The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1899-01-27
Filipino Representative


Washington, Jan. "a. Secretary AL
ger yesterday afternoon said that while
he would he pleased to hear that the
Filipinos had liberated the Spanish
prisoners held by them, he had no Of
fetal information to confirm the state
ment to that effect coming from Mad
rid. Gen. Otis has been cabled for ac-
curate information respecting the
number of these prisoners, but so far
he has not given the information. The
government is pledged to endeavor to
secure their release, and it will use
every proper effort to do so, but it can
not be held to the performance of the
impossible, and must be allowed its
own time and the use of what il deems
the best means to accomplish the task.
| The officials here are not moved by
the reported threat of the Filipino
! junta in Europe to Withdraw Agoncillo
and his fellows from Washington if
they are not speedily recognized Off
cially While Agoncillo has been well
treated informally, he has not been
recognized by the government and it
may be stated positively that he will
not be. The Filipino representatives
here are not prepared at this time to
state when their efforts to obtain rec
ognition for the Aguinaldo govern
ment are to cease. This is "a question.
they say. which will depend entirely
upon circumstances that may develop
as result of their attempt to be dip
lomatically received here and the ac-
ton of the peace treaty.
Senior Agoncillo, the chief agent of
Apuinaldo, said last night that the re-
ports he had received from his govern
ment showed no change in the cond-
; ton of affairs in the islands, and there
was no part ular news to communi-
cate. The rcvolutionists have regu-
lar form of government and are carry
ing out its functions. lie and his asso.
ciates here would use every proper
effort to obtain recognition for them.
and he hoped those would be crowned
with success. Up TO this time. how
eyer, no reply had come from the state
department To- their letters asking for
the recognition desired.
senior Agoncillo evidently discrcd-
| tied the reports that he would be re-
/ NhltfA W idllld III a INV hdNN II MS
efforts were not successful, rs he stated
that there had been no word from
| AguinHldo to return home The envoy
made it very clear that the Filipnos
would not provoke hostilitIcs with the
| United States, but that every attempt
would be made to reach peaceful so
luton of the existing difficulties.
Mr.. Ralston, one of the attorneys
who has been engaged by the ENJOYS
rs counsel, said in an interview that
the Filipinos have come here to do all
they can to secure their recognition as
nation. Their case he declared, is
"A good one, as the Filipino govern
ment has won for itself the practical
control of all the Philippine islands.
Mr., Ralston said the Filipinos want
independence and they would be pre-
pared to defend it against any other
power which would find them as
difficult to subdue as would the
| United States. The ENJOYS" he
stated ARE here not to form
junta, not as agitators, not to
prevent ratification of the treaty, but
as diplomatic representatives, of their
government. The natives do not favor
annexation and only Il certain class in
Manila desire it. Even those are less
than they were six months ago The
delegates are here to secure the recog-
milton of absolute independence and
less will not satisfy them. Within a
week they will be able to make an
official statement AS to their claims
and policy"