Omaha daily bee., 1899-01-12
THE CLAIMS or THE FiLniNOs.

The Filipinos claim that in the opera
lions against the Spanish forces at Ma
Mia they held the relation Of allies 10
the Americans. In his manifesto issued
last week Aguinaldo asserts that he
never agreed to recognize American
sovereignty; that he returned TO the
Philippines or an American wal ship
solely to conquer the Spanish and win
independence, his proclamations in May
further declares that the American
forces recognized the Filipinos as belliy-
erents and asserts that lie can produce
proofs that he was taken to Manila on
the understanding that the Americans
promised him their cooperation to at
tain independence.
Senator Mason asked In the course OF
his speech in the senate Tuesday, did
not the natives who have been our
allies drive the Spaniar1s outY' and ex-
Senator Edmunds, in the letter to the
New York World discussing the Philip
pine question, says: at appears to be
true that the reDels co-opernt,d with
our forces In the overthrow of the
Spanish rule at Manila under the i'm.
preston that our operations ut Manila
were not to help Spain to put down the
rebellion and then TAX possession for
ourselves, but were only to cripple the
Spanish power as I'm incident Of war
in bringing Spain to its con-
troll Of Cuba, which congress mad said
in its declaration in respect to Cuba was
guished acknowledgment that the Fill,
pinOs were of service to the American
forces and that service was given in the
belief that it would bring them inde.
p%endence.
Whoever has read the statements OF
the American consuls at Singapore and
Hong Kong of their conferences with
Aguinaldo must admit that the i'm
portance Of having Aguinaldo 60 to Ma
Mia was fully recognized by these
representatives of our government, nor
can there be a reasonable doubt that 1t
was appreciated also by Dewey. I'm
questiOnably they believed that Aguin-
aldo could be Of very great assistance.
Perhaps there was no such understand
Ing with him as he claims. 1t - not
at all probable, at least, that lie re.
ceived from Dewey any promise of CO.
operation to attain independence. But
none the less it was known ,npu that
AguinaldOs policy embraced the indc-
pendence Of the Philippines. He ex-
pected American protection as q tenn
porary expedient, on the same lines as
those which might be instituted there
after In Cuba. He had a clearly-de-
fined scheme for an Independent gov
eminent in the Philippines and 1t is
not for an instant to be doubted that
had he not fully believed that this was
to be secured by American co-opera.
ton he could not have been persuaded
to return to the islands. He went there
In h full faith, unquestionably, that If
Spanish sovereignty should be destroyed
the Philippine people would be per-
mitted to establish self-government.
That the insurgents did render assist.
ance, more or less valuable, to the
Americans, cannot be fairly denied.
Their siege Of Manila, pending the ar
rival of American troops, undoubtedly
rendered the capture Of the city much
easier than it would otherwise have
been. In a reported interview with
Admiral Dewey a short time ago he was
said to have expressed the opinion that
there ought to be some recognition by
our government of the services Of the
Filipinos. But there seems to be little
disposition to accord them any credit
for the assistance they gave. On the
contrary, because they still desire in
dependence they are called ''rebels,"
who must be relentlessly punished If
they do no abandon their aspiration for
self-government and quietly and I'M
qu%estioningly submit to our rule. 1t is a
most deplorable attitude for a free
people toward a people seeking freedom
and who have fought persistently and
valiantly to secure it.