The San Francisco call., 1899-10-07
A FILIPINO PLEA.

= ONSUL GENERAL WILDMAN OF Hong
| kong. who co-operated with Consuls Pratt OF
- Singapore and Williams OF Manila and with
Admiral Dewey in the negotiations upon which
Agunaldo proceeded 70 Cavte said in his official re
port 10 our State Department that Aguinaldo had not
Cnly led conquering army winch expelled Spain
from Luzon Panay. Cebu and Negros but thar he had
administered his civil government of those four
islands with dignity and justice" Ex-Ninster John
Barrett who must be accepted as authority by the
inlperialists says: = saE Aguinaldo put board
United States steamer a Hongkong in May, 1893 for
The direct purpose OF organizing an army and gov
eTnuent.' The testimony IS I'll one way. \ Filipino
government was organized Is organized to-day, and
outside very narrow territory II each island IS ad
ministering government. Where that government IS
there IS neither anarchy nor disorder. These are
within The garrison lines which We hold il they
present at all IN the islands
That government, organized by agreement,
with IS chief, according 10 Barrett and the Consus
sent TO Cavite on United States steamer for that
purpose, and carrying with him the organic procla
nation written for him by Consul Widnan, which
was his first act in creating government IS ask
ing to negotiate with the United States for cessa-
ton OF the Philippine war and terms OF adjustment
This offer IS rejected by General Otis and We go on
killing the people on their native soil The facts Of
history are against The testimony Of the Consuls
and OF Barrett against US and stand in the record
as refusing to negotiate peace with government which
aided in establishing. under which an army was
organized which expelled Spain from every inch OF
the four islands except Cave and Manila and which
ruled them thereafter Tor six months with dignity
and Justice" The last effort for peace was made by
General Aleandrino who delivered over the Anler-
can prisoners ordered to be released by the Filipino
congress He asked to enter into negotiations Tor
peace as representative OF that congress This Otis
curty refused, and Aleandrino declined to negotiate
on any other basis In that connection the Filipino
general said: Our government IS willing TO accept
Protectorate under the United States We fought
Spain because we did not wish longer 10 be colony
A colonial government under American rule would
be worse than Spanish because you know nothing
about the way 10 govern colonies We do not want
TO be experimental on for century while YOU learn
how. With England It would be another matter.
You are another race and are not in sympathy with
We know how 70 rule our own people We do
not understand why your powerful nation wants to
crush Us ike insects You can conquer Us because
YOU are rich and soldiers cannot fight success
fully against yours We want an honorable peace but
We will fight TO the death for our institutions"
II another strong nation were in our place in the
Philippines that language would thrill and saddeu
every American heart II other guns and swords than
elternlinating people in whose name such
sentiments were uttered Americans would not witness
unmoved their determination while fighting for their
institutions. History will weep while recording the
exquisite cruelty required put race to the sword
while It cried for peace through government which
its executioner aided in establishing,
Il Is our belief that the American people want peace
negotiations with that government 1t IS our belief
that they will regard such negotiations as honorable
and humane 1t IS belief that the American peo-
pie do not demand the cold-blooded butchery Of
people who are crying for quarter.
II our present policy in the Philippines and that Of
England in the Transvaal IS the best and most Chris
worl, Of which the Anglo-Saxon race is capable
needs longer schooling in the fundamentals a
Christian civilization
What Republican doubts where Blaine and Lincoln
would stand such an issue? Not one man believes
that either Of them would permit war not begun for
conquest but for humanity to be turned into bloody
butchery OF people for the crime OF loving liberty
and loyalty to their native soil
Not one man believes that either Lincoln or Blaine
would refuse to negotiate with government estab-
Iished as that OF the Philippines As such ne
eotation would honoraby end the war save lives and
treasure and lift from the soul OF this great na
ton the remorse for the awful crime OF saughterinr
a people while they beg for peace and mercy. il is
time to demand that the policy Of wiping them out be
reviewed and discussed. Professor Schurr1an has
denounced it unthinkaby barbarous and the Presi
dent OF the United States has characterized the a.
QUESTION Of territory by such means as criminal a
erosion" Let us go no further while those people
are crying for mercy. Let get in line with Lin
coin and Blaine and not depart therefrom.
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