New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-07
DEFENCE OF THE FILlPlNOS.
REPORTS FROM CONSULS WllIhAMo'
WIIDMAN AND PRATT.
Mode OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE IN CoNNEC'
TON WITH THE PEACE TREATY
MADE PUBLIC.

Washington Jan. 6.-The correspondence pun
lished officially I'm connection with the peace ,re"'S
contains much OF interest from Consul "iI''"nS'
who was stationed at Manila before the war ne
was in constant communication with Ag"n"'uo
for some time after the battle of Manila Bay ana
his letters throw much light the relations with
the Filipino chieftain.
As early February - Mr. Williams "'o'o'
1.-THE Governor General. Who Is amiable ana pop"-
lar having resigned, wishes credit for pacih'a"on'
and certain rebel leaders were given cash pr'pe
of s165OOoO TO consent to public deportation 10
China. This bride and deportation only multi-
piled claimants and famed the fires OF dis-
copient." ON March 10 he complained that letters
and kilograms were tampered with. ana ne 'he'
found IT necessary to keep open house cohs'a",.'
for the benefit OF American citizens there lie
dwe's al this time the movement OF the natives
showing the disloyay Of the native troops TO
Spain and the growth Of the rebellion, and he also
relates many atrocities the part OF the span
iards. One of these occurred on March -, "heh
a meeting Of natives was broken up by iorce'
many being wantonly shot to death and sixty-t"o
taken prisoners The next day the sixty-two pris-
oners were marched to the cemetery ana
shot down in a body. Many Of these, Mr.. VIII
Jams adds, not participants In the Tieeuhs
lie also says that such horrors though on
smaller scale. Of almost daily occurrence
lie reports that several hundred native prisoners
were disposed Of by being placed In low dungeons
In ihe city walls, where they were drowned by Inc
rise Of the tide. adding:
tr.e.ics too horrd for an official report are de-
tailct to me every day, and II seems that me cty
Of outraged humanity would soon compel Spain
to abolish Middle-Age warfare.
He speaks Of the influence Of the Church as the
greatest bar 10 progress in the Islands Mr.. VIII
Jams also said that every leisure hour was de-
voted the inspection Of the forts, arsenals ana
batte-shps I'm and about Manila even at that
early day. and that he was sending Information
thus derived to Commodore Dewey. who. with his
fleet was then at Hong Kong Spies were 80 thick
that he did dare copy his dispatches IN ONCE
books
Mr.. Williams left Manila April %. lie was "A
witness Of Dewey's victory and on May IL resumed
his reports from Cavte. His first dispatch OF that
date begins with OF THE friendliness Of
the Philippine natives to our country. and to me as
it, representative. Scores Of times have heard
hopes expressed that either the United States or
Great Britain would acquire these Islands.
| "Aguinaldo told me to-day" he writes on June
10. that his friends all hoped that the Philippines
would be held as a colony Of the United States"
This only four days after the first formation
of provisional government by the natives MT
Williams says he Invited to be present "heh
this government orgapzed BY the Fihplnos'
but that he declined. For this h. received note
OF approval from the State Department.
ON August 4 he wrote
1t has been my study to keep on pleasant terms
with Aguinado for ultimate object ~ AGmi ra
operation. Ny arrangement with Aguinaddo mas mas
Tinted States Ia the Philippine Islands would be
vastly better for him and his people In honor. ad-
a% asaa 5T' hm TS ana Fpnos have ira
yersed the entire ground 81 goyernment with MN a
.een provinces to meet for discussion, all stated
| friendly but unofficial on my part
| on September Mr.. Williams cabed'
To-day delegations from four thousand Vsayan
| sol Tiers also reprrse ltng southern business m
| terests came me pledgng loyalty 10 annexation,
| Several insursent leaders likewise Spain cannot
| control. II 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 10 Spain Among
other things he said after giving the particulars
| Of his long residence and intimate acquaintance
| among the people OF the Straits Settlements:
consider the forty or fifty Philippine leaders
with whose fortunes have Peeh Mo ysIy snI me
| Cuba rs Agunaldo Agoncillo and Sandce are l
men who would be Leaders in their SEPARATE ts,t de
Manila men who live in Hong Kong ana vino arS
spending their money beray FOR the 0seT!n nIted
| states men Ike the oor.ez family and the Paza
iawvet,s anywhere In spite of statements to the
contrary know they are hshtng for anneaatCa
secondly In fact have had the most prOmintn,
leaders call me and say they would not ra ,hs
United States intended to give them United states
nalenatc attempt to bIacken the Of Agu
nsdo and his cabinet on account of the questionable
terms of their surrender TO Spahsh Otots ! 81
| 'beir country for gold but this has been concu-
siveiv disproved not only by their own statements
hn, bv the spee"h Of The late Governor-Generi Al
| Rivera I'm the Spanish senate wa III tiT hi
| Kong I'm September 1891, when Aguilhido anu NJ
leaders arrived under contract WIN the oPintsS
| Government. They waited untl NONeHiptl ~
no novment of the money promised for the WIDOWS
and orphans Of the insurgents and ne funlment OF
| promised reforms. Only f+n"" Mexican h'o"e'
| was ever placed To their credit
Mr. whitman SAYS that on the breaking out OF
| the war he received delegation from the 'hsu'-
aon, Iunta and they bound themselves to obey
| all laws Of civilized warfare and to place them
| selves absolutely under the orders Of Admiral
| ~. - ,hev were permitted to return 10 Manila
| He saws that on April q, after another confer
arce no agreed on behalf Of Dewey to allow two
-, ,ba ,nsurgent delegations to accompany the Meet
10 Manila he going with them. 1t was only later
hat he prevailed on Admiral Dewey to allow
.gu,naldo to go Referring to Aguinaldos or
ganizaton of n government. he says II was an abso-
e',aI necessary step to maintain control over the
patives In conclusion Mr. Wildman says:
| wish to put myself on record as stating tnat me
| ,ns,'rgent government Of the Philippine lsiahus
cannot be dealt with as though tney Mt from ONE
| reservation to another at the whim OF lnelr MAJ
| tors II the United States decides NOT TO retain
| neud indrpendence, and the attempt OF any Tor
eign nation obtain territory OF c0ahls AZ
| will be resisted with the same spirit VIII" WIN"
| they fought the Spanlards'
The correspondence shows that Mr.. Wildnar
was warned not to make pledges or discuss policy
: With Ae,Iinaldo and he replied that he made nc
hedges to him. and exacted from him only two
! VIZ To obey unquestionably the commander OF