The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-01-07

content" on March 10 he complained
that letters and kilograms were tam
pered with, and he then found Il neces-
sary to keep open house constantly for
the benefit OF American citizens there.
He dwells at this time much on the
movement Of the natives, showing the
dlsloyalty Of the native troops to Spain
and the growth Of the rebellion, and
he also relates many atrocities on the
part Of the Spaniards. one Of these oc-
CURED on March %. when a meeting
Of natives was broken up by force,
many being wantonly shot to death
and 60 taken prisoners. The next day
the 81 prisoners were marched in a
body to the cemetery and shot down in
a body. Many of these, Mr.. williams
adds, were not participants In the meet
ing. He also adds that such horrors.
though on a smaller scale, were Of al
most daily occurrence. He also reports
that several hundred native prisoners
were disposed Of by being placed in
low dungeons in the city walls, where
they were drowned by the rise Of tides.
Mr.. Williams left Manila on April 20.
He was a witness of Dewey's victory,
and on May IL resumed his reports
from Cavite "Aguinaldo told me to-
day" he writes on June 16, that his
friends all hoped that the Philippines
would be held as a colony of the Uni
ted States" This was only four days
after the first formation Of a provincial
government by the natives.
On Aug. he wrote: TT has been my
study to keep on pleasant terms with
Aguinaldo for ultimate objects. Ad-
miral Dewey says I have planted the
seeds of cordial cooperation"
On Sept. Mr. Williams cabled: ITO
day delegations from 1000 Visayan sol
diers, also representing southern busi-
ness interests, came to me pledging
loyalty to annexation. Several insur-
gent leaders likewise. Spain cannot
control. If we evacuate anarchy
rules"
On July Is Consul Wildman wrote to
the secretary of state expressing his
views on the then reported policy OF
the United States government to allow
the Philippine Islands to return TO
Spain. Among other things he said;
q consider the 40 or so Philippine lead
ers with whose fortunes l have been
very closely connected to be the su-
periors of the Malayas and the Gu
bans. Aguinaldo, Agoncillo and San
dico are all men who would be leaders
in their separate departments in any
country, while among the wealthy
Manila men who live in Hong Kong
and who are spending their money lib
orally for the overthrow of the Span
iards and annexation to the United
States, men like the Cortez family and
the Para family would hold their own
among bankers and lawyers anywhere.
In spite of statements to the contrary,
1 know they are fighting for annexa-
ton to the United States first, and for
independence secondly. In fact 1 have
had the most prominent leaders call on
me and say they would not raise one
finger unless l could assure them that
the United States intended to give them
United States citizenship II they wished
it. There has been a systematic at
tempt to blacken the name of Aguln-
aldo and his cabinet on account OF the
questionable terms Of their surrender
to Spanish forces a year ago this
month. 1t has been said that they
sold their country for gold, but this
has been conclusiVely disproved."
Mr.. Wildman says that on the break
ing out of the war he received a dele
CATION from the insurgent junta and
they bound themselves to obey all laws
of civilized warfare and to place them
selves absolutely under the orders of
Admiral Dewey if they We're permitted
to return to Manila.
He says that on April q, after an
other conference, he agreed on behalf
of Dewey, to allow two of the insurgent
delegations to accompany the fleet to
Manila, he going with them. 1t was
only later that he prevailed on Ad-
miral Dewey to allow Aguinaldo to go.
Referring to Aguinaldo's organization
Of a government he says it was an alb
solutely necessary step to maintain
control of the natives.
In conclusion Mr.. Wildman says: "I
wish to put myself on record as stating
that the insurgent government OF the
Philippine Islands cannot be dealt with
as though they were North American
Indians, willing to be removed from one
reservation to another at the whim Of
their masters. If the United States
decides not to retain the Philippine
Islands its 10000, 900 people will demand
independence, and the attempt of any
foreign natiCn to obtain territory or
coaling stations will be resisted with
the same spirit with which they fought
the Spaniards."
Included in General Merritts testi-
mony was a statement from Admiral
Dewey in which he speaks of the ma
tives of LuZon as gentle and docile.
and says of them that under just laws
and with the benefits of popular edu-
cation they would make good citizens. "
He adds that they are more intelligent
and better capable of self government
than the Cubans.
on July % Aguinaldo wrote to Gen.
eral Anderson, saying that he had
come from Hong Kong 10 make COM
mon cause With the Americans against
the Spaniards, but asking that the
American troops should communicate
in writing to him before disembarhng
at the places intended to be occupied.
In order to prevent trouble. Replying
to a letter from Consul Wildman hold
Ing out to him the advantages OF an
| nexing the Philippines to the United
States. Aguinaldo writes on Aug. that
it is an alluring picture, but that he
doubts If he can bring his people Ia
see its beauty. He asks for the recog-
milton of the Philippine government, In
order to join with il in annexation. and
suggests that the American forces
| should cooperate with those OF the
Philippine government. On Aug. q hC
wrote to General Merritt urging that
the Filiplnos should have a share II
governing Manila and reminding ths
American general OF the share of hi
! people in it's ssubiugation.