The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-06
A Mass of Papers Accompanied
the Peace Treaty.
OFFERS TO AGONCILLO
He Was Approached by Both Spain and
Germany = General Merritt and
General Greene on the Phil
ippine Situation.

senate the treaty of peace concluded al
Paris between the United States and
Spain:
To the Senate of the United States: !
transmit herewith, with a view to its con-
slderation. treaty of peace between the
United Sta tes and Spain, signed at the
city of Paris on Dec. TO- 1898, together
with the protocols and papers indicated in
the list accompanying the report of the
secretary of stale.
WILLIAM MCKINLEY.
Executive Mansion, Washington, Jan.
A. 1899
10 the PRESIDENT: lie undersigned,
secretary of state, has the honor to lay
before the president. with a view to its
submission to the senate, if deemed prop
err treaty of peace, concluded at Paris
on Dec. TO- 1898, between me United
States and Spain.
Accompanying the treaty are the pro-
tocols of the conferences of the peace
commissions at Paris. together with
copies of statements made before the
United States commissioners and other
papers indicated in the inclosed list. Re-
spectfully submitted. JOHN HAY.
Department of State, ashington,
Jan. g. 1897
Accompanying the message and the sec
retarys letter is the official text of the
treaty. being an exact copy of the docu-
ment brought to the United States by the
American commissioners. Full and very
accurate summaries of the treaty have
heretofore been printed. Accompanying
the treaty is a great mass of correspond
ence, making printed volume of CTS
pages. This includes, among other things
all the credentials of the American COM
missioners to Paris and the protocols
which are the records of the daily pro-
ceedings of the commissioners that lead
up to the final treaty of peace, embody-
ing necessarily all of the propositions and
counter-propositions of the past, printed
in both languages, English and Spanish
from an inspection of these it appears
That the press reports from Paris during
the proceedings set these out with q re-
markable degree Of accuracy considering
the secrecy which was supposed to over
hang the proceedings. There is also in
cluded all the correspondence that passed
between the French embassy here and the
state department which led up to the sig
nature of the protocol, but the interest
ing feature, viz the effort of the Spanish
minister of foreign affairs to withdraw
the sovereignty of the Philippines from
question, has already been published un-
officially.
Included in this correspondence is a let
ter from Mr.. Thiebaut, the French charge,
protesting against the continuance of the
operations of the insurgents in the Phil
ippnes which he assumed was with the
knowledge and consent of ...e American
commander, and suggesting that the
Spanish troops captured al Manila be al
lowed to fight the Filipinos To this Mr.
Moore replied on Sept. ) that upon in
vestigation he had found tlat most of the
statements We're groundless. There was a
sort of suggestion from the French charge
to the effect that the families of the Span
ish officers who were captured at Guam
were suffering. There is included all of
the correspondence that passed between
the department of state and the United
States consuls at Manila Hong Kong and
singapore relative to the Philippines.
Consul Williams at Manila before the ac-
tual outbreak of war, reported a series of
most horrible outrages by the Spaniards
upon the F'ilipinos. He declared that per
cent. of the latter are loyal to Spain He
complains of being surrounded by spies
everywhere, saying that even in his con-
sular office he is not safe from them. Con-
su. Wildman a Hong Kong on Nov tel
egraphed that General Agoncilo was COM
ing to Washington. He said:
He has power to make treaties with
foreign governments and has proposed an
offensive and defensive alliance with the
United States"
Agoncillo asked for arms to aid the re-
bellion. Acting Secretary Cridler Dec.
Is replied, telling Widman TO advise
Agoncillo that the United States does not
negotiate treaties and it is not possible
to forward arms.
You s--ould not encourage any tend
ency on the part of Agoncillo to commune
cate with the department.
A long letter dated July IS from Consul
Wildman defends Agoncillo as man who
has been Systematically blackened. Says
he:
According to his own statement he has
been approached by Spain and Germany
and has tempting offers from the Catholic
church"
April IS Consul Pratt telegraphed from
Singapore: "Aguinaldo has gone, at my
instance. TO Hong Kong to arrange with
Dewey for cooperation of the insurgents
at Manila
June 20 Secretary Day telegraphed Pratt.
among other things: avoid any nego-
tiations with Philippine insurgents.
Pratt replied that he had no intention
of negotiating. Says he: Left that to
Dewey, who desires Aguinaldo to come"
Secretary Day again admonished Pratt
to be cautious, to create no impression
that might embarrass the government and
lead to misunderstanding on its future ac-
ton. July Pratt reported to the de-
partment that the sultan of the Sulu isl
ands was negotiating at Singapore for the
annexation of his group to British Bor-
neo, which he said should be watched.
All of the statements made by General
Merritt before the American commission
at Paris appear in the documents. In
substance he says the insurgents would
fight If the attempt was made to surren-
der Luzon to Spain. Spain could not re-
duce the islands unaided. Asked whether
the insurgents were capao.e of govern
ment. he replied that it would take time;
they would have to be educated up to it
Senator Frye asked if the natives would
enlist under the American flag and if
Aguinaldo could be given a command. He
replied in the affirma tive to both uucs-
tons. Further he said that Major Bells
report showed that the Insurgents had
80. 400 stands of arms. Aguinaldo had
100000 in the bank at Hong Kong and
1920, 600 in public funds In Bacoor Major
Bell expressed the opinion that if the
United States should govern the islands
for a year Aguinaldo would have no army