Arizona silver belt., 1900-10-11

t1lplnoS equally so?
 Certainly there was nothing in the character of the two peoples which could make difference. Upon this point the testimony IS abundant.
 On June 23, 1898, Admiral Dewey telegraphed the navy department from Manila: "These people are far su- perior in their intelligence and more capable of self government than the natives of Cuba, and l am familiar with both races" On Aug. 29 he re- peated this, adding: Further inter, course with them has confirmed me in that opinion"
 Gen, Lawton said to Chaplain Me Queen:
 Among the Filipinos there are many cultured people who would or nament society anywhere in the world. Take them as class, there can as many of them read and write as the inhabitants in many places in America
 All these people need for self gov ernment IS the protection of our troops till affairs have quieted, and then they will, l have no uoubt, advance as rap idly as the Japanese, perhaps more rapidly. am very well impressed with the tilipinos.'
 In January, 1899. Mr. John Barrett wrote of Aguinaido:
 ''lle has organized a government which has practically been adminiS- tering the affairs of that great island since the American occupation of Ma nila, and which is certainly better than the former administration; he has a properly formed cabinet and congress, the members of which in appearance and manners would compare lavor- ably with Japanese statesmen. He has among his advisers men of acknOwl- edged ability as international lawyers. while his supporters include most ot the prominent and wealthy natives, all of which prove possibilities of self government which We must consider" '"
 This testimony, which might be multiplied, all comes from sources favorable to the president, and can hardly be questioned. The Filipinos were at least as fit for freedom as the Cubans-as fit as most men.
 More than six month before the war with Spain was declared, on Nov. 3, 1897, Mir. Wildman, our consul at Hong Kong, informed Secretary Day that "Agoncillo, foreign agent and high commissioner, etc, of the new republic of the Philippines, offers in behalf of his government al- liance offensive and defensive with the United States, when the United States declares war on Spain.' Here was the offer of alliance. Was it ac- cepted? A month before Dewey's vic tory he Ielegraphed Secretary Long. "Informatiun has just reached me that there are 1000 armed rebels ip camp near Manila, who are willing to assist us." By Dewey's invitation Aguinaldo came from Singapore to Hong Kong 'to arrange with commo' dore for general cooperation inSur' gents Manila" tU quote the words oi Consul General PratGs telegram. In United States warship he went to Manila and there he was furnished with arms, all by Dewey's direction Thus supported he rallied his cOmpa' trioUs and invested Manila. The man ifestO of the FiliDinos sent to LuzOr before the American squadron showed with what expectations they acted "CompatriotS, Divine Providence ii about to place independence within our reach There where you see the American flag fly ing assemble in numbers; they are our deliverers,' Aguinaldo's proclamation on May 2 confirmed their confidence: Fiji pinos, the great nation, North Amer ica, cradle of liberty and friendly or that account to the liberty of our peo people, has come to mani fest a protection which Il dlsnterested toward us, considering us with sufficient civilization to gov ern by ourselves this our unhappy land" June IS he established die tatorial government, proclaiming tha
 "Uhe final object of all my efforts ant strength is nothing else but your inde pendence." June 23 the dictatorship was replaced by the revolutionary government whose declared obiec was ito struggle for independence O the Philippines until all nations shal expressly recognize 1t, and to prepar the country 50 that true republI
 may be established.
 After all this, the offer of allianc made at the outset and accepted II acts if not m words by Dewey wa | formally accepted when Gen. Ander | son, the commander of our army, ad | dressed Gen. Aguinaldo, and, assur ! ing him that our government had zen 1 tire sympathy and most friendly sen timents for the native people of tn
 Philippine islands," proceeded: "Fo | these reasons desire to have the mos | amicable relations with you and t | have you and your people co operat
 with us in military relations agains ! the Spanish forces" It was unde 1 these circumstances, with full know | edge of all these facts, that Admira