Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1900-06-07
Rhetoric Versus Facts

samples given out at the state con-
vention which just adjourned, we
are to have a campaign of rhetoric
where a pervision of facts is covered
with All oriflame of trope and met
aphor. Chairman Jackson in his
campaign speech gave utterance to
that recent democratic sophistry
that since the Filipinos were our
allies against Spain that honor re-
quires us to acknowledge their in.
dependence. This charge has been
often and ably refuted, but the
facts are nowhere more strongly
set out than in a recent Magazine
article from the pen of Charles
DENLY, late United States minister
10 China. He says:
LET us, as briefly as we can,
cite the witnesses who deny this
charge. In the preliminary state
ment of the old Philippine commits
sion, bearing the date of Novem-
Der 2, 1899, Admiral Dewey says:
No alliance of any kind was ell
tered into with Aguinaldo, nor
was any promise of Independence
made him then MAY 10, 1899 or
at any other time. Under the
date of December IS, 1899, Gen
eral Merritt says: There was pos
itively no agreement between
Aguinaldo, or any of his represen-
tatives and myself, that looked to-
ward cooperation between us (see
New York Independent of Janu
airy 4, Iooo). August 3, 1898,
Aguinaldo wrote to General An
derson: My troops are forced by
yours, by means of threats and vi
olence, to retire from positions
taken (See page 500, Senate
Document 62).
I'm proclamation issued by
Aguinaldo at Malolas, January s,
1899, he said: The Americans
disembarked forces at the town OF
Paranaque, and took up positions
all along the line occupied by my
troops. taking possession OF
many trenches constructed by my
own people, by the employment OF
astuteness, NOT ACCOMPANIED By
VIOLENCE. They forced a capitu-
lation on the garrison of Manila.
X In this I took very active
part, ALTHOUGH / WAS NOT NoTI-
FLED. July 20, 1898, Consul Pratt
wrote to his government; 4 held
out no hopes to him of any kind,
committing the government in no
way whatever, and in the course OF
our conferences never acted upon
the assumption that the govern
ment would COOPERATE with him
(Gen. Aguinaldo) for the further
ance of any plan of his own (See
page 35S, Senate Document No.
81
General Anderson wrote to
A guinaldo, July %, 1898, that if
he did not aid him in securing
horses and supplies he would have
TO pass him and make requisition
directly on the people (See Senate
DO ument No. 81, page 394). Gen.
Greene says that Aguinaldo did
much to thwart General Anderson.
going so far in letter Of July 2,
1898, as to warn General Ander
sou not to land troops on Philippine
soil without his consent. On Feb,
ruary a, 1899, at Malolos Aguin-
aldo declared war; proclaiming that
peace and friendly relations be-
tween the Philippine forces and the
American forces were broken and
that the latter would be treated as
enemies. (See Otis report, page
95), In August, 1898, Aguinaldo
asked Consul Williams, WHY do
not the American generals oper-
ate in conjunction with the FIJI.
plno generals (Senate Docu-
ment No. 81, page $685."
These are the facts which the
dem cratic rhetoricians can not
controvert, but which thew hone IN