Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-07-19
PLANNED non MASSACRE
Emphatic Denial by a Filipino
Officer.
INDEPENDENCE WAS PROMISED.
Declared Anderson, Wildman and Other
Americans Gave That Assurance-Said
Filipinos Should Have Been Allowed
to Try Self-GOSernment.

MINNEAPOLIS, July l9.-Ihe Times
today published an interview which
took place May Is, at San Isidro, Luzon
between its special correspondent, Mar
tin Z. Tew of the Thirteenth Mime
sofa, detailed by General Wheaton al
brigade Interpreter, and Major Lorenzo
L. Zialcita, leader Of Aguinaldo's cav
airy and one of the Filipino commits
sioners who went to General Otis with
propositions for ali armistice-
Major Zialcita denied emphatically
that Filipino officials had ordered the
burning OF Manila and the wholesale
murder OF Americans. and cited as
proof that many Filipino officers were
in Manila that night and were taken
prisoners.
He said the proclamation of Genera
Otis proclaiming himself governor gen.
eral had greatly incensed the Filipinos,
but asserted that both the Filipino lead
ers and people believed that the Ameri-
cans had begun hostilities.
Major Zialcial, speaking OF the re-
puted promises of independence made
prior to the fall of Manila, when asked
by Mr.. lew if in their eagerness for i'll
dependence the FiEpinos had not mis-
understood OF misconstrued the Ian
guage of American officials and officers,
replied:
'There is not the slightest mistake
about this. Consul Wildman verbally
made this statement to us, and we had
so much confidence in the good inten-
tions of the United States that to us it
meant as much as if it had been deliv-
cred in writing.
besides, when we were III Cavite, d
number of rs had the honor of enter.
tanning General Anderson at the Athena
Rial. This was before Manila was
taken by your forces. General Ander-
son on this occasion made a speech in
which he said that the Americans had
not come here for the purpose of taking
one foot of territory with the view of
permanent possession, but for the pur-
pose of giving the FiIipinos their indie
pendence.
''On Sept. 21, last year, on the occa-
sion Of fiesta a number of American
officers celebrated with us at the resi-
dence of PedaTno Pacheco, and all ex-
pressed the same sentiments. On many
different occasions we were told by
men high in authority that Filipino in
dependence would be recognized
On being asked if he really thought
the Filipino people were educated suf-
f1ciently to conduct affairs of local and
national self-government, the young
Filipino leader replied:
"Uur people have always been mis-
represented, both by the local and for
eign press. The friars are our worst
enemies and have been active in this re-
gard, as they have always tried to hold
Us in subjection. Educational affairs
have heretofore been in their hands,
and it has served their purpose to pre-
vent the people from becoming too wise
But even at this the vast majority of
the people can read and write"
Major Zialeltt was told that many
people in the United States believed it
u sacred duty for the United States to
take possession of and govern the
Philippines lnasmuch as the natives
We're not capable of self-government
To this he replied:
''This would have been reasonable
proposition if we had demonstrated,
after fair trial, that our government
was inadequate to protect life, property
and personal rights. How could we
prove our fitness or unfitness for self
government until we had been given an
opportunity to show what we could do?"