| ised independence by any officer OF the
| United States in return for his assistance
| has no foundation in fact and is categori-
| cafly denied by the very witnesses who
| were called to prove 1t. The most the in
| surgent leader hoped for when he came
! back to Manila was the liberation of the
| islands from the Spanish control, which
| they had been laboring for years without
| success to throw off
| The prompt accomplishment of this work
| by the American Army and Navy gave him
| other ideas and ambitions, and inSidiouS
suggestions from various quarters pervert-
| ed the purposes and intentions with which
| he had taken up arms. No sooner had our
| army captured Manila than the Filipino
| forces began to assume attitude of
| piciOn anu hostility which the utmost eff
| forts of our officers and troops were unable
| TO disarm or modify Their Kindness and
| Gorbearance were taken as a proof of cow
| ardice. The aggressions of the Filipinos
! continually increased until finally, just be
| fore the time set by the Senate of the
| United States for a vote upon the treaty,
| an attack, evidently prepared in advance,
! vas made all along the American lines.
which resulted in terribly destructive and
! Sanguinary repulse of the insurgents
Ten days later an order of the inSurgent
| government was issued to its adherents
| who had remained in Manila, of which
| General Otis justly observes that for bar
itarouS intent 1t is uneQualed in modern
times" 1t directs that at o'clock on the
| night of the 10Th of February the terri
| torial militia shall come together in the
streets of San Pedro armed with their
| bolos. with guns and ammunition where
convenient; that Filipino families only shalt
be respected but that all other individuals,
of whatever race they may De. shall be
terminated without any compassion, after
| the determination of the army of occupa-
| ton. and adds: Brothers, We must avenge
ourselves on the Americans and extermi-
nate them, that we may take our revenge
| for the infames and treaCherieS which
| they have committed upon US. Have no
compassion upon them; attack with vigor.
| A copy Of this fell by good fortune into
| The hands of our officers and they were
| able to Ike measures to control the rising.
which was actually attempted on the night
of February 22d, week later than was or
| iginally contemplated. Considerable num-
hers of armed insurgents entered the city
| by waterways and swamps and in concert
with confederates inside attempted to de-
stroy Manila by fire. They were kept in
check during the night and the next day
driven out of the city with heavy loss
The Commissioners' Statement.
This the unhappy condition of af-
| fairs which confronted our Commissioners
on their arri9cl ir Manila. They had come
with the hope and intention of cooperating
with Admiral Dewey and Major-General
Otis in establishing peace and order in the
archipelago and The largest measure of
selfgovernment compatible with the true
welfare of the people. What they actually
found can best be set forth in their own
words:
"Deplorable as war is, the one in which
we are now engaged was unavoidable by
us. We were attacked by a bold, adven-
tLrous. and enthusiastic army No alter
| native was left to US except ignominious
restreat
1t is not to he conceived of that any
American would have sanctioned the sur
render OF Manila to the insurgents. Our
obligations to other nations and to the
friendly FilPinos and to ourselves and our
flag demanded that force should be met
| by force Whatever the future of the Phil
| ippines may be, there is no course open 20
us now except the prosecution of the war
Until the insurgents are reduced to submits
sion. The Commits sion is of the opinion
|! that there has been no time since the de-
struction Of the Spanish squadron by Ad-
nliral Dewey when ii was possible 20 with
draw our forces from the islands either
| the inhabitants.
The course thus clearly indicated has been
| untiirc hingly pursued The reheillon mus Isl
| he put down. Civil government can not be
| thoroughly established until order is re-
stored. With a devotion and gallantry
| worthy of most brilliant history, the Army,
| ably and Loyalty assisted by the Navy, has
carried this unwelcome but most right
| eous campaign which richly deserves sue
cess. The noble sells acritice with who n
| our soldiers and sailors whose terms OF
service had expired refused to avail them
| selves Of their right to return home as long
| as they were needed at the front forms one
| of the brightest pages in our annals. AL
| though their operations have been some
| what interrupted and checked by rainy
| season of unusual violence and duration.
| they have gained ground steadily in every
| direction, ard row look forward confidently
| to Il speedy completion of their task.
The unfavorabIe circumstances connected
| with an active campaign have not been
| permitted to interfere with the equally I'M
! portant work of reconstruction. Again /
| invite your attention to the report of the
Commissioners for the interesting and en-
Couraging details Of the work already ac-
| complshed in the establishment of peace
and order ard the Inauguration of self
governing municipal life in many portions
| Of the archipelago. notable beginning
has been made in the establishment of
government in the island of NeSros which
| is deserving of special consideration. This
was the first island to accept American SOW
ereignty. Its people unreservedly pro-
| claimed allegiance to the United States and
| adopted a constitution looking to the
tablfshment of popular government. 1t
was impossible to guarantee to the people
| of Negros that the constitution so adopted
/ should be the ultimate form of government
Such question, under the treaty with
| Spain and in accordance with our own Con-
| stitutiOn and laws, came exclusively within
! the jurisdiction of the Congress. The gov
| eminent actually set up by the Inhabitants
| of Negroes eventually proved unsatisfactory
| to the natives themselves. A new system
was put into force by order of the Major
General Commanding the Department. Of
which the following are the most important
| elements:
Government of the Island of Negroes.
1t was ordered that the government of
| the island of Negros should consist of
| military governor appointed by the United
States military governor of the Philippines,
and a civil governor and an advisory coun-
| ell elected by the people. The military gov
| ernOr was authorized to appoint secretaries
of the treasury, Interior agriculture, pub
| lie instruction. an encouragement and an
auditor The seat of government was fixed
at Bacolod. The military governor exer-
cises the supreme executive power He is
to see that the laws are executed, appoint
to office. and ill all vacancies in office not
otherwise provided for, and may with the
approval of the military governor of the
Philippines. remove any officer from office
The civil governor advises the military gov
ernor on all public civil questions and pre-