The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-01-07
iYHB lNNEXA7IONISTS
Include Many Leading Natives Of
the Philippines.
II NOT THAT, INDEPENDENCE.
rhe Anti-AnnexatIonists. However.
I still Talk Of 'sBloody Resistance to
the Encroachments of the United
states Government"

W00 AADVve'SA
!. still Talk Of .sBloody Resistance to
the Encroachments of the United
states Government"
\ Washington, Jan. 1.-THE correspond
snce published officially in connection
with the peace treaty contains much
Of interest from Consul Williams, who
was stationed ct Manila prior to the
war. He was in constant communica-
tion with Aguinaldo for some time
after the battle of Manila bay, and his
letters throw much light upon the re-
Iations with the Philippine chieftain.
/! As early as Feb. 20 last Mr.. Williams
wrote: 1.-THE governor general, who is
ainiable and popular, having resigned,
wishes credit for paclfication, and cer-
tain rebel leaders were given cash
bribe of 81, ,650.000 to consent to public
deportation to China. This bribe and
deportation" he adds, "only multiplied
claimants and famed the fires Of dis
content" On March 10 he complained
that letters and kilograms were tam
pered with, and he then found 1t neces-
sary to keep open house constantly for
the benefit Of American citizens there
HIe dwelis at this time much on the
movement of the natives. showing the
disloyalty of the native troops to Spain
and the growth of the rebellion, and
he also relates many atrocities on the
part of the Spaniards. One of these oc-
curred on March rs, when meeting
of natives was broken up by force,
many being wantonly shot to death
and 62 taken prisoners. The next day
the 81 prisoners were marched In a
body to the cemetery and shot down In
a body. Many Of these, Mr.. Williams
adds, were not participants In the meet
ing. He also adds that such horrors,
though on smaller scale, were of al
most daily occurrence. He also reports
that several hundred native prisoners
were disposed Of BY being placed In
low dungeons in the city walls, where
they were drowned by the rise of tides.
Mr.. Williams left Manila on April 90.
He was a witness of Deweys victory,
and on May 12 resumed his reports
from Cavite "Aguinaldo told me to-
day." he writes on June 16. that his
friends all hoped that the Philippines
would be held as colony of the Uni
ted States" This was only four days
after the first formation Of a provincial
government by the natives.
On Aug. 4 he wrote: "It has been my
study to keep on pleasant terms with
Agunaldo for ultimate objects. Ad-
miral Dewey says / have planted the
Seeds Of cordial cooperation"
On Sept. s Mr.. Williams cabled: "To-
day delegations from 4,O0O Visayan SOL
diers also representing southern busi-
ness interests, came to me pledging
loyalty to annexation. Several insur-
gent leaders likewise. Spain cannot
control. If we evacuate anarchy
rules"
on July 18 Consul Wildman wrote to
the secretary of state expressing his
views on the then reported policy Of
the United States government to allow
the Philippine Islands to return to
Spain. Among other things he said:
~ consider the 40 or so Philippine lead
4rs with whose fortunes I have been
fiery closely connected to be the su-
periors Of the Malayas and the Gu
BANS. Aguinald ldo. Agoncillo and SAM.
dico are all men who would be leaders
in their separate departments in any
country WUlle dHlOH6 tHc wealthy
Manila men who live in Hong Kong.
and who are spending their money lib
orally for the overthrow of the Span
iards and annexation to the United
States, men like the Cortez family and
the Paza family would hold their own
among bankers and lawyers anywhere.
In spite of statements to the contrary,
/ know they are fighting for annexa-
tion to the United States first, and for
Independence secondly. In fact l have
had the most prominent leaders call on
me and say they would not raise one
finger unless l could assure them that
the United States intended to give them
United States citizenship If they wished
1t. There has been a systematic at
tempt to blacken the name of Aguin-
sido and his cabinet on account of the
questionable terms of their surrender
to Spanish forces a year ago this
month. 1t has been said that they
sold their country for gold, but this
has been conclusively disproved."
Mr. Wildman says that on the break
ins out OF the war he received a dele
gaticn from the insurgent Junta and
they bound themselves to obey all laws
Ee!ves absolutely under the orders of
Admiral Dewey If they were permitted
to return to Manila.
He says that on April q, after an
ether conference, he agreed, on behalf
Of Dewey, to allow two of the insurgent
delegations to accompany the fleet to
tIania, he going with them. 1t was
tn!y later that he prevailed on Ad-
nliral Dewey to allow Aguinaldo to go.
Referring to Aguinaldo's organization
OF government he says 1t was an alb
solutely necessary step to maintain
control of the natives.
In conclusion Mr. Wildman says: 81
wish to put myself on record as stating
that the insurgent government of the
Philippine Islands cannot be dealt with
as though they were North American
Indians, willing to be removed from one
reservation to another at the whim OF
their masters If the United States
decides not to retain the Philippine
islands its 10000, 900 people will demand
Independence, and the attempt of any
foreign nation to obtain territory or
coaling stations will be resisted with
the same spirit with which they fought
the Spaniards."
Included in General Merritts testi-
- mony was statement from Admiral
Dewey In which he speaks of the ma
tives of Luzon as gentle and docile,
and says of them that under just laws
and with the benefits of popular edu-
cation they would make good citizens"
He adds that they are more intelligent
and better capable Of self government
than the Cubans.
On July 20 Aguinaldo wrote to Gen.
eral Anderson, saying that he had
come from Hong Kong to make COM
mon cause with the Americans against
the Spaniards, but asking that the
American troops should communicate
in writing to him before disembarking