The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-06-01
Attack on Americans
Was Premature.
Rebel Leaders Not Quite Ready
For War To Begin.

/ washington May S.-The Secretary of
War today made pubic tho report Of GEN.
eral Otis mailed from Manila, transmit
ting the reports of hit subordinate officers
on the operations abound, Manila up to
April 0. Gen. Otis begins with this
statement:
1.-THE military operation are fairly we'll
presented in the reports and have little
to add thereto, but desire particularly
to call attention to ths rise and develop
ment Of conditions and circumstances
which resulted finally in war This /
deem to be essential In order to correct
the somewhat prevailing impression that
the government of the United States is re-
sponsible through deceit or wrong for
the existing hosti lities. -
\ To this end the general gives q short
summary Of the Philippine insurrection
against Spain, laying stress upon the
fact that small band of the natives of
Luzon, leaders Of the rebellion of '96,
against Spain. were induced for none
tary consideration to leave the island.
These men returned to the vicinity of
Manila, after the destruction of the Span
ish feet. there. being as Gen., Otis says,
encouraged without authority to attempt
the organization Of what they were
pleased to denominate an independ dent
government for the Filipino people.
Gen. Otis tells of the landing OF Agui-
naldo from an American vessel and of
the insurgents taking advantage OF uhe
active hostilities between the United
States and Spain to capture South points
and fmnraAGa THAR InAanon-
dence Gen. Otis says was proclaimed by
IAauinaldo< In August and as early as
June he had warned ths United States
Iautherities against landing of its mill
tary forces on Philippine soil without
first obtaining his consent because as
might consider the occupation Of Philip
pine territory by North American troops
a violation of their rights"
Gen. Otis adds:
when the United States forces landed
| from their transports near and to the
south Of Manila for the purpose of at
lacking the city the fiction that they were
acting as allies of tns insurgents and in
furthsrance of Philippine independence
appears to have been conveyed by insur-
/ gent leaders,"
Gen. Otis describes Aguinaldo's S efforts
to strengthen his lines In preparation
| for hOstflisies with the United States
/
of the insurgent independent movement
1 by stating that in the absence Of Spanish
| authority many able and conservative
i lFilipinos gave adherence to this seeming.
1 ly de facto government. Many of these
Withdrew their adherence when the radi
cal element declared Its hostility to ths
United States.
Describing briefly the tension that ex.
listed at the time Gen. Otis includes i'm
porta7t correspondence in explanation oi
his course between himself and Aguinal
do.
Early IN January when Gen. Otis wai
asked by conservative Fiiipinos to ap
point committee Of army officers tt
meet an insurgent committee aud effect q
compromise by which peace might bt
maintained Gen. Otis refused to recognize
an insurgent government but was will
ing to negotiate with Aguinaldo or q
commission appointed by him.
Agumaldo's response ard Gen. Otis'i
reply are set out In the following extract
from the report:
Malolos, Jan. o, 1865.
Major General u. b. Otis General of thu
American forces Of occupation in Ma
nila:
!. Cisneral-I have been informed after th,
Interview between the commissioners oil
there will be no Inconvenience on you
part in naming as commanding genera
representatives thatIwill confer with thos
wnom / will name for the same object
Although it not being explained &c m,
the reason why you could not treat will
the commissioner of my government
have the faculty OF doing the same with
those ofstne commanding general VIII,
cannot be recognized. Nevertheless for tn
sake of peace have considered 1t advisable
to name as Commanding general" 1
commission composed Of the followin,
gentlemen: blorentino Flores, Ambrosi,
Flores and Manuel Arguireles that they
may together represent me and arrive u
an accord with those whom you viii nam
with the object Of causing such method
as will moralize the actual situation ere
ated by the attitude of your government
and troops.
IA II you Will deign to attend to saiI
commissioners and through these meth
DDS come to some understanding 'it onl,
temporarily" that will insure peace ant
harmony amongst ourselves the tilipin'
public would reach grateful glory.
am yours General with the highes
consideration
Your most respectful servant
Emilio Aguinalao.