The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-09-14

10 Ol}ODG WHO VIII aNall nlln-
- self of the facts will longer
4 hold that there wJs any al
lance between our soldiers
and the insurgents. or that any prom
Use of independence was made to them.
Long before their leader had reached
Manila they had resolved If the COM
mander of the American navy would
give them arms with which to fight
the Spanish army they would later
turn upon us, which they did murder
ously and without the shadow OF
cause or justification. There may be
those without the means or full in
formation who believe that we were
in alliance with the insurgents; and
that we assured them that they should
have independence. TO such let me
repeat the facts. on the 26th day of
May. 1893, Admiral Dewey was in
structed by me to make no alliance
with any party or faction in the
Philippines that would incur liability
to maintain their cause in the future,
and he replied under date of June 6,
1898: Have acted according to spirit
of departments instructions from the
beginning, and I have entered into no
alliance with the insurgents or with
any faction. This squadron can re-
duce the defenses of Manila at any
moment, but 1t is considered useless
until the arrival of sufficient United
states troops to retain possession"
,f
commission, submitted on November
., 1899, Admiral Dewey, one of its
members, said: mo alliance of any
kind was entered into with Aguinaldo,
nor was any promise of independence
made to him at any time"
General Merritt arrived In the
Philippines on July %, 1898, and dis
patch from Admiral Dewey to the gov
ernment at Washington said: "Mer-
ritt arrived yesterday. Situation IS
most critical at Manila. The Spanish
may surrender at any moment. Mer-
ritt's most difficult problem will be
how to deal with the insurgents under
Aguinaldo who have become aggres-
sive and even threatening toward our
army" Here is revealed the spirit
of the insurgents as early as July,
1898, before the protocol was signed
with Spain. Even then the insurgents
were threatening our army.
on August 13, Manila was captured
and of this and subsequent events the
Philippine commission says: "When
the city of Manila was taken August
10, the Filipinos took no part in the
attack, but came following in with a
view to looting the city and We're
only prevented from doing so by our
forces preventing them from entering.
Aguinaldo claimed that he had the
right to occupy the city; he demanded
of General Merritt the palace of Mala-
canaan for himself and the cession of
all the churches of Manila, also that
a part of the money taken from the
| Spanards as spoils Of war should be
| given up, and above all that he should
he given the arms of the Spanish pris-
| oners. All these demands were re-
| fused.
! Generals Merritt. Greene and An
| derSOn, VINO were IN command at the
beginning of our occupation. and un-
| til the surrender of Manila, state that
there was no alliance with the insur-
gents, and no promise to them of IN
dependence. on August II. 1898, Cen
eral Merritt was instructed that there
must be no joint occupation OF
Manila with the insurgents. General
Anderson, under date of February 10
1900, says that he was present at the
interview between Admiral Dewey and
the insurgcnt leader and that in this
| interview Admiral Dewey made nc
promises whatever. He adds: "He
Aguinaldo, asked me if my govern.
mcnt was going TO recognize his gov.
crnment. l answered that l was there
simply in a military capacity, that
| could not acknowledge his govern,
mont because l had no authority tC
dc So"