The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-11-03
THERE WAS COOPERATION
People Allowed to Think Freedom
Should be Theirs.
CONsUL-GENERAL PRATT's STATEMENT
Moral Conditions in Manila Now Worse Than
Under Spain's Regime. Bryan's Election
Would Doubtless End All 0ppos-
ton in the Philippines.
ton in the Philippines.
(By the Associated Press.)

Boston, Nov. 2.-The following address
has been issued by the American Anti
Imperialist League through its president,
George B. Boutwell,:
ITO the People of the United States:
'fMr. McKinley's Administration is on
trial before the country for a criminal
oifence-criminia aggression against a
people struggling for liberty. We are
asked to accept the evidence of its Off
cials concerning the facts of the situa
tion. These men, however high their
private character may have been, have
taken a brief for the defendant Should
they accept or make known evidence now
which invalidates the Governments cause,
the whole course of the Administration
would be proved to have been a crime
The door is shut to the cause of the Fill
pinos.
THE Hon. z. Spencer Pratt, United
States consul general at Singapore, at
the outbreak of the war. having been
honorably relieved of his functions as a
representative of the United States, for
tunately holds no such brief for the Gov
ernment. His testimony which is fully
established by contemporaneous records,
proves not only that Aguinaldo was sent
for by Commodore Dewey on April oath,
1898, to come "as soon as possible" to
Hong Kong to arrange for general CO.
operation OF the insurgents with our
forces, but that after his arrival at Hong
Kong he was brought by the United States
cruiser Mccullough to Cavite, en-
couraged to organize his forces, furnish
ed by our naval commanders with arms
and ammunition, and that between the
officers of the respective commands there
were repeated conferences.
"Ali this was allowed by the Admins
tration at Washington to proceed, and
later on the Filipinos permitted to form
a government of their own notwithstand-
ing that Mr. Pratt notified Secretary Day
by cable upon AguinaldO's departure to
confer with Admiral Dewey; that it was
with a view to cooperation and also in
formed the Secretary by a dispatch of
April 30 1898, Senate Document 62, PIP.
1929 that Aguinaldo had at that time in
view the formation of an Independent
government.
"Thus the Administration cannot pre-
tend ignorance of Aguinaldo's intentions
or that there was formed within it's
knowledge the alliance" which Mr.. Nc
Kinley and his subordinates have denied,
and thus the report of the Philippine
Commission is contradicted when it as
serts that for the first time arose the
idea of national independence. after the
arrival of General Andersons command
at Cavite.
"Mr. Pratt has recently returned from
the Philippine Islands, and he has OBJ
tanned a knowledge of important facts.
on which VIC have every reason to rely.
Among these facts are the following,
which deserve the notice of the Ameri-
can people: American rule extends only
to garrison posts which, after two years
are fewer in number than during Spanish
occupation. Sllirmishing is continually
going on almost within gun shot of Ma
nilla. There is a general belief in the
existence of gross NAL administration,
especially in the Customs Department.
The moral conditions in Manila are worse
than they were when the city was under
the rule of Spain. Prominent American
officials express the opinion that at least
one hundred thousand men would be re-
quired to effect the pacifcation of the
island. An old army officer, who had
grown gray in the service, begged Mr..
Pratt to say to us: IF as native
American you have any love for the coun-
try, for Gods sake tell our people what
is being done here under the flag. ! can
not speak. You can, and if you care for
the perpetuation of the Republic, which
is in danger, you will not remain silent
1.-The Filipinos, in spite of all that has
happened, have no animosity against the
people of the United States. They fully
understand the political situation here.
In case of the defeat of the present Ad-
ministration, hostilities on their part, he
believes, would Immediately cease and
no reasonable demand which we could
make of them would be denied, in return
for what we might do toward assisting
them in attaining the independence which
they have proved themselves capable Oh
maintaining in peace and order II Mr..
McKinley's policy is endorsed and con-
tinued the war in the archipelago is
likely to continue for generations.
"The Anti-Imperialist League, in MAX
ing this report, appeals once more to the
American people to respond to the just
demand which is made upon them, and to
pronounce their verdict upon the iniquit-
Gus policy of the Administration.
Until now this policy, which has
caused the slaughter of thousands of our
late allies. and has laid waste their
country, has been the policy of the Presi-