Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-05-19
|BUENCAMINO IN The
ROLE OF PEACEMAKER
Former Member Of Filipino Cabinet
ReconciIed to American
Sovereignty.
WILL TRY TO BRING ABOUT PEACE
Believes That AguinaIdo and 9th
err Insurgcnt Leaders VIII Listen
TO His Advicc--sHc Out
lines q Plan.

niuhllu, may lts-DCIOI
at one time a member of the so-called
Filipino republican cabinet, who was
recently liberated by General Otis, an
nounces that he has become reconciled
to American sovereignty, and hat he
will devote his influence to bringing
about peace. He has sent a proposed
peace platform for the national Fill
pino party to the insurgent leaders in
Manila and the insurgent generals, in
Guiding Aguinaldo, in the field.
This platform declares that it is inn
possible for the Filipinos to exist as a
nation without the protection of the
United States, and consequently they
must recognize American sovereignty,
and obtain under n constitution the
utmost liberty possible. Continuing,
Senior B~uencamino argues that the
Filipinos are incapable of self govern
ment. He says:
'In our independent government the
most predominant notes were abuses
and ~immoralities, the offspring of ig-
norance and the inherited vices of
Spain, by which the Filipino regime
was rendered odious to our own peo-
pie"
Therefore, he contends, American
control is necessary to prevent civil
trife.
He recommends to the national Fill
Pine party the adoption of a program
embodying the following features:
Recognition of the sovereignty of
the United States; cessation of HOSTILE
ties, and cooperation of the present
Fiiipinos in the prosecution of ban
dts who continue depredations in the
name of Independence" a request for
a declaration by the United States gov
eminent guaranteeing to the Fill
pinos personal liberties and rights UNI
der q constitution; n Filipino repre-
sentative delegation to present to the
American congress and public the de-
sires of the Filipinos respecting their
political status; the application of a
part of the public funds to the main
tenance of hospitals for sick and
wounded Filipino soldiers and for the
establishment of schools; the transfer
Of the insurgent funds to the Ameri-
can treasury; the establishment of n
permanent system of Filipino repre-
s~entatives to the civil commission; the
exclusion of friars from the admins
tration of the parishes.
Discussing the political outlook
with the Associated Press, Senior
Buencamino said:
"Thcre arc three elements in the
Philippines which obstruct the at
tainment Of peace. The first is the
body of Filipino agitators in Manila,
who are continually shouting for in
dependence, and who thus influence
the ignorant masses. The second is
the ~friars, who desire n prolongation
of hostilities because in peace be-
tween the Filipinos and the United
States they see the end Of their pres
tige and the ultimate loss of their
properties and holdings. The third
element is-(suppressed by censor.)
"lf the civil commission brings lib
eral ideas and will approach Aguinal-
do today, the idolized leader of the
Filipinos, and the other leaders still
fighting in q way that will make it
possible for them to surrender and
yet retain the respect and honor of
their countrymen, then peace in the
Philippines will be only a question of
q few weeks.
IF the commission will guarantee
protection to the personal and indi-
vidual rights and liberties of the Fill
pinos, leaving the determination of
our future political status to the
United States congress, A~guinaldo will
come in, will order a cessation of hos
~tilities and will direct the surrender
of arms.
"Your forceful sovereignty through
out the islands Is unmistakable. We
now crave your justice and your huE
manitarian, lenient policy. General
Otis has done much to render FEAST
bic and possible the application of the
peace project upon which | am now
working. Today in Manila it is shown
in the construction of markets and
bridges, in street repairs, in schools,
in a police force. You have made a
good marriage law. You have estab-
lished systems of municipal govern
ment and criminal procedure o lib
eral and just than contemplated by
the Filipino constitution.
These facts attest your good faith,
and our trust in the American people
is as strong as ever"