The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-03-10
Junta Leaders Admit That Their
Cause Is Lost.
TALK OF DTsBANDING
OPENING OF HOSTILITIES WAS
A FATAL BLUNDER.
Leaders at Hongkong Cannot Under
stand Why Such a Disastrous
Course Was Adopted-Think. the
Insurgents Are Beyond Aguinal
dos Control.

Hongkong. Feb 8 (via San Francisco
! March 9.)-In an interview with the AS
ISOLATED Press correspondent, John Bar
rett, late United States minister to
Siam, who is passing through Hong
kong en- route home, said:
This collision of forces at Manila is
the most disastrous thing that could
have happened to the Filipino cause of
independence and they themselves, that
is the leading representatives. of Aguin-
dc here and the so-called junta, realize
it and cannot at the moment under
stand it. They have come to me almost
with tears in their eyes asking for de-
tails of the conflict and seeking some
| Legitimate explanation and excuse for
| the reported beginning of the fray by
/ the natives. kilograms have been pour
ing in on them from their agents in
america and Europe asking for the
Filipino side of the story, but they are
unable to answer and cannot communi-
cate with Aguinaldo or the insurgent
government. Only a few days ago they
assured me that their leaders would not
allow any attack to be begun upon the
American forces and would even avoid
a threatening attitude, rather than
shoulder the responsibility of a con-
flict. They asked me to inform my
friends in congress to this effect, as we'll
as write to Admiral Dewey and Cen
eral Otis. Therefore, when [ asked the
local leaders to give reasons for the
outbreak. they stated with great ear
nestness that it must have been due
tif begun by the natives, which they
do not like to acknowledge to the mo-
mentary influence of tie war party or
most radical element and that Aguin-
aldo himself could not have favored or
supported the action of the Filipino
troops. The long continuance of the
fighting, they say. would be accounted
for by the masses of Filipino soldiers
practically being beyond all control of
officers after the battle had really be-
gun and being inspired with the blind
hope of driving the American soldiers
into Manila as they had formerly the
Spaniards.
Nov that the treaty is ratified right
after their reckless opening of HOSTILE
ties, the Filipino leaders are almost
dumbfounded and are completely at "a
loss as to the future policy. They can
didly admit that the worst blow pos
Sible has been struck at their prospects.
One even confessed to me that the very
best thing they could now do was to
disband, disarm and quietly yield to
American control. trusting that full
justice would eventually be done them.
<Ao ic 10 d man W lli7n SlaIlulllE lIop6
his influence may count with Aguinaldo
and his followers.
The Filipino leaders have always
been kindly disposed to me and frank in
their discussions because ] know them
here and in the Philippines, and when
they have talked over matters with me
7 have invariably counseied them to ac-
cept American jurisdiction, pending a
necessary investigation of what would
be the best kind of government for the
islands and to remain confident that
the president and people of the United
States would see that justice was done
them.
After my address, delivered a few
days ago on the Philippine situation
at the request of the leading men of
Hongkong, and at which many F'ilipi-
nos We're present, some of these came
to me and assured me that they would
accept my advice to keep calm and pa
tiently await the results of the Philip
pine commissioners investigation. Now
they say their influence was powerless
to stay the radical element at Manila
and the restlessness of their army. L
have always had much sympathy for
the Filipinos and regarded them as
comparing most favorably with the
Asiatic natives, hoping that with guild
ance and control our American gov
eminent, they would form at least an
autonomous government that would re-
lieve us of the great responsibilities and
difficulties of direct government, and
am still hopeful that these clouds and
storms may be only temporary and a
happy solution of the great problems
successfully reached.