Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1899-09-07
The lloilo Expedition and the
Treaty of Peace.
WHEN THE WAR BEGAN.
""hernl Miiler's Astounding Statement.
The war actually commenced De-
cember rs, 1898.

II we are to study the Philippine CUES.
ton intelligently, says the Jcfiersnnian
Democrat, we must divide the subject of
our war in those islands into periods |
shall not in this article treat "f the first
period. which extends from September
20. 1897, to Ma" |, 1898, but will speak
only Of the second period, from May to
December 10, 1898, and OF ,he third peri
Cd, from December 10, 1898, to February
II, 1890. The last period | shall take up
first, because it is only by getting d clear
view of the fac.s of that period that we
can comprehend any part OF the nefalic us
business. Let us point out the principal
events OF that period ECONOMICALLY:
December TO- 1898, the treaty with
Spain was signed at Paris.
December y, 1898, President Mckinley
declared his purposes with respect to the
Filipinos in what is known as the Benev-
client Assimilation manifesto.
December %, 1898, the Iloilo expedi-
ton, consisting Of 1000 American troops
and two warships under command Of
Col Marcus 2. Miller, designed to take
possession OF Iloilo, the principal city Of
the Nisayas.
December 90, 1898, this force arrived at
Iloilo, and lay in the bay.
JANUARY 3. 1899, Col. MILLER RECEIVED
ORDERS FROM Major GENERAL OTIS, COM
HANDING THE AMERICAN ARMY IN THE
PHILIPPINES, TO ATTACK AND TAKE lLoILo
IF lie COULD NOT GET PEACEABLE POSSES
SION. This is the point on which the
history OF the whole period hinges.
January 4, 1899, Gen. Otis promulgated
the presidents policy as to the Filipinos
at Manila.
January 4, 1899, the president laid the
Paris treaty before the senate in mes
sage asking for its speedy ratification.
January 5, 1899, Aguinado issued a
manifesto, in which he said: "My gov
eminent can not remain Indifferent in
view OF a violent and aggressive usurpa-
ton OF portion of our territory by a
nation which calls itself the champion OF
nations SO my government is prepared
to commence hostiities il the American
forces attempt to carry out by force the
occupation OF the Nisayas y showing that
he intended to commence a defensive
war only, and that he then understood
the object OF the IloIo expedition to con-
stitute casus belli.
An this happened month before the
first actual battle Of the war, which did
not occur until the night Of February a.,
1899. but it constituted state OF war,
Iloilo being all that time actually be-
sieged by the American army and navy,
and the date of the first battle depending
entirely on the convenience OF the Amer
leans. When did the war begin? |
answer, as a lawyer, that it began in the
PHILIPPINES Oh the 25th day OF December,
1898. when the Iloilo expedition sailed
from Manila to the Nisayas. Then was
the first overt act OF war committed, ana
no sophistry can disguise or blot ont that
fact.
Remembering that Colonel (now Cen
crab Miller arrived off lloilo December
%. 1898. his story published in the Spring
field Republican OF June Is, 1899, throws
a flood Of light on the policy OF benevo-
lent assimilation.
General Miller says: after waiting
five DAYS Cat Iloilo), and in the meantime
having had three interviews with the civil
government which claimed military as
we'll as civil control, was brought an
answer from General Arreneto by an
aide that the government OF Panay and
Iloilo had concluded not to permit the
OCCUPATION OF it by the United ST ties
Government without armed resistance
Meantime the natives had occupied Fort
Iloilo with troops. WITHIN LESS THAN AN
norm BEFORE RECEIVED THIS MESSAGE,
an ALSO RECEIVED ORDERS FROM MAJOR
Cr~rp,1 OTIs TO TIE EFFECT THAT IN
easily WAS not PERMITTED PEACEFULLY
ro OCCUPY THE CITY. | WAS TO ATTACK
intake r." Five days after the 18th
81 Derember was the Sd OF January, the
dav before the president laid the treaty
before the senate for its ratification
There was an armistice not only with
enain but with her Filipino subjects.
Vet Gen. Miller was under orders to at
tack and take by force OF arms the city OF
uo;lo. without any provocation whatever
Was this outrage to be committed IN
order to stampede the senate in favor oil a
specdv adoption oil the treaty by furnish