The sun., 1900-08-22
The Fe Peaceful Administration of the
Affairs of sands-Lawton's Letter and
Deweys Denial.

subject has been furnished the commits
sion by Admiral Dewey:
ION April "a, 1898, the following ci-
pher dispatch was received at Hong
Kong from f. Spencer Pratt. United
States consul general at Singapore:
'Aguinaldo. insurgent leader. here.
Will come Hong Kong, arrange with
commodore for general cooperation in
Surgents Manila if desired. Telegraph
"0n the same day Commodore Dewey
telegraphed Mr. Pratt, Tell Aguinaldo
come soon as possible the necessity for
haste being due to the fact that thc
squadron had been notified by the Hong
Kong Government 10 leave those waters
by the following day. Tho squadron left
Hong Kong on the morning OF the 2Jth
and Mrs Bay on the 9th. Aguinaldo
did not leave Singapore until the 26th.
and so did not arrive in Hong Kong
in time TO have conference with the
admiral.
ut had been reported 10 the commo-
dore as early rs March !. by tho United
States consul Mt Manila and others that
the FiipinoS had broken ont into inSur-
rection against the Spanish authority in
the vicinity of Manila. and on March 80
Mr.. Williams had tclpgraphcd: Five
thousand rebels armed in camp near city.
| Loyal TO US in case OF war
No Alliance Made.
"Upon the arrival Of the squadron at
Manila it was found that there was no
insurrection to speak Of and il was ac-
cordingiy decided TO allow AGuinado to
| come to Cavitc on hoard the McCulloch.
lie arrived with thirteen of his staff on
May 10. and Immediately came on board
the Olympia to call on tho commander
in-chief. after which he was allowed to
land at Cavite and organize an army.
This was done with the purpose Of
strengthening the United States forces
and weakening those Of the enemy. No
alliance of any kind was entered into
with Aguinaldo, nor was any promise Of
independence made to him, then or a,
any other time"
The commissions report then rapidly
sketches events now historical 1t tells
in substance how the Filpinos attacked
the Spanish and how Gen. Anderson ar
) rived, and Aguiualdo. at his request. rc
moved from Cavitc TO Bacoor. Says th,
! commission:
I Now for the first ti,nr rose tho idea o
national independence. Aguinaldo issue,
a proclamation in which hc took tho rc
? sponsihlity of promising il to his pcopl
on behalf of the American Government
although he admitted freely in privat
= conversation with members of his cahinc
r that neither Admiral Dewey nor any 9th
5 or American had made him any sue
h PROMISE"
Growth ., Friction,
The report states that AgiIinall
+, wished to attack tho Americans whe
= they landed at Paranaquc. hut was dt
tered by lack Of arms and ammunition
: From that point on there was CROWN
:, friction between the 'ilipinos and th
u American troops.
= There ~ere no conferences" SAYS III
y report between the officers of the Eli
= pinos md our officers with Il view
= operating against the Spaniards. nor W.
~ there cooperation Of any kind.
!, There never WAS any prcconccrtnd opcr
y tion OF any combined movement by ii
'e United States and E'ilipinoS against Il
> Sponiartls."
~ References is made to Aeuinaldo's Il
mand that he be allowed to loot Mani
and take the arms Of the Spaniam~ II
lattcr demand is said to confirm the stat
" ment that he intended to get posscssi,
y Of the arms to attack tho Americans.
=. Waiting for Pretext.
hc Further evidence of the hostile into
id tions of the Filipinos was found in 4
NO organization of popular clubs" viii
nd later on furnished local militia 10 .
TO- tack the Americans. Tho DEGREES Of t
Filipino congress arc also cited. as W
n as the making of bolos tkniycsl in cyc
II, shop in Monia.
~ II is shown that considerable cleme
al in the Filipino congress wished to addr,
he to President Mckinley request not
no abandon the fiipinos. tAt this stage
nd Paris conference was discussing the
ture of the Phlippines.l The Preside
cb was also to he asked his desire ms 10
mi form Of government he wished 10 est,
to liSh. But all this time Aguinaldo W
,cr preparing for war and delaying tht
nd messages. and ii was understood that
n.y. attack would come upon the first act
the American forces, which would affr
pretcXt
us Filipinos Begin War.
raj 4 brief chapter then tolls OF the |;
he Of success attending the effort made
Au- this time by Cen. Merritt. through &C
of mission. to arrive at a mutual und
nst standing with Aguinaldo as to the int
but tions. purposes and desires Of the Film
people. This brings the story mp TO
dc outbreak on the evening of the 4th
'cy February, with the attack upon
to American troops, following the action
me. the Nebraskan sentinel. The comr
sion. in concluding this chapter says:
This After the landing OF our troops A.