The Bemidji pioneer., 1900-08-16

sAS17 sAN1LiA capitulated to the
JMl'united States forces, command
oS ed by Admiral Dewey, on May
i. 1893.
In order to become Informed upon
Z the condition Of affairs in the Philip
pines, President Mckinley, on Jan. 20
1899, appointed q commission com
posednof President j. G. Schurnan, OF
/, Cornell University; Professor Dean,
Worcester; Charles DENLY, late Min
i lister to China; Admiral Dewey and
General Otis. The commission handed
Its report to. President Mckinley Nov.
!. 2, 1899: and the same was transmitted
!, to Congress by the President, Feb. z,
I 1906. 1T reads in part as follows:
..The undersigned commissioners ap-
+ pointed by you to investigate affairs ia
4 the Philippine Islands and to report the
result ,,of their investigations, together
4 with such recommendations as might IN
their Judgment be called for by the con-
(, ditions which should be found to exist
In these islands, have the honor to sub
NIT the following preliminary statement
In compliance with your request.
The commission next tells briefly how
lit conducted the task intrusted to it.
hearing statements from all classes OF
people in Manila as to the capabilities OF
/ the Filipinos for seIf-government the
4 habits and customs of the people, and
also the establishment Of municipal gov
ernments in many towns
History OF Islands. >ss
Turning to the history Of the islands,
the commission attaches little importance
Il to the divers rebellions which had pre-
eceded that Of 1896. AS to this move
ment the commissioners declare that it
was in.no sense an attempt to win indie
pendence; but solely to obtain relief from
i,antolerable abuses.
TO sustain this statement they quote
i from an ;insurgent proclamation, show
1; Ing that what was demanded was the ex-
!; pnlsion Of the friars and the restitution
TO; the people OF their lands, with a di-
vision Of the episcopal sees between
( Spanish and native priests. 1t was also
demanded that the Filipinos have parlia-
pmentary representation, freedom of the
!, press, religious liberation, economic au-
I. tononly, and laws similar to those Of
Spain. The abolition Of the power of
= Punishment was demanded, with legal
!, equality for all persons in law and equal
ity in pay between Spanish and native
civil servants.
Treaty with SPANISH
The commission declares that these de-
tmands had good ground; that on paper
4 the Spanish system Of government was
tolerable, but in practice every Spanish
governor did what he saw fit, and the
evil deeds Of men in the government were
hidden from Spain by strict press censor
ship. Allusion is made to the powerful
Katipunan Society, patterned on the Ma.
sonic order, and mainly made up OF Ia
!; galos, ms a powerful revolutionary force.
The war began in 1896 was terminated
aby the treaty of Blac-na-Rate. The Fill
pinos were numerous, but possessed only
.,about SOOssma1l arms. The Spanish felt
that 1t would.reqlire 100000 men to cap
sture their stronghold, and concluded to
resort to the,Mse, of money. Certain con-
]. cessions were .also decided upon, includ-
ling representation ftthe Filipinos in the
aCortes, the deportation Of the friars,
(which was the principal question; the
grant of theright,df association and of a
free press
Promises Not Kept.
Governor General Rivera was willing
ITO pay $4,000, 900 in Mexican money
when Aguinaldo and his sea binet and Lead
ling officers arrived in iHong Kong. 1t APP
pears, however, that paterno offered the
latter only s40ajee0, S200oo0 to be paid
when Aguinalde ARRIVED at Hong Kong
and fthe balance mhen the lE'ilipinos had
delivered up their arms. The arrange
ment was not acceptable to the people.
The promises wene never carried out.
Spanish abuses began afEesh, i'm Manila
alone more than 200 men being execut-
lad Hence sporadic risings occurred,
Though they possessed nothing like the
tstnength of the original movement. The
ifnsrrgents lacked arms, ammunition and
llea6aEs.
TIE treaty had ended the war, which,
wita the exception of an unimpo.tant
outbreak in Cebu, had beea confined TO
Luzon, SPANS sovereignty In the other
islands aeyer having been questioned, and
the thought Of independence aeNer haT-
Ing been entertained.
Dewey aud AguinaIde.
The report then tells how Gen. Angus
tine came 60 Manila as governor general
at this juncture and war broke out be-
tween Spain and the United States. Au-
gustino sought to secure the support Of
che Tilipinos 20 defend Spain against
america, promising them autonomy, but
the Filipinos did not trust him.
'Ehen came the LIST of May and the de-
strHetion of the Spanish feet by Dewey.
With the resulting loss of prestige to
Spain. Then in June Aguinaldo came
On this point the commission says:
THE following memorandum on this