Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-08
AGUINALD APPEAL
State Department Entirely Without
Information Of It.
ATTITUDE OF OTHER GOVERNMENTS
May Be Brought to an Issue by the
Address.
CHINA AND HER HORSES

MANILA, August S.-Aguinaldo has ap-
pealed to the powers for recognition OF
Filipino independence in a document
dated from Tarlac July q, and signed by
Buencamino 1t has been received by all
the foreign consus in Manila. with the re-
quest that they forward it to their respect
i've governments
The Fiiipinos use their old argument that
they had conquered the sovereignty of
these islands from Spain before the signing
of the treaty of Paris, and therefore Spain
was in no position to cede them to the
United States. They argue that the pos
session of 1900 Spanish prisoners. captured,
| with their arms, fighting against the Fill
| pinos 'is eloquent proof of the nuliity OF
| Spanish sovereignty, as when they surren-
dered Spain's hold was irreyocabiy lost.
The document then says:
| Case of Spanish Prisoners.
Replying to the Spanish commissions re-
| quests to release the prisoners because
| Spain TO longer has political interests in the
| islands. asked for a treaty of peace ana
| friendship between Spain and the Fiipinos.
| whereby the prisoners would be released
! But the commissioners refused, because il
| would mean recognition of our indepen-
dence This is equivalent to saying that
| the prisoners must stay in our hands in
| definitely, because their possession is our
| most efiicacious method to adjust cur ac-
| count with Spain and obtain from her rec
| ognition of indeDenderce.
| The Filipnos claim that they conquered
| all The country except Manila, ana that
| they co-operated in securing the latter
| capituation by surrounding il at the cost
| o. thousands of lives. They also claim they
| conquered the country urassistcd, except
| fer sixty guns that Admiral Dewey gaze
Aguinaido. and that Admiral Dewey and
| the British ard Belgian Consuls recognized
| the Fiiipinos' sovereignty by asking for
passes to visit the country.
Their Sovereignty Recognized.
They repeat the claim that they have let
J ters from American consuls and generals
recognizing their sovereignty and promising
that the Americans would recognize their
| independence, which was at the disposition
| OF the powers"
| The Fiiipinos attempt to make capital Of
| the statement that Admiral Dewey had
| serve and fulfill the ru.es OF war that he
gave him hundred Spanish prisoners
| which the American navy had captured.
| Finally the ti.ipinCS appeal tc the powers
| to influence Washington to bring to ter
ninatiOn the unjust war which is devas-
| tating the county,
The State department is entirely without
! information of any address by Aguinaldo
| TO foreign powers for the recognition of the
| Filipnos. either as beligerents or as con-
stituting an Independent government. The
| appeal is looked upon, however, as creating
no particular change, as it has been the de-
| sire Of Aguinaldo and his associates from
| the first to secure such recognition.
The appeal puts this desire into rather
formal shape, and it may bring to an issue
| the dttiT1la of side
is no apprehension however, that any for
eign government viii pay the slightest heed
to this insurrectionary address.
| international lsua;:e.
The international usage as to recognition
was quite fully developed during the Cuban
insurrection at which time the question OF
recognition was exhaustively discussed in
the Senate and House. and was the subject
Of lengthy consideration in the messages OF
| the President. The general view at tina,
time was that recognition of belligerencS
was not in itself casus bel1i Spain main.
tanned from the first that If the United
States recognized the CuDans as beliger
entS this would be an unfriendly act tanta.
mount to a declaration of war.
This Spanish idea was never accepted
| however, and the American sentiment al
! that time favored considerable liberty o.
action among foreign powers in recognizing
| that an insurrectIOn constituted state o
l WAL II rs hdlulg however, Jnat any
| foreign power will invoke these precedents
| fer whlie recognition of a state of war ii
| the Pm nppines would not be d 1asus Deil il
would certainly be an unfriendy act.
Action of Foreign Governments
Up to the present time there has been M
ntimaticn to the State Department thai
any foreign power entertained even the re
motest idea of giving recognition to Aguin
aldo ana his associates. On the contrary
there has been the most friendly feeling
maintained between this government ant
foreign powers throughout the Ph:lfppin,
| conflict. and any popular and press crit
cisins of the American conduct Of the wal
has not been reflected in any ofIic al quar-
ter OF Europe There is considerable fellow
feeling among the first-class nations, il
dealing with insurgents, as most of then
have their own trials in this regard, ant
there IS little disposition in any quarter t,
give indirect succcr to an outbreak aya:ns
q friendly natiop.
No apprehension About CIfun
The State Department does not share n,
apprehension which is said to have arise,
among army officers that China has gfveI
Indirect recognition to the F'ilip;nos. Th
apprehension grew out of report from
Gen. OTIS that horses could not be secure,
for cavalry use from China because the,
: We're 'ccntraband OF war; At the Stau
| department it is said that the matter ma
| liOt assumed Il form involving the recQgni
| ton of state of war, but that China
course is due entirely to certain domestic
a | regulations on her horses.
| Some time ago Gen Otis made requisitiol
: ! on the War Department for 500 horses t
| mount the cavalry in the Philippines H
stated in the dispatch that horses from tn
| islands were not satisfactory and that con
tracts for horses in China had failed tn
I | words ''coutraband of war being added
| The matter was then referred to the Stat
| Department for investigation and Ministe
CGngcr, June >, wrote letter to Secretar
f Hay inclosing the correspondence that ha
> | passed between the Chinese foreign ofFic
| and the minister relative to the refusal n
D China to allow the ponies to be exported.
The Prohibition of Horses.
II appears from this correspondence tina
z. S. Dalton had contracted at Tien Tsi
for seventy-five ponies and twenty-fiy
mules, but refused an export ma ass
: Minister Conger not only addressed a Iette
to the Chinese foreign office, but visited III
: | minister in person. Minister Coneer sal
that the refusal is based upan a law q
China refusing the export of horses an
:. ponies. He adds They seem To thin
a they need all their ponies for use in the;