Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-12-28
DEWEY AND FILIPINO INDEPEND-
ENCE.

WHEELING, w. Va, Dec. q, 1899
Editor Register:
In your editorial this morning on THE
Dewey recognized the Independent govern
ment of the Filipinos. VIII you please in
form the public when he did this, and give
his words. Also was it true as stated in
the. press. that the Admiral agreed fully
with committee sent 10 the Philippines on
SUBSCRIBER.
AS member of the Philippines COM
mission appointed by the President Ad-
miral Dewey signed the report of said
commission, which report, however was
seriously limited in its scope and dealt
only with such phases of the situation
as the President desired.
Admiral Dewey's official actions in
assisting Aguinaldo in setting up an in
dependent government and forming an
alliance with him against the Span
iards, speak for themselves, and, we
believe, will sufficiently convince cur
correspondent that Dewey not only be-
lieved in the capacity of the Filipinos
for independent self-government, fact
he has reiterated in his official dis
patches to Washington, but through
his official acts recognized Aguinaldo's
Independent government.
We have space here only to refer to
Q small portion of the official documents
bearing on this point, but these docu-
ments are public property of the peo-
pie at Washington and will repay care>
full perusal. A portion of these men,
oranda anti-dates our war with Spain
about two years and gives an interest
ing review of the situation between the
Spaniards and the insurgents under
Aguinaldo which has been summarized
In these columns. 1t takes us up to the
time of Dewey's famous victory in
Manila bay and thereafter. These docu-
Gents tell us in some detail of the
agreement between Aguinaldo on the
enc hand and Admiral Dewey and
United States Consul General at Singa-
pore, Spencer E. Pratt, on the other,
by the terms of which Aguinaldo was
induced to cooperate with Dewey in the
reduction of Manila. These terms were
FILIPINO INDEPENDENCE.
The Register urges its correspondent
to get these documents and study the
situation for himself. They are best
summarized, however, in the language
OF Mr.. Howard W. Bray, who acted as
interpreter at these conferences, and
who later wrote as follows to the San
Francisco Star OF April Is, last:
HONG KONG, March s. 1899.
1.-THE State documents published furnish
food for reflection for Americans generally.
who value their national word of honor
pledged to General Aguinaldo in Singapore
on April 18th last, by the American Consul
General. in my presence while acting as
interpreter. 1t is undignihed and I'M
worthy of a great nation TO be guilty of
such duplicity and now say the Consul
had no power to offer any such thing.
AS a matter OF fact the Consul did not offer
it OF his own responsibility, but ACTING
UNDER THE INSTRUCTIONS OF ADJ
MIRAL DEWEY. In the first interview
the conditions of General Aguinaldo's
policy were clearly stated, SUBMITTED
TO DEWEY, and the latter CABLED HIS
ACCEPTANCE, requesting Aguinaldo to
proceed with every possible haste to Hong
Kong, and leave in the first available yes
sci. which was the 'McCulloch.' / was
aroused from my bed at midnight to look
up Aguinaldo and communicate the tele-
gram to him. In order that he might catch