The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-09
REPLY TO SENATOR HOAR.
DIR. SEtMdN 4. KNAPP ON CONDITIONS
~ THE PHILTPPISES.
He shows That AguinaIdo Does Not Repre-
sent Onr-1"nth of the People, That His
Government l. iI"s rntic and Tyrnnnical
aud That He Had No Desire Make Peace

sent Onr-1rnth of the People, That His
Government l. n"s rntic and Tyrannical
and That He Had No Desire 10 Make Peace
BosIoN. July SIN letter to the rhriStian
4drO"dtP Seaman A. Knapp, formerly Presi-
dent Of tho Iowa stat" Agricultural College.
REPLIES to- a letter from Senator Hoar. which
appeared in that paper on April O. DR.. Knapp
makes the following statement Of facts. from
his personal knowledge of conditions in the
Philippines;
I. The assumption that We are trying to
impose government on the natives without
their consent cannot he maintained in tho
light OF tn" following facts perfectly authentic
and easily proved a Nguinaldos voluntary
following represented a the commorcement
Of hoetiti"s less than oNc-tenth Of the ter
rit ~ o. the Philippine Islands. and lie
never had even nominal control over moro
than two--eNchths. The people of the other
nin"-tcnths Of the territory were opposed to
him and his ambitious schemes. l}l over so
per cent Of the property interests in the one
tenth Of territory within the provinces Of his
Tagaog supporters were opposed to him and
his riau d government. They had no faith in
his sincerity.
80. AIuuado was a fugitive in Asia. and he
fore h. wa allowed to return and organize
following he signed u written agreement with
tho officials Of the United States Government,
consisting Of four articles. two of which l
recall A. That h" would. in all ma
t"rial RESPECTS. he obrdirnt to the au-
thoritics Of the United states in the
Philippines; - in ca" the United States
elected to hold tn" Philippines. that he would
do all in his power t. bring tn" natives into
harmony with this plan This was stated to
me hy responsible official who was present
when his agreement was signed.
3 Arms ami ammunition were furnished
e } rs
II. tn American arms and support II was
cuey for Asuinal!o and his followers to over
awe rcOpin without any weapon Tor defence.
-. Ear.y IN his career tho sp-rnIind Agulnal.
doGoy"rumrnt ma /" sweeping c"nhsca'i on- Of
and pIatS Of 10000 acres Of Improved real
estate in Uroy,hc"S adIh"ut TO Manila which
had been conf 10y INN. and this was hut
small rotuoE q, III" real estate thus seized.
In addition to wi, l"~li" "pniscation. foreign
owners were not allowed to visit their estates
in the country without paying heavy tribute
'6 TN" heightened doclara ions FOR FREQ
government 10y Aguina!In have been mainly
turuul atr t. Influence American public opin-
ion In reality has roN"rnm"pt has been ex-
trrmo yd"-potic aud fvrHunirHL
- From he first thcre la, h""n no effort
or apparent drsir" uUon the part of tho Agui-
n na4 GI' Ed d S aEs TRS a1st
heh"vcd they could easily defeat the American
i"rr.;-: a ."a~t thHY oLTniy asserted il, and.
). PIiorto lhr lal! Of Manila. to have quietly
| withdrawn and left tn" spanish Army and the
foreign residents TO their atc, after destroying
| the spar. -h lirrt. would haN" been an act of
cOwardlcn and iuhuIuanity too infamous to he
| considered. Since the fail If Manila there has
| been no time when the American troops could
| have teen withdrawn without openly or COW
| Gritty retr"ntlng before an insoIcnt and az
| grcs-ive foe.
| - Had the insurgents sought a peaceful
| solution Of IN" differences, he United States
! could not have turned over the control OF tho
| island to such all IRRESPONSIBLE Government
| without iucnrriuC liability for heavy dam
| ages to foreign owners OF property
10. II has never been shown. and cannot
| be shown. wherein the acquisition Of the Phil
| Ippino~ differs IN prin"in'" from tn" aruuisl-
| tion Of New Mexico. New Mexico was acquired
| a. a ~cuu"nc" Ut war without the consent Of
hrrloo. ,".
| I'll. The allegation that the lhilirpiu IS hav"
! been acquired with the intent To govern them
without the consent Il their propIo Is pure
ASSUMPTION. u uuI'ISt aS it Is nnuatriOtir. All
| the fruth Of turbulent rhetoric about violating
| the principles Of Washington ami JEFF
frrson arises from the false assumption that
| the inSurEent Government under AguinRdo
represents tho people of the Philippines. Once
| concede the fact that II was the purpose of
| Aguinalio and his adhercuts To use the arms
| provided by the United States to force Tagalog
| domination upon the people OF North Tuzon
| and upon the tribes which iuhabit the other
| islands, and the veil is lifted from the romance
| Of Philippine me-