New-York tribune., 1900-09-10


Spanish army to enter the city that they
might loot it and destroy those not IN sympathv
with their selfish and treacherous designs
Nobody who win avail himself OF the facts
will longer hold that there was any alliance he
tween our soldiers and the insurgents. or that
any promise Of independence was made to them
Long before their leader had reached Manila
they had resolved II the commander Of The
American Navy would give them arms with
which to fight the Spanish army they would
later turn upon US. which they did murderousl,
and without the shadow Of cause or Justification
There may be those without the means Of ftu
information who believe that we were IN alliance
with the insurgents. and that we assured then,
that they should have independence To such
let me repeat the facts: On May 26 1s9s Ad-
miraI Dewey was instructed by me TO make no
alliance with any party or faction IN the Philip
pines that would incur liability maintain
the cause I'm the future and he replied under
date OF June 6. 1893: Have acted according ~
spirit OF Departments instructions from the be-
ginning. and I have entered into no anIanea
with the insurgents or with any faction. This
squadron can reduce the defences OF Manila A.
any moment but it Is considered useless until
the arrival OF sufficient United States forces O.
retain possession" In the report OF the Ars-
Philippine Commission. submitted on November
=, 1899 Admiral Dewey. one OF its members
said.
No alliance Of any kind was entered into with
Aguinaldo, nor was any promise Of Independents
made 10 him at any time
General Merritt arrived in the Philippines On
July -. 1898. and dispatch from Admiral
Dewey to the government at Washington said.
Merritt ar. ived yesterday. Situation is most
critical at Manila The Spanish may surrender
at any moment Merritts most difficult problem
will be how to deal with the insurgents under
AGuinaldo who have become aggressive and
even threatening toward our army" Here is
revealed the spist Of the insurgents as early as
July, 1898. before the protocol was signed, while
we were still engaged in active war with Spain.
Even then the insurgents were threatening cur
Army.
ON August Is Manila was captured. and of
this and subsequent events the Philippine Com
mission says:
When the city Of Manila was taken On
August 13 the FilipinOs took TO part IN
the attack but came following IN, Win
view 10 Io0tfng the city, and were only pre-
vented fr1 doing so by our forces preventing
tbsr1 from entering AgufnaldO claimed that he
had the right 70 occupy the city; ne demanded
of General Merritt the Palace OF Malacanan fo-
himself and the cessiOn OF all the churcnes OF
Manila. also that a part OF the money taken
from the Spaniards as spoilS OF war should be
given up and above all. that he should De given
the arms OF the spanish prisoners All Ines7 as-
mands were refused
Generals Merritt, Greene and Anderson. Who
we're in command at the beginning Of our oecu-
nation and until the surrender Of Manila. state
that there was no alliance with the insurgents
and no promise to them OF independence On
August Il. 1898 General Merritt was instructed
that there must be no joint occupation OF Ma
nra with the insurgents General Anderson.
Under date OF February 10. 1900. says that he
was present at the interview between Admiral
Dewey and the insurgent leader. and that IN
this interview Admiral Dewey made no promises
whatever. He adds: He (Aguinaldol asked me
if my Government was gcing 10 recognize his
Go -ernment I answered that I was there
simply in a military capacity; that I could not
acknowledge his Government because had no
/ authority TO do So
Would not our adversaries have sent Dewey's
fleet TO Manila to capture and destroy the span
ish sea power there. or, dispatching it thsrs
would they have withdrawn it after the destFue-
ton of the Spanish fleet; and II the lattsr
whittier would they have directed it 10 sa1'
j.. Where would it have gone? What port In The
Orient was open to it? Do our adversaries- con-
denim the expedition under the command Of Gen
eral Merritt 10 strengthen Dewey in the distant
/ ocean and assist in or triumph over Spain with
which nation we were at war? Was il not our
highest duty to strike Spain at every Vulnerable
: point. that the war might be successfully con
! cluded at the earliest practicable moment
I And was il not our duty to protect the lives
j and property Of those who came within our con
/ troll by the fortunes of war? Could have
/ come away AT any time between May 1. 1S9S.
! and the conclusion OF peace without stain upon
cur good name?
! Could We have come away without dishon0r A.
any time after the ratification OF the peace
/ treaty by the Senate of the United States7
/ There has been no time since the destruction
I Of the enemy's fleet when we could or should
! have left the Philippine Archipelago. After The
/ treaty OF peace was ratified no power but Con
gress could surrender sovereignty or alienaia
a foot OF the territory thus acquired The Con
gress has not seen fit to do the one or the other
and the President had no authority 20 do either
/ If he had been inclined. which he was not
So long as the sovereignty remains in US il Is the
/ duty of the Executive. whoever he may BE. r
uphold that sovereignty. and if 1t be attacketn
suppress its assaiIants. Would our political a.
versaries do less?
In has been asserted that there would haNs
been no lighting in the Philippines II Congress
had declared its purpose to give Independents
to the Tagal insurgents. The insurgents did not
! wait for the action Of Congress. They assumed
/ the offensive they opened fire on Army
| Those who assert our responsibility for tbs es-
ginning OF the conflict have forgotten that before
the treaty was ratified in the Senate and While
1t was being debated in that body. and while the
! Bacon resolution was under discussion. on Feo-
ruary I. 1899. the insurgents attacked the Amer
lean Army. after being previously advised thar
the American forces were under orders not %
FIRE upon them except in defence. The papers
found in the recently captured archives OF ths
insurgents demonstrate that this attack had been