Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1899-11-09
KEEP PHILIPPINES.
COMMISSION ADVISES RETEN-
TON OF ISLANDS.
AGuinaldo Wanted to Loot Manila to Get
Arms To Fight Americans with Fiiipi-
no Independence Would Mean An
archy Review OF situation.

Washington, Nov. An accordance
with the understanding reached Mt the
conference at the White House, the
Philippine commission submitted to
the president the preliminary report
which it had promised to prepare
This report appears to be compact
summary of conditions on the islands
as the commission left them; OF the
Spanish war and led to tho original
Filipino iusurrection; of the exchanges
between Admiral Dewey and the other
American commanders and the nsur-
gents, the breaking out and progress
of the present insurrection, and finally
statement Of the capacity OF the
l'ihpinos for self-goverument A no.
table feature of the report is a memo.
randum by Admiral Dewey, explana.
tory Of his relations with Aguinaldo.
The commission tells briefly how is
conducted the task entrusted to it,
hearing statements from all classes OF
people in Manila, as to the capability
OF the Filipinos for f-government,
the habits and customs OF the people,
and also the establishment Of munich
pal governments in many towns. All
this matter is TO be included in the
final report
Turning to the history Of the islands,
the commission attaches little import
ance to the divers rebellons which had
preceded that of 1896. As to this
movement, they declare it was in no
sense an attempt to win independence,
but solely to obtain relief from in toler.
able abuses. TO sustain this state
ment they quote from an insurgent
proclamation showing what was de-
manded was the expulsion OF the friars
and the restitution to the people of
their lands. with a division of the
! Episcopal sees between Spanish and
native priests,
The report states that Aguinaldo
wished to attack the Americans when
they landed at Paranaque, but was de.
TERED by lack of arms and ammuni-
ton. From that point on there was
a growing friction between the Fill
pinos and the American troops. There
was no conferences, says the report,
between the officers of the Filipinos
and our officers with view to oper-
ating against the Spaniards, nor was
there cooperation of any kind. There
never was any preeoncerted operations
or any combined movement by the
United States and Filipinos against
the Spaniards
Reference is made to Aguinaldo's de-
mand that lie be allowed to loot Manila
and take the arms of the Spanlards,
The latter demand is said to nfirm
the statement that he intended to get
possession OF the arms To attack the
Americans. Further evidence of the
hostile intentions of the Filipinos was
found in the organization Of popular
club" )" which later on furnished II local
militia to attack the Americans The
DEGREES of the Filipino congress aru
also cited as well as the making oi
bolos tl1niyesl in every shop in Manila.
1t is shown that a considerable ele-
ment in the Filipino congress wished
to address to President Mckinley a re-
quest not to abandon the Philippines
{At this stage the Paris conference
was discussing the future of the Phil
ippines. The president was also ID
be asked his desire as to the form OF
government he wished to establish
But all this time Aguinaldo was pre-
pairing for war and delaying these
M ssages, and it was understood the
attack would come when the first ac
by the American forces would afford {
preteXt.
Should our power by any fatalit,
be withdrawn, the commission believes
the government of the Philippine
would speedily lapse into anarchy
which would excuse, If il did not nee
essitate, the Intervention of other
J powers and the eventual division o
the islands among them
only through American occupation
therefore, is the idea OF free self-gov
ernment and united Philippine com
mon wealth at all conceivable. And tn
indispensable need from the Philippin
point of view of maj aintaining America
! sovereignty over the archipelago !
recognized by all intelligent Filipino
and even by those insurgents who de
sire AN American protectorate. Tn
latter, it is true, would take the reve
enues and leave us the responsibilities
! Nevertheless they recognize the indr
bitable fact that the Filipinos con no
stand alone.
Thus the welfare of the Filipino
I comedies with the dictates of nationa
! honor in forbidding our abandonmeu Il
of the archipelago. We can not, fror
) any point of view. escape the respons
! bilities Of government which our SOY
|. ereignty entails, and the commisso
| is strongly persuaded that the pei
/ formance of our national duty wi
prove the greatest blessing to the pee
plies of the Philippine islands"
Three Spanish Cruisers Raised.