The Forrest City times., 1899-11-10
REPORT 0N PHILIPPINES.
Preliminary Report to the President Handed In by the Philip
 pines Commission.
1T SAYS THE WAR WAS FORGED UPON US.
We Had Either to Retreat or Fight-We Couldn't Do the Former, HonorabIy, and Were Compelled to Accept the Alterna- tive FiIip,nos Declared Incapable of Self-Government.


 Washington, Nov. 3.-In accordance
 with the understanding reached at the
 conference at the White House
 Wednesday, the Philippine commission
 yesterday submitted to the president
 the preliminary report which it had
 promised to prepare.
 The report appears to be compact
 summary of conditions on the islands,
 as the commissioners left them; of the
 historical events which preceded the
 Spanish war and led to the original
 Filipino insurrection; of the exchange between Admiral Dewey and other American commanders and the insur- gents; the breaking out and progress of the present insurrection, and final. ly a statement of the capacity of the Filipinos for self-government A notable feature of the report is mem orandum by Admiral Dewey explana- tory of his relations with Aguinaldo. The COp.mission's Findings. Among the points emphasized in the report are the following: That Admiral Dewey made no prom ises to Aguinado.
 That Aguinaldo forced the war upon the United States, leaving the admins iration no alternative except ignomini- pus retreat.
 That there was no time after Dew ty's victory over the Spaniards when it
 was possible ito withdraw our forces either with honor to ourselves or with
 safety to the inhabitants"
 That the instruction is confined to
 six provinces of Luzon, with a popula-
 lion of only 100000.
 That the Filipinos are not capable
 of self-goverpment.
 That if American authority should
 be withdrawn the islands would lapse
 into state of anarchy.
 That Aguinaldo's purpose is not to
 give his people independence, but the
 continuance of his own arbitrary and
 despotic power.
 The report begins with the following
 statement:
 The undersigned commissioners ap-
 pointed by you to investigate affairs
 in the Philippine islands, and to report
 the result of their investigations. to-
 gether with such recommendations as
 might in their judgment be called fol
 ny the conditions which should be
 found to exist in these islands, have
 the honor to submit the following pre-
 iiminary statement in compliance with
 your request"
 The committe next tells briefly how
 1t conducted the task entrusted to i..
 hearing statements from all classes of people in Manila, as to the capacity of Inc Fllipinos for self-government, shc habits and customs of the people. and also the establishment of municipal l governments in many towns. All this matter is to be included in the final re- port.
 The Rebellion of 1S06. Turning to the history of the islands. me commission attaches little importance l To the divers rebellions which had preced- E ca that of 1896. As to this movement ,, aeS ueciare that 1t was in no sense an at Il tempt to win independence, but solely to oDlaln relief from intolerable abuses. To sustain this statement they quote from an insurgent proclamation showing that what was demanded was the expusi ion ol the friars and the restitution to the people of their lands. with a division of ,Hc cpiScopal sees between Spanish and natVe t priests. It was also demanded that the filpinos have parliamentary repre- ssehtauon, freedom of the press, religious lolcration, economic autonomy and laws i similar to those of Spain The abolition or the power of banishment was demand @ @Su With legal equality for all persons HI iil law and equality in pay between Span lsIl and native servants
 me commission declares that these de- 1hshas , had good ground; that paper me spanish system of government was tolerable, but in practice every Spanish governor did what he saw fit and the bVii hydaaee deeds Of men in the government were niuueh rom Spain by strict censorship. AilGslon is made to the powerful kati- pu5dh society, patterned on the Masonic as q powerful revolutionary force ~" ThouShf of tndePendence. ne War begun in 1896, was terminated y ny lhe treaty of Biac-Na- Bate The Fiji stos shoSt Were Sed numerous, but possessed only Iuou' So small arms. Tn Spanish felt ,,, !t would require 10,000 men to cap @ @sale tnelr stronghold, and concluded to ceseionso seLI to the use of money. Certain con sNesslohs We're also decided upon includ- Ins representation of the Filipinos in the wbiots' the deportation of the friars, .orant aon was the principal question; the Tree press. N " 70 Gov, ooo cot Gen. Rivera was willing to pay JOG Mexican when Aguinaldo and his tarIhet and leading officers arrived in ,,aohg Kong. It appears, however that Pa 6od li,o t pniy offered the latter s400.00 s2O0 lI<.,. IIll1hP Kong, and the balance when the rIipinos had delivered up their arms ,~he people. 'o tue inc promises were never carried ont I Spallsh abuses began afresh fin Manila alone more than POO being executed
 renee sporadic risings occurred, though aHey possessed nothing like the strength pi .he original movement. The Insurgents iITacheu arms, ammunition and leaders ine aine treaty had ended the war which ith with the exception of an unimportant out nisak m Cebu had been confined to Iu- 11oni spain s sovereignty in the other is- ,b ,6bilus never having been questioned, and ,he thought of independence never hay hS been entertained
 The report tells how Gc-. Ann,,stiu