The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1899-11-09
FORCED INTO WAR.
No Other Avenue Was Left Open to
the United States.
PHILIPPINE COMMISSION REPORTS.
A Complete History Of the Trouble In
The Islands from the Outbreak Of
the AguInaido Insurrection Against
the Spanlards TO the Present Time.

ed at the conference at the White
House, the Philippine commission has
submitted TO the President the prel!m-
mary report which 1t had promised 70
prepare. The report appears 10 be
compact summary Of conditions on the
islands as the commission left them:
OF the historical events which pre-
ceded the Spanish war and led To the
original Filipino insurrectiOn: Ut the
exchanges between Admiral Dewey
and the other American comma ndcrs
and the insurgents; the breaking out
and progress OF the present insurrec-
ton. and, finally. n statement OF the
capacity OF the Filipinos for selfsove-
erument A notable feature OF the re-
port is a memorandum by Admiral
Dewey. explanatory OF his relations
with Agulnaldo.
The commission tells briefly how II
conducted the task entrusted to 1t,
hearing statements from all classes Of
people In Manila as TO the capabilities
of the Flliplnos for self government.
the habits and customs Of the people.
aud also the establishment OF munich
pal governments In many towns. All
this matter IL TO be included In tho
final report. Turning to the history OF
the islands. the commission attaches
little Importance to the divers rebel
lions which had preceded that OF 1896.
As TO this movement they declare that
II was in no sense an attempt TO win
Independence but solely TO obtain re-
lief from intolerable abuses. To sustain
this statement they quote from an in
surgent proclamation. issued at the
time The report then tells Of the In
surrection which ended by Spain buy
ing OF Aguinaldo and bis followers.
The war began In 1896. and was ter
minated by the treaty Of Biac-Na- Bate.
The provisions Of the treaty were new
or carried out; Spanish abuses began
afresh: In Manila alone more than 200
men being executed. Hence. sporadic
risings occurred, though they possess
cd nothing like the strength OF the
original movement.
The report then tells how General Au-
gustine came to Manila as governor
70, eral ut this juncture and war broke
out between Spain and the Ulited
States. Augustine sought to secure tbs
support OF tho Filipinos to defend
Spain against America, promising then
autonomy, but the Filipnos did moi
trust him. Then came the LIST Of May
ard the destruction Of the Spanish flee
by Dewey. with the resulting loss OF
prestige to Spain. Then In June Agui
naldo came. On this point the commits
sion says: Tine following memorandum
on the subject was furnished the com
mission by Admiral Dewey:
Ion April "a. 1898, the following
cipher dispatch was received at Hons
Kong from Mr.. T.. Spencer Pratt, Unit
ed States consul general at Singapore
"Aguinaldo, insurgent leader, here
VIII come to Hong Kong and arrans
with commodore for general co-opera
uon Of insurgents ut Manila II desired
Telegraph. PRATT"
ION the same day Commodore Dew
or telegraphed Mr.. Pratt: Tel
Asuinaldo to come as DON as possible.
the necessity for haste being due to tn
fact that the squadron had been mott
Ned by the Hong Kong government {
leave those waters the following day
The squadron left Hong Kong on tn
morning Of the 25th and Mrs Bay Of tn
a1th. Aguinaldo did not leave Singa
pore until the 26th. and so did not ar
rive In Hong Kong In time to have
conference with the admiral. 1t ha
been reported to the commodore O
early as March LIST, by the Unite
States consul ut Manila and others. tina
the Filipinos had broken out into insul
rcction against the Spanish authorit
in the vicinity OF Manila, and on Marc
a0th, Mr.. Williams had telegraphed
Five thousand rebels armed In cam
near the city. Loyal to US In case {
war" Upon the arrival OF the squad
ron at Manila 1t was found there we
accordingly decided to allow Aguinal(
TO come to Cavite on boad the McCu
loch. He arrived with thirteen of r
staff on May goth, and immediatel
came on board the Olympia to call Q
the chief. by whom
was allowed to land at Cavite and O.
gai.ize an army. This was done for II
purpose Of Strengthening the Unite
States forces and weakening those
the enemy. No alliance Of any kind W.
entered into with Aguinaldo, nor WI
any promise of independence made
him. then or at any other time"
The commissions report then rapid
sketches events now historical. 1t tel
IN substance how the Filipinos attack
the Spanish and how General Anderst
arrived and Aguinaldo, at his reQues
moved from Cavite TO Bacoor. Says Il
con mission: Now for the first tin
arose the idea Of. national independent
AgUinaldo issued a proclamation,
which he took the responsibility
Pre- missing II to his people, on behalf
American government, although he a
mitted freely IN private convers att,
with members of his cabinet tn
neither admiral Dewey nor any 9th
American had made him such promise
The report then states that Aguinal
wished to attack the Americans VIII,
they landed at Paranaque. but was
TERED by lack Of arms and ammur
ZION. From
growing friction between the Filipin
and the American troops. There we
no conferences" says the report. "b
tween the officers of the riiipnos a.
our officers, with a view to operati
against the Spaniards, nor was the
cooperation of any kind.
There never was any preconcerted o
- Grafton OF any combined movement
the United states troops and Filip,n
against the Spanlards." Reference
made to Aguinaldo's demand that he
allowed to loot Manila and take I
arms Of the Spaniards. The latter {
mand Is said to confirm the stateme
that Re intended to get possession of I
arms to attack the Americans. F,
ther evidence Of the hostile intentio
OF the Filipinos was found in the 4
garlzatlon OF popular clubs" viii
later tn furnished local militia to
tack the Americans. Along this u
tho DEGREES Of the Filipino Congress
also cited, as we'll as the making
polos dkn3ves) In every shop in Mani
IL Is shown that q considerable elems
In the Filipino Congress wished to {
dress to President Mckinley q reQu
not to abandon the F1liptpos Cat 4
stage the Paris conference was discu
Ing the future Of the Philippines). Z
President was also to be asked his
sire as TO the form OF government
wished TO estab llsh. But all this Il
fguinaldo was preparing for war q
delaying these messages, and It '
understood that the attack would co
upon the first act by the Amerit
forces which could afford q pretext.
brief CHAPTER then tells OF the lack
success attending the effort made
this time by General Merritt, tnro,
q commission, TO arrive at a NUT
understanding with Aguinaldo as to
intentions, purposes and desires Of
Filipino people. This brings the 1t