The National tribune., 1899-11-09
NEWS OF THE WEEK.
PHILIPPINE COMMISSIONS REPORT.

The Philippine Commission last week
submitted to the President preliminary
report. The report is a summary of con-
ditions on the islands as the Commission
left them; of the historical events which
preceded the Spanish war and led to the
original Filipino inSurrection; of the eX-
changes between Admiral Dewey and the
other American commanders and the
insurgents; the breaking out and progress
of the present insurrection, and, finally, a
statement of capacity OF the Filipinos for
self-government.
Aguinaldo was allowed to come on board
the Olympia to call on the Commander-in-
Chief, after which he was allowed to land
at Cavite and organize an army. This
was done with the purpose of Strengthening
the United States forces and weakening
kind was entered into with Aguinaldo,
nor was any promise of independence made
to him then or at any other time.
The report states in effect that the Fill
pinos attacked the Spanish. Gen. Ander-
son arrived, and Aguinaldo, at his request,
moved from Cavite to Bacoor. Says the
Commission: Now for the first time rose
the idea of National independence. Agui-
naldo issued a proclamation in which he
took the responsibility OF promising it to
his people on behalf of the American Gov
ernment, although he admitted freely i'll
Cabinet that neither Admiral Dewey nor
any other American had made him any
such promise.
The report states that Aguinaldo wished
to attack the Americans when they landed
at Paranaque, but was deferred by lack of
arms and ammunition. From that point
on there was a growing friction between the
Filipinos and the American troops.
Reference is made to Aguinaldo'S demand
that he be allowed to loot Manila and take
the arms of the SpaniardS. The latter de-
mand is said to confirm the statement that
he intended to get possession of the arms
to attack the Americans.
While the Paris Conference was being
held Aguinaldo was preparing for war.
A brief chapter then tells of the lack OF
success attending the effort made at this
time by Gen. Merritt, through commits
sion, to arrive at a mutual understanding
with Aguinaldo as to the intentions, pur-
poses, and desires of the Filipino people.
This brings the story up to the outbreak
on the evening of Feb. 4, with the attack
upon the American troops, following the
action of the NebraSkan sentinel
| The report, after justifying the war,
says: Should our power by any fatality be
withdrawn, the Commission believe that
the Government of the Philippines would
speedily lapse into anarchy, which would
excuse, if it did not necessitate, the inter
vention of other powers and the eventual
division of the islands among them. Only
through American occupation, therefore
is the idea of free, self-governing and
united Philippine commonwealth at all con.
ceivable. And the indispensable need
from the Filipino point of view of main
tanning American sovereignty over the
archipelago is recognized by all intelligent
Filipinos and even by those insurgents
who desire an American protectorate The
welfare of the Filipinos comedies with the
dictates of National honor in forbiddine
our abandonment of the archipelago"