Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-03
MUST HOLD qHEISLANDS
Preliminary Report Of the Philippine
Commission Submitted.
NO PROMISE WAS GIVEN AGUINAbDO
Anarchy Would Follow Withdrawal Of
Americans.
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE FOR THE NATIVES
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE FOR THE NATIVES

Rivera was willing to pay 5000, 900, Mex
lean, when Aguinaldo and his cabinet and
leading officers arrived in Hong Kong. 1t
appears, however, that Pateno only offered
the latter 100000, 500, 900 to be paid when
Aguinaldo arrived at Hong Kong and the
balance when the F'ilipinos had delivered
up their arms. The arrangement was not
acceptable to the people, the promises were
never carried out, Spanish abuses began
afresh, in Manila alone more than 200 men
being executed. Hence, sporadic risings
occurred, though they possessed nothing
IKE the strength OF the original movement.
Inc insurgents lacked arms, ammunition
and leaders. The treaty had ended the war.
Whlch. with the exception of an unmpor-
tant outbreak in Cebu. had been confined to
Luzon' SPANS sovereignty in the other
iSi%HdS never having been questioned and
the thought of independence never having
been entertained.
Inc report then tells how Gen Augustine
came to Manila as governor general at this
Juncture. and war broke out between Spain
and the United States. Augustine solIaht
10 secure the support of the IEilipin0s to
delehu Spain against America, promising
mem autonomy, but the Filpinos did not
trust nm. Then came the LIST Of Nav and
the destruction Of the Spanish fleet nv
Dewey, with the resulting loss of prestige
to Spain, Then in June Aguinaldo came.
On this point the commission saws. ..rTha
ioii"WinS memorandum on this subject has
been furnished the commission bv Admiral
Dewey"
Nemorandum of Relations With
AguinaIdo.
ION April "A, 1898 the following cinhar
dispatch was received at Hong Kong from
Mr.. T.. Spencer Pratt, United States consul
general at Singapore: 'Aguinaldo. ins,r-
gent leader here. VIII come Hong Kong
Arrange with commodore for general CO.
operation insurgents Manila, if desired
Telegraph. Pratt
"a dow
telegraphed Mr.. Pratt: Tell AguinaIdo
come soon as possible the necessity for
haste being due to the fact that the SQUAD
ron mad 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 18th and Mrs
bay on the 9th. Aguinaldo did not leave
singapore until the Goth, and so did not ar
rive in Hong Kong in time to have a con-
ference with the admiral.
1t had been reported to the commodore
as early as March list by the United States
consul at Manila and others that the Fill
pinos had broken out in instruction
against the Spanish authority In the vicin-
ity of Manila. and on March 80 Mr. Will
ltams had telegraphed Five thousand reb-
els armed in camp near city. Loyal to US
In case of war
Upon the arrival of the squadron at Ma
Mia it was found that there was no insur-
rectiOn to speak of, and 1t was accordingly
decided to allow Aguinado to come to Ca
with thirteen of his staff on May 10, and
Immediately came on board the Olympia
to call on the COMMUNICATIVE chief, after
which he was allowed to land at Cavite
and organize army. This was done with
the purpose Of strengthening the United
States forces and weakening those of the
enemy. No alliance of any kind was en-
tered into with Aguinaldo, nor was any
promise of Independence made to him then
at any other time"
The commissions report then rapidly
sketches events now historical. 1t tells in
substance how the F'ilipinos attacked the
Spanish and how General Anderson arrived
and Aguinaldo, at his request, moved from
Cavite to Bacoor. Says the commission:
Now for the first time rose the idea of
national independence. Aguinaldo issued
proclamation in which he took the respon-
sibility of promising 1t to his people on be-
half Of the American government, although
he admitted freely in private conversation
with members of his cabinet that neither
Admiral 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 deferred by lack of
arms and ammunition. From that point on
there was growing friction between the
Filipnos and the American troops. There
were no conferences" says the report, be
tween the officers Of the Flipinos and our
officers, with a view to operate against the
Spanlards, nor was there cooperation of
any kind. There never was any
preconcerted operations or any combined
movement by the United States and Fill
pinos against the Spaniards"
reference is made to Aguinaldo's demand
that he be allowed to loot Manila and take
the arms of the Spaniards. The latter de-
mand Is said to confirm the statement that
he intended to get possession of the arms
to attack the Americans Further evidence
int Of h., IN
was found in the organiza ton of popular
clubs" which later on furnished local mi
ltia to attack the Americans. The DEGREES
of the Filipino congress are also cited as
well as the making of bolos (knives) in
every shop In Manila.
1t is shown that a considerable element
In the F1iiplno congress wished to address
to President Mckinley a request NOT To
abandon the Filipinos cat this stage the
Paris conference was discussing the future
Of the Philippines. The President was
also to be asked his desire as to the form
or government he wished to establish Rut
all this time Agunaido was preparlns for
war and delaying these messages, and It
was understood the attack would come
upon the hrst act by the American forces
which would afford a pretext
A brief chapter then tells of the lack of
success attending the effort made at this
time by Gen. Merritt. through a commits
sion, to arrive at mutual understanding
with Aguinaldo as to the Intentions mr.
poses and desires of the Filipino peopIe
This brings the story up to the outbreak
on the evening Of the 4th of February. with
the attack upon the American troops fol-
lowing the action of the Nebraskan SEN
tinel e'i
The War justified.
The commission, In concluding this chan
ter, says: After the landing of our troons
Aguinaldo made up his mind that it would
be necessary to fight the Americans. and
after the making of the treaty of peace at
Paris this determination was strength
ened. He did not openly declare that he
intended to fight the Americans, but he ex
cited everybody and especially the mill
1t Is doubtful whether he had the power to
check or control the army at the time hos
tilities broke out. Deplorable as war is.
the one in which We are now engaged was