New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-16
'PHILIPPINE SITUATION.
DISCUSSED BY PROFESSOR DEAN c. woR-
CEsrER OF THE COMMISSION.
WHEAT, AdUESALDo pBsIRED-oUTf OF 1A4S
COUNTRY IN VIEW OF EXISTING
~ CIRCUMSTANCES.

uuar., uor1NA1.Do ppsIRED-DUTY OF THIS
COUNTRY IN VIEW OF EXISTING
~ CIRCUMSTANCES
: Chicago, Nov. 15.--Dean c. Worcester, mem
her OF the Philippine Commission, spoke at Cen
trail Music Hall tonight upon THE Pnhippine
Question" The address. which was delivered
under the auspices of the Hamilton Club. local
Republican organization. was received with
every manifestation Of approval Professor
Worcester followed in the main the line OF argu-
ment regarding the retention Of the Philip
mines which has been published in the report OF
the Philippine Commission. There was large
audience.
Professor Worcester said at the outset that
the issues raised by the Philippine question, d.
rectly and indirectly were more important more
far-reaching in their consequences than any oth-
ers our nation has been called upon to meet since
ITS birth He deprecated the idea of those WILL
ing TO make party politics Of questions which
involve the well-being and the future destiny OF
millions of their fellow beings Proceeding. he
said
II all the accusations brought by those who
declaim against our so-called Crime in the Phil
ippines" are true we have indeed committed
great transgression against the people or those
islands. / propose 10 take up some OF the al
legged facts often quoted in support OF the Gu.
rious charges and scrutniZe them somewhat
closely l shall try to make an examination
wholly dspassionate.
Professor Worcester then took UP the various
arguments presented against the American pol
icy In the Philippines. and. quoting from senate
documents. from the proclamations OF Agm-
naldo and from a mass OF official evidence, most
Of which has been made public heretofore, an
swered the several criticisms. His answers were
directed specially to the arguments of gentle
seed a. audience
the rostrum on which I stand"
He also stated that members Of Agunaldo's
own Cabinet testified before the Commission TO
Athe fact that even after his proclamation OF
June is he freely admitted that no American
had ever promised him independence for his
people The speaker added;
It has been often stated that our Consul at
Singapore, Spencer Pratt. exceeded his authority
and made the promise in question. IL not oirecty;
at least indirectly. 1 indebted TO AdmlraI
Dewey for the statement that Mr.. Pratt is ready
10 take oath TO having never made any such
promise. and may add that legal proceedings
brought by Mr.. Pratt against a puonsher lot lhls
and other charges resulted successfully.
Professor Worcester said, after citing much
evidence:
believe have shown that there was no true
po-operation between our land forces and the
,Btlipinos except in the fact that we fouSht
common foe, each in his own way. L may aoo
that we required no help in taking the city. IL
Law completely at the mercy or DeweyS guns
and soldiers were needed TO occupy 1t, not 10
.feke it. The fighting of August 13 was per-
lfunctory and designed only TO save the honor OF
the Spanish troops.
WHAT AGUINALDO WANTED.
After the fall of the city Aguinaldo modestly
demanded OF General Merritt the royal palace
for himself and in addition the principal
churches a share in the public funds and, most
important of ALL the arms and ammunition sur
wondered by the Spanish troops OF which he had
long planned to possess himself IL Is heeolesS
10 add that his requests were refused.
Speaking Of the efforts 10, avoid CONNECT
Professor Worcester said:
lam often asked the question. might not all
this have been avoided, If, even after the rall
of Manila. attempts had been made to come 10
an understanding with the Insurgents" am
glad TO be able TO say TO you that such at
tempts were made. General Otis, VINO old not
believe that the insurgent leaders were plotting
trouble, had repeated interviews with one ana
another Of them. -o-, OFF
After detailing the fruitless negotiations and
citing from General Otis's letters. Professor
Worcester said:
The prime cause Of the failure Of these final
negotiations lay in the fact that the Filipino
Commissioners were unable 70 formulate any
definite statement OF their own desires. They
did say that they desired independence unuer
United States protection, but in discussion made
it evident, first that they did not themselves
know what they meant by these words, and
second, that they were not agreed among them
selves even as TO the general demand.
At another point the speaker said
I have no hesitation in saying that the United
States did infinitely more than Aguinaldo's
army toward driving out and destroying Span
ish power in the Philippine Islands If our
claim to sovereignty was shadowy, what shall
we say as to the claim Of tribe representing
less than one-siXth OF the population Of the
islands and exercising Jurisdiction over only a
small part Of the Philippine territory?
AS showing the bloody work Of the insur-
gents Professor Worcester said:
At the time I left Manila the Province Of
'Batangas was overrun with thieves and muir
derers. No attempt was being made 10 enforce
law and order. The public schools were aban-
doned. Forced contributions had been wrung
from the people at the bayonet point, until many
of them were ruined Unwilling contributors
had been punished by having their hands hacked
of, and even by being buried alive The indi-
vidual houses in such important towns as Taal
were intrenched. in order that the inhabitants
might defend themselves against their neigh
bors.
COMPLETE ANARCHY PREVAILED.
The Military Governor OF the province, al
though Tagalog and insurgent had char
acterized the condition existing as complete
anarchy" and had repeatedly sent in secret &c
Manila asking for aid to restore order, and
promising to surrender with his troops X he
would only dispatch a small force to his aid.
The speaker denounced as false statements
that the Americans had no friends among the
FYlipinos. and declared we had many good. true
friends among the leading Fnpinos He pro-
ceeded:
hear It asked. II only small fraction OF tn,
Philippine population is in arms against us, and
-