The record-union., 1899-08-05
WERE THERE PLEDGES?

|
DID ANY ONE PROMISE AGUI-
NALDo INDEPENDENCE?
Proof That the Charge to That En-
feet is Untrue-Interesting
Collection Of Facts.
Mr.. J. ]. Valentine of San Francisco
has issued a circular monograph con-
sisting of extracts from letters and re-
| ports, from which he draws the con-
clusion that independence was prom
Used to the Filipinos through Aguln-
aldo by our officials at Hongkong, the
Straits Settlements and in Manila Bay.
| If this charge is true and the pledge
was authoritative the Filipino cause
occupies very different position from
that generally accepted, and the Val
entine circular will do injury to the
American cause. 1t is, therefore, of his
torical value to examine into the facts
dispassionately, and upon the basis of
the only possible data, namely, the
official reports and letters. These we
| have before us, issued by the Presi-
dent with his message transmitting the
treaty of peace with Spain.
| The evidence presented in the mono
| graph-which has been sent to the
Record Union in support Of the po-
sition of its author is, in brief, as fol-
lows: First, report from Consul
General Pratt of Singapore to Secre-
| tary of State Day, April Is, 1898. In
| it he states that on the 23d H. w.
Bray, an Englishman having large
property interests in the Philippines,
from which he had been driven by the
| Spanish, had informed him of the pres
ence at Singapore Of Aguinaldo. The
| Consul thereupon determined to see
Aguinaldo with a view of securing his
influence to control the Filipinos that
| they might not act adversely to the
United States.
| The interview was held with Bray
as interpreter, and Pratt telegraphed
the Consul at Hongkong: "Aguinaldo,
| nsurgent leader, here. Will come to
Hongkong to arrange with Commodore
for general cooperation with insur-
gents at Manila if desired. Telegraph"
In due time reply came: Tell Aguin-
aldo to come soon as possible. (Signed)
| Dewey
Mr. Valentines print Of this official
report omits the following important
words, written by Consul General
Pratt, namely:
lat this interview, after learning from
| General Aguinaldo the state of and OBJ
ent insurrectionary movement, which,
though absent from the. Philippines he
was still directing. took it upon my
thority to speak for the Government, to
| point out the danger of continuing indie
pendent action at this stage; and having
| convinced him OF the expediency of CO.
| operating with our fleet, then at Hong
| kong, and obtained the assurance of will
to pT0cee6 salthe 81 ana nd f
the latter should SO desire, telegraphed,
| etc.
| 1t will be noted that the omission oil
this very important paragraph from
the report as quoted by Mr.. Valentine
is surprising, for it discloses the fact
| that Pratt told Aguinaldo the limita-
lions of his authority.
| The next citation is part of a report
by Consul General Pratt, May 9th, to
| Secretary Day, announcing the de-
parture of Aguinaldo from Singapore,
| and referring to an article in the
Singapore 'Free Press" Of May 4th,
reciting the fact of the communication
with Aguinaldo, and that the policy of
the latter embraces independence of
the Philippines with American advice
says in his letter of May 9TH, ''in sub
stance" sets forth the facts of the
case.
The next citation is paragraph
from the proclamation of Aguinaldo,
May %, 1898, in which he tells the
Filipinos that under protection of the
United States they will achieve indie
pendence. Next are a few paragraphs
from the report of Consul Williams at
Manila to Secretary Day, reciting what
military movements have been made
by the Filipino insurgents, according
to Aguinaldo's statements made to him.
But there is omitted in the Valen-
tine circular the portion of Mr.. Will
Jams report in which he explains that
he is doing his best to maintain cor
dial relations with the Filipino insur-
gents with view to having them sub
nit to our forces and to maintain har-
mony, lin order to exercise greater In
| fluence hereafter when we reorganize
government"
There is omitted from the circular
also the paragraph in which Consul
Williams says:
Il expect that July 4th we. will .cele,
brate in Manila under the folds of Old
Glory, and write in living letters a page
of history that this magnificent insular
empire has become part and parcel OF
the United States of America"
These omissions are material and
significant. They clearly show that
no thought Of recognizing the indie
pendence of the Filipinos was in mind
and at that very time Mr.. Williams
had his consular office on a ship Of
Dewey's fleet the Baltimore), and was
in daily communication with the Ad-
| miral.
Mr. Valentines next citation is a
| note by Dewey to the Secretary of the
Navy, June 81, 1898, saying that he
has given Aguinaldo to understand
| that he considers the insurgents as
| friends opposed to common enemy;
| that Aguinaldo had just left to meet
leading insurgents ito form a civil
government" and finally that Dewey
considers Filipinos more capable Of
government than Cubans.
But there is no expression in this let
ter indicative of any pledge to recog-
nize independence of the Filipinos. In
! fact, there is nowhere in any Of the
| reports the slightest testimony tend
| ing to prove that any such promise
| was ever made but much to the con-