Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-23
Three Filipinos Join Agoncillo in
This City.
THEY WANT ABSOLUTE INDEPENDENCE
Declare They Will Not Form a
Junta or Agitate.
HEIR OSITION STATED

of the absolute Independence of the Philip
pine Islands. They are DR.. Jose LoZada,
Senor Juan Luna and Capt. Marti Burgos,
and they are quartered al the Arlington,
where they arrived yesterday. They an
nounce themselves as diplomatic repre-
sentatives" of the Filipino revolutionary
government and strenuously deny that they
have come to form junta for purposes of
agitation to secure independence 1t is
their claim that they have established in
the Philippines a government that is stable
and free and that they are right in demand
ing recognition as a nation. They insist
that Spain's sovereignty was an empty title
and that the United States is in better
position, because only the cities of Manila
and Cavite are under American control, the
remainder OF the islands acknowledging the
Filipino government.
Under Sealed Orders.
Through an Interpreter, DR.. Lozado
states:
We have come here as the representa-
tives of the Philippine government, of
which General Amilo Aguinaldo is presi-
dent. We are here under sealed orders
from our president to Senor Agoncllo, who
is the ambassador and plenipotentiary to
the United States We will place ourselves
under his direction for the single purpose
of securing the recognition of the Philip
pine government by the United States.
How such recognition will be brought
about, of course, ! am not at present able
to state, although We have outlined a plan
of action and will begin work at once, al
ways, of course in a diplomatic manner
Much will depend upon the ratification
rejection of the peace treaty now before
your Senate or Its possible amendment. AS
yet, the American government has not de-
fined its policy toward the Philippine Is
hi iS n1Ir aim n hCF l1fn
Independence, to which we are justly en-
titled, as much and even more so than
the United States We're from Great Britain
THE people are confident that the Amer
lean government will recognize the govern
ment of the Philippines. There is every
precedent and reason for doing. We
have driven out the Spaniards and estab-
lished free and independent representa-
tive government. 1t has now had an exist
ence of eight months, undsDuted save in
Manila. which is held by the Americans.
Nowhere throughout the islands is there
any other authority or sovereignty recog-
nlzed save that of the supreme government
of which General AguinaldO is the head.
During the past three months, especially,
we have greatly perfected the various de-
partments of the government The people
have thus received a taste of what real
liberty Is and they are determined to main
tain it. They have not fought for a change
of masters, but to be their own masters
which Is the supreme right of any and
every people.
Extent of Their Authority.
Simply because the American govern
ment holds Manila is no feason why the
government of the United States should
seek to exercise control over the entire is
lands. Even without the aid of the Ameri-
cans we would in a short time have forced
the Spaniards to surrender the city,
The Fiiipinos have more than 10000
arms in the islands and plenty of ammu-
milton. Most of these guns, as well as the
ammunition, in fact, practically ALL were
Gapt9red from the spaniards and surren-
dered by them to us. We have not had to
purchase munitions of war. The Viscayas
have united under the command of Presi-
dent Aguinaldo, and their representa- tyes,
as well as those of the Island of Mindanao
have asked TO be admitted to the Filipino
confederation, so that the authority of the
Filipino government extends over the entire
Islands, with the exception of the city of
Manila. We have established courts Of
justice, something which was practically
unknown before in the islands, and in
every way we have shown to not only the
United States, but to the whole world. our
capacity and ability to govern ourselves"
The Attorneys Position.
Ralston & Siddons, lawyers of this CITY,
have been retained by the Filipinos to rep
resent their legal interests here. Mr. Raj
ston, in speaking Of the subject today to a
Star reporter, said:
The Filipinos not going to lie on
their oars and see their people slain. They
have come here to do all they can to secure
the recognition a nation to which they
are entitled And they are going about it
actively"
What is their case?'
"A good one in spite of this governments
position that might makes right as far as
We can make il out. The Filipino govern
mcnt has won for itself the control prac-
tically of all the Philippine Islands,
What basis is there for this assertion?'
What They Claim.
"A map which L have here shows il.
First, they have absolute authority in
every province of Luzon except Manila and
few square miles around Cavite"
How do you know this?"
From their own Statements and docu-
ments they bring with them signed by the
chiefs elected for the purpose by the pco-
pie OF the provinces. They have their own
courts operate postal system and are
mora advanced than We are in that they
have a government telegraph system In
aQdltlon to Luzon, where the Americans
are IN possession of but 143 square miles,
Ihe flllpinos control the islands of Min
dono, Panay (where Iloilo ISL Negros Eit.
Sa mar, Mashate, Cebu, Bohol, MarinduQue.
ana numerous other small islands Spain
Only mas troops at Mindanao and Paragua,
and as to the former, Spain has possessed
only part of the seacoast The whole in
terror is populated by Mobammedans who
acknowledge the Filipino rule She has
few troops in the Sulu archipelago. hut
they have never dared to go beyond their
fortlfications, even before the present state
of affairs existed
since the beginning of the century the
tllpinos have been in arms for indepen-
dence In 96 a formidable rebellion broke
out and the insurgents took Cavite 1t ex-
listed at the time of Dewey's battle in the
provinces of Vambales and Laguna. I'm
medlateIy after Aguinaldo's return upon
an american transport, it broke out with
renewed vigor and 10,0D Spaniards were
captured. No, they have not been eaten
The only aid Dewey gave was to take
twenty-six Filipino officers back to the
islandS-thirteen on the McCulIoch and
thirteen on the Safiro. Dewey also gave
them 150 rifes--no more-and this state
ment is borne out by General Whittier. who
testified before the Paris commission thot
Dewey gave the insurgents a few arms,
Hint of Battle.
ut would be extremely difficult" said
Mr.. Ralston, for the United States to take
the islands from the Filipinos to say moth
ing of the moral evil of killing people with
whom there is no just quarrel. lombard
ment by an American fleet would not