Rock Island Argus., 1899-11-03

nOsQte lnteQdons felaClVe 10 our fOfe54,
but says that a considerable element
dress to President Mckinley a request
not to abandon the Filipinos at this
stage the Paris conference was dis
cussing the future of the Philippines.
The president was also to be asked his
desire as to the form of government
he wished to establish. All this time
Aguinaldo was preparing for war and
delaying these messages, and il was
understood that the attack would come
upon the first act by the American
forces which would afford a preteXt.
4 brief chapter then tells of the lack
of success attending the effort made
at this time by General Merritt
through a commission TO arrive at n
mutual understanding with Aguinaldo
as TO the intentions, purposes and de-
sires of the Filipino people. This
brings the story up to the outbreak on
the evening of the 4th of February.
when hoStilities broke out in earnest.
The commission. in concluding this
chapter, says: Whatever the future of
the Philippines may he there is no
course open 10 us now except the pros
-ecution of the war until the insurgents
are reduced to submission. In the
next chapter the commission deals
with the conditions of the islands
when it arrived there. declaring in
brief that they constituted n state of
anarchy. and then speaks of the issu
ance of the commissions proclamation
and the good effects il had on public
sentiment The natives. accustomed
to Spanish promises. urged upon the
commission that acts instead of prom
ises should be given them. As re-
suit native law courts were established
and this greatly aided in the reStora
ton of public confidence.
REBELLION LIMITED IN SCOPE.
People Untitled by Long Spanish Rule for
SeIf-Government.
As showing the limited scope of the
rebellion the commission states: I'VE
learned that the strong anti-American
feeling was confined TO the TagalS
provinces-namely, Manila. Cavite.
Laguna, Batangas, MOrOng. Bulacan. |
Nueva Ecija. Principe. Infanta and
Zambales. 1t was strongest in the |
first six named and hardly existed in |
the last four. The population of these |
provinces is estimated to be about
l 100000. but it should not be supposed |
that even in the six provinces imme |
diately adjacent TO Manila the people |
We're united in their OPPOSITION to us.
Even here there was strong conSer- |
vative element. consisting Of people OF
wealth and intelligence. opposed TO the |
war" The commission says the re- |
bellion is not Il national movement. |
and says that the insurgent admins |
tration throughout the interior is worse |
than in the days of Spanish miSrule.
Much Improvement. the commission |
says. in the situation had taken place
before it left the islands; law and or
der ruled in most places and the inSur-
gents We're in a bad way to keep the |
revolt going. both as to men and mon
ey. The efforts at Cancellation with /
AguinaldO and his various commissions
are set forth in detail. These COM
missioners were assured of the benef-
icent purposes of the United States. |
and the presidents readiness TO grant
the Filipino people as large measure
of home rule and as ample liberty as
consistent with the ends of govern
ment. subject only to the recognition
Of the sovereignty of the United States |
"a point which. being established. the
invariably refused even to
discuss" The commission adds that
nothing came of the negotiations.
The chapter devoted to Capacity for
Self lf-Government." reaches the conclu
sion that the FilipinOS are utterly un-
lifted to govern themselves. notwith-
their intellectual capacity is
rated high by the commission. inca
pacity for government being due
20 the old Spanish regime.
The report concludes: Our control
means to the inhabitants of the Philip
pines internal peace and order. guar
lntee against foreign aggression and
,gainSt the dismemberment of their
commercial and industrial
and as large as share of
he affairs of government as they shall
prove tit TO take. When peace and
shall have been established
throughout the archipelago. when edu-
alton shall have become general. then.
n the language of leading Filipino.
lis people will under our guidance. be
tI..,.n 4