Washington sentinel., 1900-03-10
A MER1CA AND THE
PHILIPPINES.
For the Washizgton Sentinel.
So -

American imperialism invokes the
national prestige and honor, the mission
Of civilization and other phrases of the
same kind to convince the nation of
Washington and Franklin that it Is
indispensable for them to annex the
Philippine islands The American
Commission of Peace recommends the
same and the American Government IS
going to form a colonial department in
the Ministry Of-"War."
Let US examine what the American
Tmperialists are publishing to defend
their annexational objects. They say
that the national honor and the prestige
Of America will not allow them to retire
from the Philippines. They invoke
feelings OF honor in order to suppress
the liberty oi a people. Well, since
American Imperial SITS recognize that
moral obligations and promises should
decide the politics of a nation they
should also recognize that the moral
Oh igatiOn which they contracted when
they allied themselves with the FIlIpinos
against Spain is certainly much greater
than what is Cue to the military prestige
uf OTIS & Co, for no Filipino, not one
of them, would have taken up arms
against Spain. II the object Of all those
slaughters he'd been to implant the
Starry flag instead ofthe Spanish b inner
The Filipinos rose, confident in the
1Str ~
that the United States would accomplish
their historical mission: to give liberty
to the colonies, assuring them their
independence bv their valuable protec-
torate.
All the proclamations published by the
Revolutionary Committee Of the Philip.
pines order to incite the country to
assist the Americans IN their ibeTating
action are vivid testimoni ais Of the
confidence which the Filipinos had in
their allies. A short time before the
beginning of the war between Spain and
America, rumors ran ip the European
press, rumors speaking of the und r.
standing between the Filipinos and the
Americans. | immediately addressed
some Philippine friends who were living
in the extreme ORIENT, begging them to
entreat the Philippine patriots not to
ally themselves with the Americans.
b cause at that time Suspected already
that the Americans, in case of victory,
might stay in the Archipelago, or give
up their former allies TO the vengeance
OF those powerful Spanish elements that
had demanded and obtained the head
OF Rial. My letters did not reach their
destination until the war had been
inauguEated, and my friends replied that
my advices had come too late: in con
sideration Of the impossibility Of the
Spaniards making the necessary reform.
ations in the country, they had allied
| themselves with the Americans, conf.
dent that by means of this alliance they
would obtain their independence.
Sill could not believe in the SINGER.
ity OF the FIlipinoflia Of the Americans,
but subsequent successCs at first favored
the belief Ofthe Filipinos that the great
American people would give the Phil
| ippine people libert and independence
for neither Dewey nor Merritt protested
against what Aguinaldo promulgated
viz: the independence of the Philippine
Repub lie, and they allowed the FilIpinos
TO raise and to hoist the three colorec
Philippine flag. Nor did the American.
protest, after the preliminary peace o
Washington, against the convocation o
a Philippine Congress at Malalos. anC
they allowed the Filipinos resident a
Manila, which was then occupied by tn,
Americans, to accept the mandates o
SAID Congress; they did not prevent tn
same Deputies from going by train t,
Malalos in order to take part IN tn
sessions ofthe Congress which-withou
any protest from the Americans-so
emnly proclaimed the independence {
the Philippine Republic, on the 79th {
September, 1898,
Since the Americans permitted a
these actions on the part OF the Filipino
they undoubtedly made a moral con
promise to recognize the independent
Of the country, which was confident