Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1899-03-03


fetal positions"
1t has been thoroughly established that
the Filipinos prosecuted their war against
the Spanards with the substantial
promise of the diplomatic agent of the
United States ut Singapore. Consul Gen
eral Pratt, that they should be treated
bv the United States like the Cubans.
Were they of any use to to the United
States in overturning Spanish power at
Manila? If they were, it would seem
that the United States was in honor
bound not to repudiate the pledges of
its agents abroad so far as to annex per-
manently the Philippine archipelago.
But there has been much disreputable
attack upon the Filipnos by American
annexatlonists in order to deprive them
of the moral sympathy and support of
the American people. For example,
Aguinaldo has been painted as mere
| bribe- taker. Let us see what light
public document No 62 throws upon
that charge. 1t is known that Aguinaldo
made a compact with Spain in December,
| 1897, according to which reforms were
to be given to the Filipinos, while he
and other insurgent leaders left the
country with large sum of money.
The rest of the story-the true story
was told by Mai Gen. Greene of the
United States army in his report dated
August 80, 1898. as follows:
Agulnaldo and his associates went to Hong
! Kong ard Singapore. \ portion of the
money, 100000, was deposited in banks at
| Hong Kong, and n lawsuit soon arose between
Aguin lido and one of his subordinate chiefs
named Artacho which is interesting on ac-
count of the very honorable position taken
| by Aguinaldo Artacho sued for "A division
of the money among the insurgents according
| to rank. Aguinaldo claimed that the money
was II trust fund, and was to remain on
deposit until ii was seen whether the
| Spaniards would carry out their promi c |
reforms, and if they failed to do so, it was to
! be used to defray the expenses Of II new In
surrection. The suit was settled out of court
! by paying Artacho 5000. No steps have been
taken to introduce the reforms, more than
2OO0 insurgents who had been deported to
Fernando 20 and other places are stih in
confinement ami Aguinaldo is nov using
the money to carry on the operations of the
present insurrection.
Aguinaldo even refused money for his
personal expenses from American Off
cials, as appeares in a statement by Gen.
Whittles page 1880: "Aguinaldo went
W NdNllts uuNl-l pei IulS~lOIl WI fAulilIl al
Dewey, in reply to a telegram sent by
Spencer Pratt, Esq, our con,ul-gene raj
at Singapore. who offered that chief
money for his expenses. The offer was
declined" If Aguinaldo was n mere
bribe-taker. why did he refuse an extra
dollar offered bv the representative of
the United States? The truth is that
Aguinaldo used the money received from
Spain. according to Gen. Greene, as a
trust fund" to supply the sinews of
war in the continued instruction against
Spain. And the next fact to be proved
is that the United States benefited
enormously by that Spanish money.
since the official papers show that the
American occupation of Manila was very
materially a result of the instruction
which AguinaldO aroused and directed
after his arrival at Cavite.
Gen. Merritt, who was there but six
weeks. has claimed that the insurgents
were of no aid to the United States troops
in the taxi ing of Manila, but his claim
was obviously That of general de-
srous to enhance his own military
reputation. Just how deeply Merritt is
]
, tragedy appears from the following
passage in the senate on Feb. 6:
Mr.. Catfery-If It had not been for the Flip
mos, perhaps you would not have IA Manila
city now.
Mr.. Teller and Mr.. Galinger-Nonsense
Mr. Cullom-It is wol Sc than nonsense
Mr.. Catfery--Everythmg is nonsense that
does not suit the views Of gentlemen who
want to 90 )ble up the Philippines.
Mr. Tpller-I shOulI like saV q the
ator if he will give me leave to say it that our
, Off 3er in com nand declared that they rem.
dered no substantial aid to US at all. Gen.
Merritt said so.
: NO substantial aid at all 80 But what
/ do the official reports say: In the first
, place. Gen. Thomas NJ. Anderson, com
, handing the United States forces at
Civite. in a letter to Aguinaldo, dated
July 1, 1898, invited the Filipinos to sec
operate with the United States against
Spain. Note the word ''co operate" and
, consider what it must have implied to
Aguinaldo Gen, Anderson wrote:
General: | have the honor to inform you
that the United States of America, whose land
forces have the honor to command in this
vicinity being at war with the kin dom OF
5 spain, has entire sympathy and most friendly
sentiments for the native people of the Phil
ippme islands. For these reasons desire to
l have the most amcable relations with you
= and to ave you and your Teople cooperate
+ with us in the military operations against the
Spanish forces.
Maj Gen. Greene of the United States
> army afterward reported as follows con
corning the value of the insurgent Oper.
atiOns:
Between 2O0O and 1000 Spanish native troops
surrendered to it (Aguinaldo's army during
e the months of June and July; ii constantly
, annoyed and harrassed the Spaniards in the
, trenches, keeping them up at night and wear
ing them out with fatigue, and it invested
V Manila so completely that all supplies were
! cut off and the inhabitants AS well the
Spanish troops were forced tn live on horse
y and buffalo meat, and the Chinese population
on cats and dogs. II captured the waterworks
i of Manila and cut off the water supply, and
if it had been in tn dry season, would have
ind ictal a.rnat slaarina the inLa mir ~