The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-02-24
HAS HIS PRICE.
Aguinaldo Is Said to Be For
Sale By
Prof. Knapp, Who Has Just Re-
turned From the Orient.
CORRECTS AN ERROR.
Says Population of the Philip
pine Archipelago
Does Not Exceed Four Million
Persons.
CORRECTS AN ERROR.

Washington, Feb. 24-Prof S. A.
Knapp, special commissioner of the de-
partment of agriculture to inspect the
seed and plant resources of the Orient
and make a report on the opportunities
for introducing our agriculture there,
has returned to washington. Through
out his trip he was in conference with
leading officials of China and Japan and
had exceptional opportunities for OBJ
serving actual conditions in both coun-
tries and also in the Philippines, where
he continued his Investigations.
He says that while in Manila, plans
were then under way for looting the city
reports coming in daily that the Fill
pinoS were about to attack 1t. HE says
the general sentiment both at Manila
and Hong Kong is that Aguinaldo is a
much over estimated leader, that he IS
not of the highest order of even the
F'iIipinos and that he would sell out his
cause for a satisfactory price.
In the best circles of Manila, Prof.
Knapp says it is held that Aguinaldo
would be easy to deal with but for the
fact that his party had a firm hold on
him and that he could not get away
from it's influence. Aguinaldo, he added.
is not credited even with the ability OF
framing the manifestos he issues and
Prof. Knapp says it is openly known
that they are written by clever Fill
pino lawyer who until recently lived in
Manila
1.-THE great masses of the islanders"
Prof. Knapp explained, ARE very ig-
norant and the very few who are intel
ligent have been thoroughly trained by
the several hundred years of Spanish
regime and are adopts at falsehOod. The
F'ilipinos at Manila told me that had the
United States gone ahead at once on
taking the city there would have been
little trouble but that the people inter-
preted the absence of vigorous action to
mean that the United States was afraid
of them. The natives have been held
under severe repression for so many
years that they need a strong lesson
and then they will begin to understand
the situation. Until then any concilia-
tory offer would be regarded by them
as an act of cowardice on our part, ac-
cording to the understanding there. The
Spanish soldiers are very friendly and
have warned our people that the natives
cannot be trusted over night and that
they would aSSaSSinate the Americans
at the first opportunity.
Prof. Knapp contradictS the general
impression that the archipelago has a
population in the neighborhood of TO-,
000, 900 people and says the Dominican
fathers, than whom none could be better
posted say that. 100000 would be a
large estimate of population. The set
tied islands are not he says so denseIy
populated as New York. state and two
thirds of their area are government
lands.
Discussing his mission, Prof Knapp
said that as to the Chinese trade, the
only question is as to whether we want
our share of it, as leading Chinese Off
Gals admitted to him that reform is inn
evitable, and added that opportunities
for introducing American flour, butter
and cheese will be good in Japan and in
China when opened up to trade.