The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-07-14
ORATOR AGUINALDO.
High-Sounding Speech Made
to His Followers.
AN INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATION.
Told Them Not to BE Ungrateful ts
"Noble' spain-said Some States Of the
American Union Had Arisen In Rebels
Favor Against the Presidents Policy.

MANILA, July ia copy of The In
dependencia reached Manila containing
the speech which Aguinaldo made dur
ing the recent celebration at Tarlac of
the anniversary of the proclamation OF
Filipino independence. In substance 1t
was as follows:
Filipino, beloved daughter of the ar
dent sun of the tropics, commended by
providence to the care of noble Spain,
be not ungrateful to her salute who
warmed you with the breath OF her own
culture and civilization.
''It is true she sought to crush thy
aspiration for independence, as a loving
mother opposes separation forever from
the daughter of her bosom. This but
proves the excess of affection and love
Spain feels for thee. Filpini, delicate
flower of the east, scarcely eight months
weaned from the breast of thy mother,
thou hast dared to brave a great and
powerful nation, such as is the United
States, after barely organizing and dis
ciplining thy little army. Yet we reply,
we will be slaves to none, nor allow
ourselves to be deceived by soft words.
Let us continue to defend our father
land until independence is assured, for
this is justice.
1--WE shall see at last that the great
American nation will acknowledge the
right which is ON our side. That doc
trine of the great Monroe, that Amer
lea is for Americans, is not forgotten.
Just as we affirm that the Philippines
are for the Fihpinos. Some states of
the American Union have arisen in our
favor. Especially is the Democratic
party convinced that both vlctors and
chaI. x1yi11 loco Traninr,p Euoc
Thus many of the people and many
statesmen censure President Mckinley
as inhuman for having ordered his
military representatives at Manila to
seek means to bring about hostilities
with the Filipinos.
These facts proved that they wished
to try US to see If we are able to live up
to the second color of our banner, red,
which signifies courage, heroism and
martyrdom. Therefore, we should not
resent this struggle with the Americans.
In spite Of their expressed desire to
dominate all the Philippines, well con-
yinced are they that we fight with JUS
tice ana right on our side and that au-
tonomy is all show of deceit, only
serving to save certain accumulated
wealth. We have never concealed our
aspirations, that we aspire but to indie
pendenoe, that we will struggle on to
obtain it, perhaps from those who are
now our enemies and tomorrow will be
our allies as they were for the overthrow
of the power of Spain.
"We might well accept this autonomy
America offers, but what can we do
with it if our ambition is independence
and If we are to accept it only to later.
overthrow by force of arms the SOW
ereignty of America? AS believe it is
the intention of the autonomists to
make use of treachery and deceit, we
cannot accept such a procedure. We
do not wish to be traitors afterward.
We wish to show our character of
frankness and sincerity and nothing
more. Let US avoid the example of
those natives, who having at one time
been colonists, accepted autonomy to
enable them to make their work surer
once everything was proposed.
History has given US an example of
this in recent events. Let US persist in
our idea, which is only the legitimate
and noble aspirations of people which
is desirous at all cost to preserve its ma
tional honor spotless and as pure as
crystal. Thus, then, there will not be
a single Filipino autonomist. Those
who are so are in the eyes Of the people
but time servers, fearful of losing their
riches, threatened by the risks of war.
"F1lipinOs, let us be constant! Let
us strengthen the bonds Of our union"
Aguinaldo concluded with calling for
cheers for independence, the union of
the Filipinos and Tor the liberating
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