The Portland daily press., 1899-01-07


| Iy on Very Intimate Terms with the
i Insargcnt Lesaors-was Repeatedly
! Instructed Not TO Make Them Any
] Promises.
Washington, January 6-The CORE.
spondsnce published officially in connec-
zion with the peace trsaey contains much
of interest from Consul Williams, who
was stationed at Manila prior to the war;
He was in constant communicable with
Aguinsldo for some timo after the battle
OF Manila bay and his letters throw much
light upon tho relations With the Philip
pine chieftain.
February ~ last Mr.. Williams wrote:
"The governor general, who is amiable
and popular. having resigned. wished
credit for paoincation and certain rebel
leaders were given cash bribe of 81 ESQ. ..
600 to coLsent to public deportation 70
China. This bribe and deportation only
multiplied claimants and famed the fires
of discontent."
On March 49, Consul Williams COM
planned that letters and telegrnms were
tampered with and no then found It
necessary to keep open house constantly
for the benefit Of Americans there He
dweit much on the movement OF the ma
tives, showing the disioyn atty Of the native
troops to Spain and the growth of the re-
bellion and he also related many atrocities
on the part Of the Spaniards. One of
these occurred on March 90, when q meet
ing of natives was broken in upon by
force many being wantoul. shot TO death
and sixty two taken prisoners. The next
day they were marched TO the cemetery
and shot down in "A body. Many OF these,
MIR Williams added, vera not participants
in the msetins. lie also added tina such
horrors though on a smaller scale. were
of almost q .ily occurrence. he also re-
| ported that several hundred native prison.
ers were disposed of by being placed In
low dungeons In the city walls where
they were drowned by the rise OF the tide,
adding: "Cruelties too horrid for an
official report are detailed to pie every day
and 1t seems that the cry of outraged hu-
maDity would soon compel Spain to
| abolish middle-age warfare.
He spoke of the influence OF the church
as the greatest bar TO progress in the
islands Mir. Williams also stated that
every leisure hour was devoted to the In 3.
speotion of the forts, arsenals and battle
ships In and about Manila even at that
early day and that he was sending infor-
nation thus derived to Commodore
Dewey, who with his feet, was then at
Hong Kong Spies were SO thick that he
did not dare COPY dispatches In offfce
books Mr.. Williams left Manila on
April %. He was u witness OF Dewey's
victory and on May IL resumed his reports
from Oavite His nrst despatch OF that
date began with assurance Of "the friend
illness of the Philippine natives to our
| country and 10 me as its representative.
Scores of tim as" he continued, 81 have
heard hopes expressed that either the
United States or Great Britain would &c
quire the islands"
'"AQuinaldo told me today" he wrote
on June l6, that his friends all hoped
thai the Philippines would be held as a
colony of the United States. !"
This was only four days after the drst
formation of n provisional government by
natives. SIR. Williams said he Was in
vtted to be present when this govern ment
was organized by the FilipiDos, but that
he declined For this he after~ ards re-
oeived a note of approval from the state
department On August 4. he wrote;
at has been my study to Keep on
pleasant terms with Aguinaldo for ulti-
mate objects. Admiral Dewey says have
planted the seeds of cordial 90 -oyeration.
Ny argument with Aguinaldo has been
that the conditions Of COVER nment by the
United States In the Philippine islands
would be- vastly better for him and his
people in honor, advancement and pront
than could exist under any plan fixed by
himself and the Filipinos. l have
traversed the entire ground OF government
with him and he has called his officials
from fifteen provinces to meet for dis
cussion. all stated as friendly, but un-
official on my part.
To-day delegations from 1000 Visayan
soldiers, also representing southern busi-
ness interests. came TO me pledRing &
| loyalty TO annexation. Several insurgents
leaders likewise. Spain cannot control.
If we evaouate, anarchy rules.
On July iS, Consul Wildman wrote TO
the Secretary OF state expressing his
views on the then reported policy OF the
Il United States government to allow the
Philippine ISLANDS to return 70 Spain
Among other things he said: II consider
t forty or fifty Philippians leaders both
Cubans. Aguinaldo, Agoncilio and
Sandicio are all men who would be
| leaders In their separate departments In
any country, while among the wealthier
Manila men who live in Hong Kong and
who are spending their money literally
annexation to the United States. men
like the Cortes family and the Paza
family would hold their own among the
bankers and lawyers anywhere. In spite
of statements to the contrary know they
are fighting for annexation TO the y pited
states first and for Independence second
iy. In fact, have had the most promi =
nent leaders call on me and say they
would not raise one finger unless could
assure them that the United States In
tended to give them United states
citizenship If they wished 1t. There has
been "a ~ ystematio attempt to blaoken the
name Of Aguinaldo and his cabinet ON ac-
count of the questionable terms OF their
surrender to the spanish forces q year ago
this month. 1t has been said that they
sold their country for gold. bus this mas
been oonclusively disproved. not only ny
their own statements, but by the speech
of the late governor General Rivera, In
the spanish Senate. l was in Hong Kong
in Ssptem ber 1897 when Aguinaldo and
his leaders arrived under contract with
he spanish government. They waited
until the firss of November for the pay
ment of the money promised tor the
widows and orphans of the Insurgents
and the fulflllment Of promised no orms.
Only $500. 600 Mexican) was ever placed
to their credit"
MIR. wildman also wrote that on tha