Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-02-07
AGONCILLO,
The Filipino Representative. Inter-
viewed in Monreal---Says He Left
the United States Merely to Secure
Cable Service Will Come Back.

montreal, QueDoO FepTuary b.
Agoncillo, the Filipino representative,
arrived in Montreal to-day. Accom-
panied by his secretary, Senior Martha,
he drove to the Windsor.
81 heard about Saturdays affair after
leaving New York Saturday night"
AgoncilIo said, "and it surprised me
greatly. l had no idea that affairs at
Manila had reached such a critical
stage; in fact, l considered that they
were perhaps getting a trifle better.
But l had no news from the Philip
pines"
And you expect to receive it here?"
he was asked.
81 do. The Washington authorities
would not allow me to receive any
cable messages. There is a censor at
Manila and the use of codes is forbid
den. I was completely in the dark,
save from the advices l received by
mail and what [ learned from the
newspapers. And the Philippines is a
long way off, you know, SO that the
mails are almost useless. Therefore,
we have come to Montreal, where we
will be enabled to receive the news we
desire by cable. When | receive it L
expect to return % Washington and
continue my efforts to fulfill my mis-
sion to the United States.
LAS to the affair of Saturday and
Sunday I do not regard it as ending
the usefulness of my mission. From
the bulletins received by the officials
in Washington and from the Associat-
ed Press dispatches, l gather that the
fighting began suddenly and unexpect-
eddy. | think that the F'ilipinOs were
goaded to come into it by some act OF
the Americans. For months they have
been doing their best to drive the Fill
pinos into revolt. Gen. Otis has sent
men to search private residences, and
the property of our people has been
turned inside out in the search ipsti-
tuted by his orders. Acts like this
have kept the spirits Of the Filipinos
at fever heat and made such affairs
as that Of Saturday and Sunday posi-
BILE"
"a Washington despatch states that
you left that city because you knew
that there would be fighting at Manila
on Saturday evening"
Agoncillo smiled broadly. ooh, no."
he answered. CAS- I told you, only
learned of it after l had left New York
last evening from a gentleman who
got on between here and New York. If
| my cable service was so good that
could learn in advance when there was
to be any developments l should be in
| Washington. I came to Montreal in
order to receive the news which was
not allowed to reach me in Washing
! ton. When l receive i'll do not know
how soon or how long I may have to
wait-it is my present intention to re-
turn to New York"
DO you think the United States SEN
ate will ratify the treaty to-day?"
II cannot say. When l left Wash
| iugton l knew that the friends of the
treaty lacked two votes Of the number
| necessary to ratify the treaty. One
reason why the affair of Saturday sur
prised me is that 1 had sent the news
| to my people that the people of the
| United States were favorable to us in
our desire for independence. The more
look at it the more I am convinced
that the affair of Saturday was not the
fault of the Filipinos."
do you consider that the fighting
will result in securing the ratification
of the treaty."
81 cannot say. The Filipinos, I am
sure did not start it. 1 do not say that
| the Americans did so with the intention
| Of influencing the vote in the Senate.
1t may have started accidentally in the
dark. l trust that it will not be as re-
! ported. I am expecting news from
home. Until that comes l know as
much concerning the present trouble
as any other careful newspaper reader
and no more
Agoncillo and his secretary are be-
! ing watched by two strangers supposed
to be United States secret service men.
One of them Swallowed Marti, the sec
rotary, who went out for a drive. and
the other remained in the hotel TO
watch Agoncillo, who busted himself
with tearing up number OF docu-
! ments.