Iron County register., 1899-05-18

AGONCILLO insists that there was a
positive understanding between the
American consuls at Hong Kong and
Admiral Dewey on one side and Aguin-
aldo on the other, that if the Filipinos
would assist the U. S. forces in driving
the Spaniards from the islands, upon
the accomplishment of that event, the
Filipinos were to be granted their in
dependence. We give the full test of
an interview with Agoncilla as pub
lished in Paris newspaper and cabled
to the ST. Louis Star Saturday:
The Martin publishes report of an
interview with Agoncillo, the agent of
Aguinaldo, in which he says that he
has hitherto maintained silence. first,
to avoid exciting fresh difficulties, and,
second, because the engagements un-
Manila, Hong Kong and Singapore to-
ward the Filipinos, and subsequently
ratified by Admiral Dewey, did not
ripen until peace was concluded be-
tween the United States and Spain.
Nevertheless, he says, the Filipinos
took the precaution to lodge a protest
with the Paris Peace Commission, re-
serving the rights of the Filipinos.
Agoncillo proceeds to say that early in
September last, being in Hong Kong
with Aguinaldo and other chieftains,
the Captain of the American gunboat
Petrol, accompanied by Frenchman,
70 Eilininn oi6 in Of
outbreak of hostilities with Spain,
promising in the name of the Ameri-
can Government, complete independ-
ence. Afew days later, Capt. Wood,
an American marine, renewed the pro-
posal, giving the same assurances.
After the first interview, Aguinaldo
went to Singapore, and, hOstilities
breaking out, United States Consul
Pratt opened fresh negotiations to OBJ
tain Filipino cooperation, persuading
Aguinaldo to return to Hong Kong to
meet Dewey. Agoncillo gives the text
of Consul Pratt's cable dispatch to the
Secretary of State at Washington on
April %, recording the fact. and also
the text of Pratt's cablegram to Dewey,
and Dewey's reply, which he alleges
was as follows: Tell Aguinaldo to
come as soon as possible" Aguinaldo
arrived in Hong Kong the day after
Dewey sailed. leaving a message with
Consul Williams. expressing regret
that he was unable to await Aguinal-
dos arrival. After the Cavite fight,
Dewey sent the Mccullough to trans
port Aguinaldo and his chie:tains to
NJ Morio
aldo boarded the Olympia, where
Dewey ratified the engagement under
taken by the Consuls, guaranteeing
absolute Filipino independence at the
conclusion of hostilities with Spain.
Thereupon Aguinaldo constituted a
government, organized an army and
caused the election of an assembly.
Meanwhile, Agoncillo says, he pur-
chased through Consul Williams muni-
tions of war, which were entirely paid
for with Filipino money at Hong Kong.
Agoncilla declares that the undertake
ings were known in Washington, quot
ing as proof thereof a letter which
Aguinaldo sent to President Mckinley,
thanking the President tor undertak-
ing to secure Filipino independence.
Agonclllo quotes Admiral Dewey's let
ter of August %, in which he says that
the Filipinos are better prepared for
independence than the Cubans, as evil
dence that the Americans only decided
that the Filipinos were unfit for in6e- |
pendeuce when their help was no Ion
ger wanted. Throughout the war, he
says, the Americans recognized Aguin-
aldo. granting him military honors and
the Filipino flag.
If the foregoing is true, the .'subse-
quent proceedings" of the administra-
ton are beyond adequate comment.