The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-07-26
Statements In an Interview
With Him Denied.
WHAT FILIPINOS THOUGHT
Astoria Man Digs Up Some Important
Items On the Philippine 0ues.
tIon-Perhaps the Admlrsl
Was Misouoted.

Yesterday a Journalist who was in
Singapore at the time when Consul
General Pratt sent the insurgent lead.
er Agulnaldo TO Manila. at Admiral
Dewey's suggestion. and who was ae-
quainted with the consul and with sew
eral Of the Filipino leaders. 10 an As
torian man fatty denied some OF the
statements which appeared In the al
legged interview OF Admiral Dewey with
an Associated Press representative. on
the 25rd inst. OF which interview the
following is an extract:
"The admiral said he had never heard
Of AIcjandrino. Several FIllpinos after
much importuning came aboard the
Olympia al Hong Kong. They were
anxious TO be taken 70 Manila.
i considered their representations
u little Importance. said the admiral.
and did not take them to Manila. La
ter gave permission TO AguInaldO and
about dozen others to come 10 Manila.
An that they We're anxious about al
that time was an end OF the tyranny
Of Spain against which they had been
lighting After the destruction OF Mon
toIo's fleet the city virtually surren-
dered. and / am satisfied that Il we
had had 5000 troops there al that time
we could have gone ashore and been
received by the Filipinos as deliverers.
They had absolutely no thought then
OF independence. That was an after
thought OF their leaders during the in
terim between the smashing Of the
Spanish feet and the arrival OF the
United States troops
As regards Aleiandrlno. sald the
gentleman. It was cabled to the papers
Of the Far East at the time that the
American feet sailed for Manila. that
he and other native leaders accompan-
led It, and this is the first time
he has seen that cablegram denied
Aguinaldo left Singapore about the
same time, and so reached Hong Kong
too late to join the ileet. but went over
on the Mcculloch later.
The statement attributed 10 Admiral
Dewey that they had absolutely no
thought OF independence then: that was
an afterthought OF their leaders dur
ing the interim between the smashing
OF the Spanish fleet and the arrival
OF the United States troops" Is pro-
nouncea to be an astonishing one. and
one easily disproven. The Singapore
Free Press. OF date prior to the des-
truction OF the Spanish feet. contained
an Interview with Agulnaldo and an
accurate account Of his dealings with
the American consul-general. to whom
he plainly stated the desire Of the Fill
ipino people for Independence. under
American protection for a time. at least.
Furthermore. II was on account OF the
claim made by the antl-imperialists
that Consul Pratt had promised Aguin-
aldo independence, or made similar rep
resentations to him. that he was soon
recalled and another man put in his
place.
Mr., Pratt. In the gentleman's opin-
ion. was an efficient and discreet man.
and merely informed the Filipino lead
ers. in response to their anxious in
Quiries as to what policy in regard to
their liberties the American govern
ment would adopt, that 1t was contrary
to all precedents and American ideas to
annex far-distant territory. especially
land incapable of settlement by Ameri-
cans. and populated by alien races. on
this statement, which was as far as
Mr.. Pratt could so. Aguinaldo offered
his services to the American govern
ment, fully expecting. even then. to
form government OF his own.
The more enlightened Filipino lead
ers had long been cherlshing ideas Of
Philippine nation. and when America
spoke the words Of freedom to Cuba.
and declared war against Spain. there
was not an insurGent leader of promi-
nence but cherished high hopes OF