The record-union., 1899-06-18
Views Of a Prominent French News
paper Correspondent
Who Recently Returned From the Islands
on a Mission for His Papers.

4
Admiral Dewey, President
Schurman Of the American
Commission and Prominent
Filipinos.
NEW YORK, June ia prominent
newspaper man, Henri Turot, special
correspondent of lie Claire" and lie
Monde Illustre'' and chief editor Of LA
Petite Republique'' and La Lanterne,
recently returned from the Philippine
Islands by way of Vancouver, B. c.,
and sailed for France to-day in order
to report the result of his mission to his
papers. Before sailing he was asked
to furnish the Associated Press with
the Impressions he had formed in the
Philippine Islands, and he did so in the
following terms:
Il have just passed several weeks in
the islands, and will speak frankly on
| the subject. During your war with
Spain, 1 openly and frequently pro-
claimed my sympathy for the American
cause. Let this be borne in mind if I
criticise matters, as my criticism will
be solely inspired by my desire to re-
spect the truth, ever and always.
My first visit, quite naturally, was
to General Otis. from whom I had to
request authority to pass through the
American lines. I was cordially re-
ceived by the General, and l asked him
If he was satisfied with his campaign,
and if he hoped to promptly terminate
| it.
YES he answered. I am satisfied
with the results achieved, and from this
time on I hope to accomplish in the.
quickest manner possible the patriotic
task conIhded to me by my Government.
Unhappily, cannot deny that it will
take a long time
Il thanked General Otis for his graz
| cious reception, and hastened to ask
| President Schurman of the American
Philippine Commission for more ample
information. Mr.. Schurman, am hap
py to have the occasion Of saying, is
very remarkable man. of high intelli-
gence and Of profound erudition. No
body could be more worthy Of the mis-
Unhappily, believe. he is powerless to
obtain satisfactory results.
Why I said to him, has not Amer
lea established in the Philippines the
protectorate system like that which
France has installed in Tunis and An
nam? 1t is in substance disguised
annexation. and would give you abso-
lutte satisfaction
1T is impossible replied Mr.. Schur-
man, and will tell you the reason
| why. AT Tunis there is a Bey and at
AMMAN an Emperor, and your peoples
protectorate is exercised over a stable
government. Here there is nothing of
the kind. We are in the presence OF
anarchy, and you cannot establish a
government which does not exist
/" But asked, in default of a pro-
tectorate, viii you accord to the Fill
pinos the same regime as exists be-
tween Canada and Great Britain-that
is to say, sort of autonomy with the
recognition of American sovereignty?'
| Yes, answered Mr.. Schurman, I do
not see, SO far as I am concerned. any
objection to the establishment Of such
a system. Besides, it is outlined in the
! last proclamation which we addressed
| to the Filipinos. In the first place, we
insist that the sovereignty of the United
States be accepted and recognized. But
after that we are quite. disposed toward
any understanding with the inhabitants
of those islands,
1T remained for me to see Admiral
Dewey. The Admiral received me ON
board the Olympia and lost no time
| in complimenting him on the victory
which he had won. Very modestly the
Admiral replied that the greater part
of the credit was due to his sailors and
to his officers.
| "'And now, Admiral I said, what
do you think of the situation?'
In the first place he answered, I
have great hope in the conference
which Mr.. Schurman has nearly every
day with the Filipino delegates. and in
any case Aguinaldo will be obliged to
submit sooner or later He has around
him too many Generals and too few
| soldiers to resist
! But I replied, should it not be
recognized that the insurgents fight ad-
mirably?'
Certainly, yes,' answered the Ad-
miraI. They fight we'll, but they are
children incapable of military tactics,
cat the same time 1 suggested, I
think you ought to recognize that on
land they conducted the campaign
against the Spaniards very WELL
| "'That is true said the Admiral but
since you have touched ON the subject,
shall be obliged to you if you repeat
the following statement in France:
.Agufnaldo, during the war with
Spain, was not our ally. as has been
4 claimed. We never made a treaty Of
alliance with him, and we never prom
| ised him anything. We had a common
enemy He acted on his side and we
on ours. There has never been any un-
derstanding.
Having thus been enlightened upon
the sentiments of the high personages
| upon the American side, it remained
Filipino leaders One evening I visited
Florentino Torres, Philippine Commits,
sioner Of Manila. Torres was magis-
trate under Spanish rule, and is very
Intelligent man. He said:
THE position of the Philippine Com
mission is a very difficult one. We are
doing what we can to bring about pacf-
fication, but when we shall have found
a solution of the question with Mr..
Schurman it will be necessary to cause
Aguinaldo to accept it, and there will
be a great difficulty
{" Why do you fear the opposition of
lAguinaldo? Is he an ambitious man?'
No, but he has illusions. He hopes
for the intervention of the European
powers as in Crete, and he even counts
ON the cooperation of Japan
And you, SIR. for what do you
hope?'
"sOh, as for myself, hope war will
lsonn he, finished for it is running ila We