The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-06-24
THE PHILIPPINES.
Tho Situation Clearly outlined--somc

ieSe y Agrlculture ana Mechanical
Arts, writing to the Christian Advo-
cate on the situation In the Philippines
says: Ks !. hi y. IN
My attention has been called to the
letter Of Senator Hoar in your issue OF
April 6. 1t Is due the American PEG pic
that the facts should be correctly
stated whether they favor the reten-
ton OF the Philippines or the reverse,
and 1t Is not in harmony With the spirit
Of our race to allow the great questions
to be settled by arrogant assertion, from
any source, however exnltcd. Allow
me to state the case of the United
States VS.. the Aguinaldo government,
as ! understand 1t, from some person.
al knowledge OF conditions In the Phil
ipplnes.
1.-the assumption that we are trying
to Impose government on the Filjpi-
nos without their consent cannot be
maintained In the light OF the following
facts. perfectly authentic and easily
proved: (a) Agulnaldo and his volun-
tary following represented at the COM
mencement OF hostilites less than one
tenth of the territory OF the Philippine
Islands, and never had even nominal
control over more than two-seyenths.
The people OF the other nine-tenths OF
the territory were opposed to him and
him ambitious schemes: .(b) Oyer 90 per
cent of the property interests In the
one-tenth of territory within the prov
lnces Of his Tagalog supporters were
opposed to him and his plan Of govern
ment. They had no faith In his SINGER
ity.
2 Aguinaldo was d fugitive In Asia,
and before he wns allowed to return
and organize q following he signed
written agreement with the officials Of
the United States government, consist
ing of four articles. two Of which I re-
call: (a) That he would, in all mater
ial respects. be obedient to the author
tiles OF the United States in the Phil
j. .
ipp!nes: ib) In case the United States
elected to hold the Philippines, that he
would 40 oil IN his power to bring the
natives Into harmony with this plan,
This was stated &c me by o responsible
oiiciai WHO was present when this
agreement was slEned.
). Arms ana ammunition were fur
nishea MN under the terms Of this
agreement
Il WIN American arms and support,
II was easy Tor Asuinaldo and his fol-
lowers to overawe people without any
weapons tor defcrsc.
b. E.ariy IN his career the so-callcd
Agulnaldo government made sweeping
OF personal and real prop
erty. examined maps and plats OF one
hundred and thirty thousand acres of
improved renl cstete In provinces ada
cent TO Mnnlln, which had been confs-
Gated by him, and this was but small
portion OF the real estate thus seized.
In addition to wholesale confscatlon
foreign owners were not allowed to vis-
1t their estates In the country without
paying heavy tribute for the privilege.
6. The hish-toned declarations for a
free government by Aguinaldo have
been mainly formulated to Influence
public opinion. In reality
his; government has been extremely
despotic and tyrannical. as evidenced
by the summary hehendlng OF General
Legarda. his secretary Of the treasury.
for advising against prolonglng the
contest with the United States, and by
his Disregard Of property rights.
.. From the first there has been no ef-
fort or apparent desire upon the part
of the Asu!naldo government to make
adjustmTr: with the United
States. The Insurgents believed they
could easily defeat the American forces.
a. least they openly asserted II, and,
holding this dc!us!on. they did not
want any nm!cable arrangement.
$. Prior to the fall of Manila.to have
quietly withdrawn and left the Spanish
army and the foreign residents to thel,
fate. after destroying the Spanish feet,
would have been an act OF cowardlce
and inkumanity too infamous to be con-
sIdered. Since the fall Of Manila there
has been no time when the American
troops could have been withdrawn
without openly or covcrtly retreatIng
before an Insolcnt and aggressive foe.
.. Had the insurgents sought peace