The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1899-11-09
KEEP PHILIPPINES.
COMMISSION ADVISES RETEN-
TON OF ISLANDS.
AEuInaldo Wanted to Loot Manila to Get
Arms to Fight Americans With-FillpI-
no Independence Would Mean An
archy-Review OF Situation.

Washington, Nov. An accordance
with the understanding reached at the
| conference at the White House, the
Philippine commission submitted to
the president the preliminary report
which it had promised to prepare.
This report appears to be a compact
summary of conditions on the islands
as the commission left them; of the
historical events which preceded the
Spanish war and led TO the original
Filipino insurrection; of the exchanges
between Admiral Dewey and the other
American commanders and the insur-
gents, the breaking out and progress
Of the present instruction, and finally
statement of the capacity Of the
Filipinos for self-government. no.
table feature of the report is a memo
randum by Admiral Dewey, explana-
tory of his relations with Aguinaldo.
The commission tells briefly how it
| conducted the task entrusted to it.,
! hearing statements from all classes of
people in Manila, as to the capability
Of the Filipinos for self-government,
the habits and customs of the people,
and also the establishment of munich
pal governments in many towns. All
this matter is to be included in the
final report.
Turning to the history of the islands,
| the commission attaches little import
ance to the divers rebellons which had
preceded that of 1896. As to this
movement, they declare it was in no
sense an attempt to win independence,
but solely to obtain relief from intoler-
able abuses. To sustain this state
ment they quote from an insurgent
| proclamation showing what was de-
manded was the expulsion of the friars
and the restitution to the people of
their lands. with a division of the
Episcopal sees between Spanish and
native priests.
The report states that Aguinaldo
wished to attack the Americans when
they landed at Paranaque, but was de-
tered by lack of arms and ammuni-
ton. From that point on there was
a growing friction between the FIX.
pinos and the American troops There
was no conferences, says the report,
"between the officers of the Filipinos
and our officers with a view to oper-
ating against the Spaniards, nor was
there cooperation of any kind. There
never was any preconcerted operations
or any combined movement by the
United States and Filipinos against
the Spaniards.
Reference is made to Aguinaldo's de-
mand that he be allowed to loot Manila
and take the arms of the Spaniards.
The latter demand is said to confirm
the statement that he intended to get
possession of the arms to attack the
| Americans. Further evidence of the
hostile intentions of the Filipinos was
found in the organization of popular
SAuOs "hlSh ldNNl Ou Il lOGdl
militia to attack the Americans The
DEGREES of the Filipino congress are
also cited as well as the making of
bolos (knives) in every shop in Manila.
1t is shown that considerable ele-
ment in the Filipino congress wished
to address to President Mckinley a re-
quest not to abandon the Philippines.
(At this stage the Paris conference
was discussing the future of the Phil.
ippines) The president was also to
be asked his desire as to the form OF
government he wished to establish.
But all this time Aguinaldo was pre-
pairing for war and delaying these
messages, and it was understood the
attack would come when the first act
by the American forces would afford a
preteXt.
Should our power by any fatality
be withdrawn, the commission believes
the government of the Philippines
would speedily lapse into anarchy,
which would excuse, if it did not nee
essitate, the Intervention of other
powers and the eventual division OF
the islands among them.
only through American occupation
therefore, is the idea of free self-gov.
eminent and united Philippine com.
monwealth at all conceivable. And the
indispensable need from the Philippine
point of view of mai tanning American
sovereignty over the archipelago i.
recognized by all intelligent Filipino.
and even by those insurgents who de
sire an American protectorate. Tn,
latter, it is true, would take the reve-
enues and leave us the responsibilities
! Nevertheless they recognize the indu
: bitable fact that the Filipinos can no
stand alone.
Thus the welfare of the Filipino
comedies with the dictates of nationa
honor in forbidding our abandonment
: of the archipelago. We can not, from
. any point of view, escape the RESPONSE
I, bilities of government which our soy
ereignty entails, and the commission
a is strongly persuaded that the per
? Torrance of our national duty will
( prove the greatest blessing to the PEG
Piles of the Philippine islands.
Three Spanish Cruisers Raised.
;, San Franciso, Nov THE steame
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