Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1900-10-18
......WHO BEGAN THE WAR?

From Pettigrew's speech at Armou

rom Pettigrew's speech at Armour
on August z:
some of US mistrusted that we
esa the war. Some Of us believed
II was necessary, that orders were
SEM from Washington to attack
the FIJI. pInos in order to ratify the
Spanish treaty.
Let us see what the record is as to
thls Infamous charge aaginst the gov
eminent and the gallant volunteers be-
fore Manila.
On May list, 1909, the president sent
10 the senate a response to the resolu
ton asking for a report as to the al
legged negotiations for peace on FeJru-
airy D, 1899, after the breaking out of
the Filipino revolution. The reply
contains the following correspondence
by cable:
Adjutant Generals Office, Washing
ton, April 1910 Otis, Manila: Cable
whether General Torres came to YOU
under flag of truce, February 5, 1899,
and stated Aguinaldo declared fighting
had begun accidentally and not au-
thorized by him; that Agu naldo
wished it stopped, and to end host'li-
NfNS P'SpNoSu CSldDllSlllltuL VI neutral
zone between two armies of width
agreeable to you, so during peace ne
gotiations there might be no further
danger Of conflict; whether you replied
fighting having begun must go on to
grim end. -Corbin.
The following is General Otis reply:
Manila, May /, l9OO.-To Agwar,
Misunderstanding Torres, citizen
resident of Manila, who had served -"
member Of insurgent commission, &c
ported evening February 5, asking i,
something could not be done to stop
the fighting as establishment of neutral
zone. | replied Aguinaldo had COM
menced the fighting and mus apply
for cessation; I had nothing to reques.
from insurgent government. He asked
permission to send Colonel ArguolleE
to Malolos and Arguellez was pas ed
through lines near CalOOcan n X
morning. He went direct to Malolos,
told General Aguinaldo and Mabini
that General Otis would permit suepon-
sion of hostilities upon their request
They replied declaration of war had
been made, a copy of which they fur
nished him. They said they had no
ODJCCllDl ~ suspension Vi hDoAiiiN'N''
but beyond this general remark mad !
no response, but directed him to return
with that message. Arguellez reported
that he conveyed my statement; that
they had commenced the war AMI 1t
must go on since they had chosen that
course Of action, but did not attempt to
induce them to make any propositi0n
as he feared accusation of coward
The insurgent chief authorities made
no proposition and did not intend t.
make any nor did they attempt to do
so until driven out of MalOlos.
Lieutenant Colonel Slower Of the
First South Dakota in a letter written
to this bureau under date Of May tn,
says:
AS to the responsibility for the
beginning of hostilities we We're
right there and know. . VIII
find q very concise statement OF 1t
in General Otis report as corps
commander of the Eighth corps FOR
the year 1899. OF course he mooths
over the rough edges Of the way
we were treated. and insu'ted, n
abused bv the natives, but YOU find
II mentioned along for a half dom
or so pages in his correspondence
with the department. and in his
correspondence with General Mil
Ter down in front Of Cebu, in his
instructions to Miller, in fact. here
and there it crops out, a little ev-
e~rywhere.
The night before the outbreak
7 was on duty as field officer of the
day: had a row at the Santa Mesa
bridge. They tried to make us fire
on them that night, but we did o
Two days before the outbreak
about two hundred of them
up in skirmish line win th"r
rides loaded and cooked, and extra
cartridges under their guns in
tbeir left hands. and came right
straight up to our outno7t on the
PeIic-Balic road. d~isregarding or
ders to halt and everything else;
was there and saw 1t.