The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-11-03

wished to attack THE Americans when
they landed ut Paranaque, but was de
tered by lack of arms and ammunition.
From that point on there was a growing
friction between the Filipinos and the
American troops There Were no con-
ferences," says the report, between
the officers of the Filipinos and our Of
fcel%s with a view to operating against
the Spaniards nor was there cooperation
of any kind. There never were amy pre-
concerted operations of amy combined
movement by the United States and Fiji
pinos against the SpaniarCis.'
Reference lis made to- Agrlinaldo's de-
nMnd that he be allowed to loot MAMMA
and take the arms of the SDanIards'
The later demand is said to confirm the
statement that he intended TO get posses
sion of the arms to attack the Americans
1t is shown that a considerable Gle
ment in the Filipino Congress wished to
address to President MCKINLEY request
not to abandon the IMlipinos tat this
stage the Paris Conference was dis
cltssing the future of the Philippines.
The President was also to be asked his
desire as to the form of government me
wished to establish. But all this time
Agunaldo was preparing for war and
delaying these messages, and 1t was un-
derstood that the attack would come
upon the first act by the American forces
which could afford n preteXt.
A brief chapter on the lack of sue
cess attending the effort made by Gen
eral Merritt through a commission TO
arrive at Il mutual understanding with
Aguinaldo as to the intentions, purposes
and desires of the Filipino people, brings
the story up to the outbreak on the
evening of the 18th of February, with
the attack upon the American troops
following the action of the Nebraska
sentinel The commission, in concluding
this chapter. says that deplorable as war
was there was no way of avoiding this !;
that attacked by the Filipinos our troop
could not retreat, surrender Manila and
forget our obligations to the friendly
natives and to the nations of Europe; that
Mt no time since Admiral Dewey's vic
tory could the Americans withdraw
with honor to themselves or with safety
to the inhabitants. The commission then
takes up the condition of the country
ut the time of their arrival, comparing
it with conditions existing at the time
ture is given of the anarchy existing
among the inhabitants in and about Ma
Mia. during the early spring.
The report then speaks of the issuance
Of the commissions proclamation and
the good effect it had on public senti-
ment The natives, accustomed to
Spanish promises, urged upon the com
mission that acts instead of promises
should be given them. As result ma
tive law courts We're established and
this greatly aided in the restoration or
public confidence. Natives who had
fled from their homes returned. As
showing the limited scope of the rebel
lion the commission states:
I'VE learned that the strongest ANTI
American feeling was confined to the
Tagalog provinces, namely. Manila, Ca
wife, Laguna, Batangas, Morong, Bull
acan. Nueva Ecija, Principe, Infanta
and Zambales. 1t was strongest in the
first six named, and hardly existed in
the last four. The population of these
provinces is estimated to be about l.
100000. but it should not be supposed
that even in the six provinces imme-
diately adjacent to Manila the people
were united in their opposition to us.
Even here there was a strong conserva-
tive element, consisting of people of
wealth and intelligence, opposed to the
war"
The report goes ON to show that tine
rebellion was not national movement
that the insurgents We're feared through
opt the Archipelago whose people were
plundered by their government; that a
indes whence came appeals to the Amer
leans for help, and that wherever the
people We're protected by our troops there
peace and prosperity prevailed.
THE chapter devoted to Establish
ment OF Municipal Governments gives
in detail the efforts in that direction
A simple scheme of municipal gov
el4pment was adopted, similar enough to
the old system to be. readily comprehensf-
Bile to the natives. but giving Them liber-
ties which they had never before enjoyed.
Governments were organized with salts
factory results in Pandacan, Santa Ana,
San Felipe, Meri San Pedro and Machei.
while a slightly different systems was put
into effect iii Malabon. Polo, Obando
Meycauya, Yang and M0lolos.
The commission sums up the situation
at the time of their departure as follows:
..W1en We left Manila a large volume
of business was being done, and the
streets were so crowded as to be hardly
safe The native population was quiet
and orderly and all fear of an uprising
had long since passed. An efficient
corps of native policemen was ON duty.
A system of public schools in which
English was taught had been advocated
by the commission and established by
General Otis. Some 5000 scholars were
in attendance.
'In the Tagalog province of Iaizon.
where the anti-Amerfffcan feeling had
been strongest, public sentiment had
greatly changed, as was evil
denced by the fact that the
military governor of Batangas had
offered to surrender his troops and
iis province it we would only send a
small force there. The Bicola, in South
e1m Luzom had risen against their Taga-
log masters. The Macabebes were clam
oring for an opportunity to fight i'm our
ranks, and native soldiers and scouts
were already serving under General Law
ton. Stories of the corruption of insur-
gent officers were becoming daily more
common and the diSintegration of the
enemy's forces was steadily progressing.