The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-11-14
Presidents Commission Tells Of
Its Work at Manila.
THE. REBELLION AGAINST SPAIN
Beginning Of Insurrsc ion-AguI.
naldo-No Promises Were
Made-ConcIIia,ion

WASHINGTON. Nov. Fin accord
ance with an understanding reached
| at the White House yesterday. the
Philippine Commission today submit
ted to the President the preliminary
report which it had promised To- pre-
pare
The report is a compact summary Of
| conditions on the islands as the com
mission left them: OF the historical
events which preceded the Spanish war
and led to the original Filipino insur-
rection: of the exchanges between Ad-
| miral Dewey and the other American
commanders and the insurgents: che
| breaking out and the progress ~ the
present insurrection, and. finally. a.
statement of the capacity of che Fill
pinos for self-government.
REBELLION AGAINST SPAIN.
The report tells how General August
came TO Manila as Governor-GeneraI.
and when war broke out between Spain
and the United States August sought
TO secure the support OF the F'ilipinos
to defend Spain against America. prom
| Using them autonomy; but the rili-
pinos did not trust him.
NO PROMISES.
The Commissions report then rapid
| ~ sketches events now historical. IL
| tells in substance how the Filipin1s
attacked the Spanish. and how General
Anderson arrived and Aguinaldo. ut
| his request, removed from CaVite To
| Bacoor. Says the Commission:
Now for the first time rose the idea
| of national independence. Aguinaldo
issued proclamation in which he took
| the responsibility of promising II to
| his people on behalf of the American
| Government, although he admitted
| freely in private conversation with
members of his Cabinet that neither
| Admiral Dewey nor any other AmeTi-
can had made him any such promise.
| AGAINST AMERICA.
| The report states that Aguina,do de-
1 sired TO attack the Americans when
they landed at Paranaque. but was de-
TERED by lack of arms and ammuui-
ton. From that point on there was a
growing friction between the FIlipinos
and the American troops. The report
goes on:
There was no conference between
the officers of the Filipinos md ouI
| officers with view to- operating
against the Spaniards, nor was Their:
cooperation OF any kind. There
| never was any preconcerted operation
or any combined movement by tbs
United States and Filipinos agains
the Spaniards."
Reference is made To- Aguinaldo'
demand that he be allowed to- lou
Manila and take the arms OF the Span
iards.
CONDITIONS AT MANILA.
The commission then takes up tn
= conditions in the country ut the tim
of their arrival. comparing them wit
conditions existing at the time the
left, short time ago. \ vivid pictur
is given of the anarchy existing amon
| the inhabitants IN and about Manil
during the early spring.
' CANCELLATION.
The commission adds that nothin
came of the negotiations for settlement
or peace. as Aguinaldo's emissarie
were without powers and merely cam
and came again for information. Cour
teous reception was accorded to- the n
surgent commissions and earnest NJ
peals made to stop further bloodsheI
all witnessing the spirit of patieu
conciliation' exhibited by the Amer
can commission In endeavoring {
reach an amicable adjustment with th
10 insurgents, as we'll as the obduracy {
Aguinaldo. The report sums up the RI
suit of these fruitless exchanges as 70
lows:
NO better proof could be furnishs
that the primary object OF his strugg
is not, as is pretended, the liberty I
the Filipino peoples. but the continI
- ance of his own arbitrary and despot
= power. In any event. the America
people may feel confident that no q
fort was omitted by the commission
secure n peaceful end of the struggl
but the opportunities IL offered m
urged were all neglected. IL not indes
re spurned.
NATIVE CAPACITY.
The most that can he expected
ell them is to cooperate with the Anne
leans in the administration OF gener
of affairs from Manila as a center al
undertake, subject to American contT
IS. or guidance. as may be found uecess
~, the administration OF province
n. and municipal affairs.
Should our power by any fatali
We he withdrawn the commission beliey
the Government of the Philippiu
would speedily lapse into anarct
which would excuse. IL IL did not n
cessitate. the intervention OF otu
powers and the eventual division
the islands among them.
a Only through American occupati,
u therefore. is the idea OF n free. Sc
governing and united Philippine co
monwealth At all conceivable"
-rhn CON, is-i,r, li-r,,