The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-28
AGONCILLO BEING WATCHED
HAS HAD CABLE CORRESPONDENCE
WITH AGUINALDO.

publication of the Letter He Sent
the state Department Inclined the
Officials Toward Getting Rid of
Him-SituatiOn at Manila Critical,
But ID Can Re Commanded for
Some Time to COme-AgOncilIO De-
mics That He Advised War.
Washington, Jan. 27-The officials at the
state department are mute respecting the
treatment to be accorded Agoncllo. the
| representative here of Aguinaldo, although
it is known that he has been under sur
VIGILANCE ever since his arrival in this city.
1t was discovered that he was in cor
respondenee over The cables with his chief,
generally through some one of the Philip
pine juntas in Hong Kong, London or
Paris. but whether any telegram has been
actually intercepted cannot be learned.
There was good ground also for the be-
lief that AgoncilIo was receiving advices
from certain persons iuimical to the policy
the President has adopted for the treat
ment of the Philippine question at this
stage. This has been tolerated reluctantly
by The administration rather than to make
open issue of what is still case possible
of adjustment
The publication two days ago of what
proved to be very good abstract, with
exact quotations, of the letter left the day
! preceding the publication, by Agoncillo's
secretary at the state department, like
wise was resented as a notable breach of
official decorum.
Inclined to Get Rid of Him.
The first inclination of the officials after
the publication was to get rid of Agon-
| clio, but they were loath to take any ac-
ton in advance of the Senate passing upon
the pending peace treaty, especially as
| action might involve passing upon GER
tain legal and diplomatic points involved
as to which it is desired not 10 establish
! a precedent at this time.
Administration officials believe the gen
eral tenor of the advces Agoncillo has
sent his principals has been i'm the line
of admontion to hold off from the accept
ance of any terms from Gen. Otis in view
of the prospect that the peace treaty might
fail in the United States Senate.
The situation at Manila is regarded as
| critical, of course, but the officials see no
reason why they cannot command it for
| a time at least Gen. Otis reported yes
connected with the shipment home of
sick Spanish soldiers, that he could hold
out beyond a doubt until his reinforce
ments arrived, and added that as the
news had reached Manila that there was
every prospect that the peace treaty will
be soon ratified by the United States Sen
ate, the effect upon the native element
had been salutary.
Gen Otis was given permission to load
n these sick SnqDfSh soldiers
| two Spanish steamers now at Manila or
| Just due, leaving the amount to be paid
| to be settled upon the basis of the con-
! tract price to be paid by the war depart
ment TO the steamship line that secures
| the contract next week for the transport
tation home of all the Spanish soldiers in
the Philippines.
AgonciIIO Denies Reports.
Agoncillo authorized the following state
mcnt to-day concerning d published re-
port that the government had intercepted
dispatches from him to Aguinaldo in
which he advised that the Filpinos would
have to fight for their Independence and
that now was the time to act:
THE statement is absolutely false and
! is calculated to excite feeling and anmos-
ity in this country, and to prejudice The
Philippine cause No such telegram has
ever been sent by me, and for that reason
cepted. The falsity of che statement is
shown by the fact that l have cabled my
government to continue the same friend
shin which was born on the battlefield
against Spain. The Philippine people
have no wish and no purpose to fight
against the Americans unless they are
driven to it. Their only desire is to
strengthen the bonds now existing"
other members of the Filipino junta who
were present when Agonciilo made this
statement concurred in what he said and
emphasized the latter's declaration that
all his advices had been toward an avoid
ance of a rupture.
Beyond denying this report, Agoncilio
said he had nothing TO make public as TO
communications TO or from Aguinaldo. He
expressed the positive opinion. however,
that the cable report that the Filipino
Congress had authorized a declaration If
war was not correct, as he says the Fill
pino people do not want a conflict with the
Americans, and win do everything possible
TO avoid It.