The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-11-25
FILIPINO INDEPENDENCE
Under American Protection Aguinaldo's
Desire.

Desire.
To the Editor of The Standards:
| Referring to your editorial. "A Cues
ton of Veracity," in your issue of the
21st inst, I beg to submit further evil
dence Of the Filipinos desire for in
dependence under American protection
Agoncillo came as special envoy from
Aguinaldo to the Paris peace confer
ence, and thence to Washington, en-
deavoring to represent the Filipinos in
their plea for independence. But the
administration refused to even hear
him. Can anyone imagine Abraham
Lincoln allowing such a man to leave
this country without a personal inter-
view? AgOncillo came, not only to offer
to the United States the protectorate.
but monopoly of all military and
commercial privileges, asking only the
precious boon of control of their own
domestic concerns. In an interview by
George Reno, who called in company
with the son of the Cuban general
Garcia, and published in the New York
Voice of Jan. q, 1899, Agoncillo said:
1T seems very strange to me, especial
~ after reading something of the his
tory of your people, that the United
States should desire to hold sway over
an unwilling people, in land where
Its flag is unknown, and where it's rep
resentatives are looked upon as for
govern you much better than you can
govern yourselves But this l am
forced to deny. The best system of
government in the world will fail utter
ly If forced upon country against it's
consent. The wisest laws and fairest
DEGREES under such circumstances will
be looked upon with distrust and hate.
1t is quite true we cannot
claim for ourselves that superior abi!-
ity at self-government which comes
through long experience: but for the
reasons enumerated, we are confident
that we will not make of it dire fail
ure. Nothing is more essential to sue
cessful government than the confidence
and willing support of the people who
are to be governed. This, we, General
Aguinaldo and his advisers, have, and
It Is an essential which the United
states can never possess if your ad-
mlnistration forces upon us military
rule, and denies to us the boon for
which we have so long fought-inde-
pendence. That independence we want,
as do the Cubans. 1t will not answer
to say that it is good for the United
States, but is not good for us, because
we cannot discover sound logic in that
kind of argument. = We
would gladly accord to the United
States every possible political social
and commercial privilege. :"
Inc question at issue is, Shall we be
permitted to govern ourselves under the
friendly direction of the United States.
to be independent under the protection
OF the great naval arm of your coun-
try in the Pacific, in exchange for the
vast military and commercial privileges
of which we are more than willing to
extend monopoly; or do you propose,
by force of arms, to compel US to yield
our necks to a gubernatorial yoke which
G Il
You have established a military
sovereignty in Manila and in your
proclamation to us you do not even
hint that the one thing which we want
more than anything else, the great and
sacred privilege for which we have so
long suffered, fought and sacrficed--in-
dependence-may ever be accorded to
us. 1t does not matter whether indie
pendence is good for US or motive
want thunder the protection of the
United States, if possible; without it, if
we must. - Incidentally
you have rendered us a service which
we do not underestimate, and, in re-
turn, we are willing to surrender to
you everything but our liberty and in
dependence. 1t is very dear to you in
America why not to us in the Pacific?
With your industry your perseverance
and your sense of justice, which I hope
in the end will prevail. YOU might in
time gain every point you wish; but it
will come much easier through diplom-
acy and fairness. than through force
or fighting. We, the Filipinos, are uni
ted in our desire for Independence sure
ly. to Americans, this should not seem
so great a crime" +
This is the man, to whom. if but
friendly word of assurance or even en-
enlargement, had been given, could
have communicated with his people.
and at least commanded their patience
and delay to the preventing of hostili-
ties, but whom we treated with con-
tempt, and, when hostilities did break
out, charged with having instigated
them, refused the privilege of commu-
nicating with his people. treated as a
spy, compelling him to flee to Canada
for safety. CITIZEN.
Bohemian, Nov. %.