The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-01-07
Annexation Was Their Chief Desire
Last June.
REPORTS FROM CONSULS
INHABITANTS CANNOT 81
TREATED LIKE INDIANS.
Snperiors of the Cubans and Their
leaders Would Be Leaders In Any
CoTntry-Wanted Independence IF
They Could Not Secure Annexa-
ton TIC the United States.

Washington, Jan. 6.-The correspond
ence published officially in connection
with the peace treaty contains much
Of interest from Consul Williams, who
was stationed at Manila prior to the
war. He was in constant communica-
! ton with AgUinaldo for some time after
! the battle of Manila bay, and his let
! tiers throw much light upon the rela-
/ tons with the Philippine chieftain. As
early as Feb. % last Mr. Williams
wrote:
THE governor general, who is ami
able and popular, having resigned,
wishes credit for pacification, and GER
| tain rebel leaders were given a cash
bride Of $3.50, 900 to consent to public
| deportation to China. This bride and
claimants and famed the fires of dis
| content
On March 10 he complained that let
tiers and kilograms were tempered
with. He speaks of the Catholic church
as the greatest bar to progress in the
| islands. Mr.. Williams also stated that
| every leisure hour was devoted to the
inspection Of forts, arsenals and battle
ships in and around Manila, even at
that early day, and he was sending in
| formation thus derived by Commodore
Dewey, who, with his fleet, was then at
| Hongkong. Spies were so thick that
| he did not dare copy his dispatches in
| Office books.
| Mr.. Williams left Manila on April %.
He was a witness of Dewey's victory,
and on May u resumed his reports
from Cavite. His first dispatch of that
| date begins with assurances Of the
friendliness of the Philippine natives to
our country, and to me as its repre-
! sentative"
Scores of time" he continues, 81
have heard hopes expressed that either
the United States or Great Britain
would acquire these islands.
'Aguinaldo told me today" he writes
on June 1e, that his friends all hoped
that the Philippines would be held as a
colony of the United States"
This was only four days after the
first formation Of a provisional gov
eminent by the natives. Mr.. Williams
says he was invited to be present when
this government was organized by the
Filipinos, but that he declined. For
this he afterward received a note ,of
approval from the state department.
On Aug. 4 he wrote: TT has been
my study to keep on pleasant terms
with Aguinaldo for ultimate objects.
Admiral Dewey says I have planted the
seeds of cordial cooperation. My agree
ment with Aguinaldo has been that the
conditions of government by the Unit
ed States in the Philippine islands
would be vastly better for him and his
people in honor, advancement and
profit than could exist under any plan
fixed by himself and Fiipinos. I have
traversed the entire ground of gov
eminent with him in counsel, and he
has called his officials from fifteen
provinces to meet for a discussion, as
stated, friendly, but unofficial, on my
part"
On Sept. 3 Mr. Williams cabied: TO
day delegations from 1000 Vizcayan
soldiers and also representing southern
business interests came to me, pledging
loyalty to annexation. Several insur-
gent leaders likewise. Spain cannot
control. II we evacuate anarchy rules
On July IS Consul whitman wrote to
the secretary of state, expressing his
views on the (then) reported policy of
the United States government to al
low the Philippine islands to return to
Spain. Among other things, he said,
after giving the particulars of his long
residence and intimate acquaintance
among the people Of the Straits settle
ment:
4 consider the forty or fifty Philip
pine leaders, with whose fortunes I
have been very closely connected. both
the superiOrs of the Malayas and Gu
bans. AguinaldO, Agoncillo and San
dicO are all men who would be leaders
in their separate departments in any
country, while among the wealthy Ma
Mia men who live in Hongkong, and
who are spending their money literally
for the overthrow of the Spaniards and
the annexation to the United States,
men like the CorteZ family and the
Para family would hold their own
among bankers and lawyers anywhere.
In spite of statements to the contrary,
I know they are fighting for annexation
to the United States first, and for in
dependence secondly. In fact, I have
had the most prominent leaders call on
me and say they would not raise one
finger unless I could assure them that
the United States intended to give
them United States citizenship if they
wanted it,
In conclusion, Mr. Wildman says:
7 wish to put myself on record as
stating that the inSurgent government
of the Philippine islands cannot be
dealt with as though they We're North
American Indians, willing TO be re-
moved from one reservation to another
at the whim Of their masters. If the
United States decides not to retain the
Philippine islands, its 10,000,000 people
viii demand independence, and the at
tempt of any foreign nation to obtain
territory or coaling stations will be re-
SiSLtu WIFI the SAINT spirit WITH winch
they fought the Spaniards''
The correspondence shows that Mr..
Wildman was warned not to make any
pledges or discuss policy with Aguin-
aldo, and that he replied that he made
him no pledges, and eXacted from him
but two, viz: To obey unquestionably
the commander of the United States
force in the Philippine islands, and to
conduct his warfare on civilized lines.
Assistant Secretary Moore, in a
memorandum TO the secretary, says:
Mr.. Pratt was instructed that it was
proper for him to obtain the uncondi-
tional assistance of General Aguinaldo,
but not to make any political pledges
DAYS ATTITUDE.
Writing on June Is to Mr.. Pratt, Sec
rotary Day said: This government
has known the Philippine insurgents
only as disconnected and rebellious sub /
jects of Spain and is not acquainted !
with their purposes. The United States |
entering upon the occupation of the is
lands as a result of it's military opera |
tons in those quarters, will do so in |
the rights which the state of war con- |
fers and viii expect from the inhabit- |
ants, without regard to their former |
attitude toward the Spanish govern |
ment, that obedience which will be law
fully due from them"
In a letter Of June 20, Secretary Day |
refers at length to the report of Mr.. !
Pratt's conference with the Filipino |
leaders, saying that he fears some of
his utterances on that occasion cause !
lest the consul's action |
may have laid the ground of future |
misunderstanding and complications"
In reply, Mr.. Pratt repeats his assur-