The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-07-14
Aguinaldo's Speech on the First
Anniversary Of Proclamation
of Filipino Independence.
FICTION FOR FREEDOM
Advice to His FOllOwers-COnvinced
That They Fight with Right
and Justice on Their Side.

Manila. July IA copy OF the In
dependencia has reached Manila, con
tanning the speech which Aguinaldt
made during the recent celebration al
Tarlac of the first anniversary Of the
proclamation Of Filipino independence.
In substance, it is as follows:
"Filipino-Beloved daughter Of the
ardent sun Of the tropics. commended by
providence to the care Of noble Spain,
be not u%ngrateful to her salute who
warmed You with the breath Of her
own culture and civilization. It is
true she sought to crush the aspiration
for independence, as a loving mother
opposes separation forever from the
daughter Of her bosom. This but
proves the excess Of love and affection
Spain feels for the Filipino.
"Delicate flower of the east scarcely
eight months weaned from the breast
of thy mother, thou hast dared to
brave a great and powerful nation,
such as is the United States, after
barely organizing and disciplining thy
little army. Yet we reply we will b.
slaves to none, nor allow ourselves to
be deceived by soft words. Let us con.
tinue to defend our fatherland until in.
dependence Is assured, for this is JUS
tice. We shall see at last that the great
American nation will acknowledge the
right which is On our side.
"That doctrine Of the great Monroe,
that America is for Americans, is not
forgotten, Just 30 we affirm that the
Philippines are for Filipinos.
"Some states Of the American union
have arisen in u favor. Especially is
the democratic party convinced that
both victors and vanquished will lose
precious lives. Thus many Of the PEG.
pie and many statesmen censure Presi.
dent Mckinley as inhuman for having
ordered his military representatives at
Manila to seek means to bring about
hostilities with the Filipinos. These
facts prove that they wished to try us
to see If we were able to live up to the
second color of our banner, which
signifies courage, heroism and martyr.
dom. Therefore, we should not resent
this struggle with the Americans. In
spite Of this expressed desire to domi.
nate all the Philippines, we'll con.
WINGED are they that we fight with JUS
tice and right on our side and that au.
tonomy ia all a show Of deceit.
1--WE have never concealed u as
%pirations, that we aspire but to indie.
p%endence, that we will struggle on to
obtain 1t, perhaps from those who are
nnVy fs1v ovtaspior osI syh1 <os.es~n.-
will be our allies as they were for the
overthrow of the power of Spain. We
might we'll accept this autonomy
America offers, but what can we do
with 1t II our ambition is indepen.
dence, and II we are to accept it only
to later overthrow by force of arms the
sovereignty OF America? As I believe,
1t is the intention of the autonomists
to make use Of treachery and deceit, we
cannot accept such a procedure. We
do not wish to be traitors afterward.
We wish to show our character of
frankness and sincerity and nothing
more. Let us avoid the example Of
those natives who having at one time
been c%olonists. accepted autonomy to
enable them to make their work surer
once everything was prepared. His.
tory has given us an example Of this in
recent events.
ITO us persistence in our idea is only
the legitimate and noble aspiration of q
people DESTROYS at all cost to preserve
its national honor spotless and as pure
as crystal. Thus, then, there will not
be a single Filipino autonomist. Those
who are so, are, in the eyes of the PEG.
pie, but time servers, fearful of losing
their riches, threatened by risks of
Nlipinos, let us be constant.
Let rs strengthen the bonds of our
.union.'
Aguinaldo concluded with calling
for cheers for independence, the union
the Filipinos and for the liberating
army.
MONTANA PROMOTIONS