Evening star., 1899-02-06
TURNS UP IN CANADA
Agoncillo Gives Out an Interview in
Montreal Today.
SURPRISED At NEWS PROM MANILA
Says He Left Washington in Order
to Get News.
EXPECTS TO COME BACK

MONTREAL, Quebec February 6-Agon-
cillo the Filipino representative, arrived in
Montreal today. Accompanied by his
retary, Senor Martha, he drove to the Wind
sor
Il heard about Saturdays affair after
leaving New York last night" Agoncillo
said, land it surprised me greatly. 1 had
no idea that affairs at Manila had reached
such critical stage, in fact. L considered
that they were perhaps getting a trife bet
ter. But l had no news from the Philip
pines.'
And you expect to receive it here?'' he
was asked.
Il do. The Washington authorities would
not allow me to receive any cable mes
sages. There is censor at Manila, and
the use of codes is forbidden. l was COM
pletely in the dark, save for the advices
l received by mail and what l learned
from the newspapers. And the Philippines
Is long way off, you know, SO that the
mails are almost useless. Therefore we
have come to Montreal. where we will be
enabled to receive the news we desire by
cable. When | receive it | expect to return
to Washington and continue my effo rts to
fulfill my mission to the United States.
About His Mission
AS to the affair of Saturday and Sunday
L do not regard it as ending the usefulness
of my mission. From the bulletins received
by the officials in Washington and from the
Associated Press dispatches l gather that
the fighting began suddenly and unex-
pectedly. l think that the tilipinos were
goaded to come into 1t by some act of the
Americans. For months they have been do
ing their best to drive the FIlIpinos into
revolt. General Otis has sent men to search
private residences and the property of our
people has been turned inside out in the
0Gfi cd ly Antc ilEa
this have kept the spirit of the Fflipinos at
rever heat and mace such affairs as that
of Saturday and Sunday possible
"A Wash ngton dispatch states that you
left that city because you knew that there
would be fighting az Manila on Saturday
evening.
Agoncillo smiled broadly ''Oh, no. he
answered, "as | told you L only learned of
1t after 1 had left New York last evening
from gentleman who got on between
here and New York. Ii my cable service
was SO good that 1 could learn in advance
when there was to be any developments,
l should be in Washington. | came to Mon
treal in order to receive the news which
was not allowed to reach me in Washing
ton. When receive tt do not know how
soon or how long I may have to wait-it is
my present intention to return to New
York"
DO you think the United States Senate
will ratify the treaty today?'
Il cannot say. When L left Washington
| knew that the friends of the treaty lacked
two votes of the number necessary to
ratify the treaty.
Why He Was Surprised.
"One reason why the affair of Saturday
surprised me is that L had sent the news
to my people that the people OF the United
States were favorable to us in our desire
for independence. The more 1 look at it
the more L am convinced that the affair of
Saturday was not the fault of the Fill
pinos.'
DO you consider that the fighting will
result In securing the ratification of The
treaty?"
Il cannot say. The Filipinos 1 am sure,
did not start it. 1 do not say that the
Americans did SO with the intention of in
huencing the vote in the Senate 1t may
nave started accidentally in the dark. /
trust that 1t will not be as reported l am
expecting news from home Until that
comes L know as much concerning the
present trouble as any other careful news
paper reader and no more"