Evening star., 1901-03-26
Responsibility for Outbreak Of Hos
tilities in the Islands.
AGUINALDO Was PLANNING ATTACK
Findings Of the Philippine Informa-
ton Society.
AN INTERESTING DOCUMENT

The Philippine Information Society, from
its address, IL Otis place, Boston, issued
yesterday Pamphlet VII, Outbreak of
Hostilities, February 4, 1899" The intro
duction treats briefly of the more remote
causes of the war. In regard to the actual
outbreak the editors state that after care
full study of all the accessible evidence we
ind that according to the most authori-
tative statements the outbreak occurred as
a result of trespass by four armed Fill
pinos on territory admitted by the Filipino
in command to be within the jurisdiction of
the United States.
THE action of the Filipino trespassers
seems to have been an instance of bad dis
cipline in the insurgent army. Certainly it
was not ordered on that date by the in
surgent leaders, although the indications
are that the leaders intended to attack in
a few days. The claim that our forces in
stigated the attack for the purpose of Sc
curing the votes necessary to ratify the
treaty of peace is absolutely unsupported
by any evidence which has come to the
attention of the editors.'
Official Reports Given.
The pamphlet gives the official reports
on the subject of the outbreak of HOSTILE
ties by Admiral Dewey, General Otis, Cen
eral Macarthur, the Schurman commits
sion and Secretary Root, on the one hand.
and by Aguinaldo in his proclamations OF
war February and February 5, the Fill
pino juntas in London, Washington, Paris
and Hong Kong and John Forman, on the
other hand. These latter accounts are so
conflicting that they are not accepted as
wholly true. The editors do not lay any
stress upon any particular portion of the
testimony a basis for the findings.
1t 1s shown that Aguinaldo had by Janu-
ary 4, 1899, warned his soldiers to expect
a clash, cautioned all Filipinos to preserve
a pretense Of friendship for the Americans
and deliberately stated the method by
which he would attack the Americans, al
though on the same day he had appointed
a commission to act with Otis to bring
about peace. He had at the same time
written a friend in Manila to leave the
city for safety, this probably being a warn
ing to all.
Continuing, the editors Of the pamphlet
say that Santa Mesa, In the outskirts of
Manila, was a portion of territory over
which there had been a difference Of opin-
ion, the natives maintaining that 1t had not
been included in Gen. Merritt's order as
within our lines, while Gen. Otis insisted
that 1t was American territory. After some
correspondence the natives yielded the point
and retired from that place. But they kept
on passing armed parties over the line OF
delimitation into American territory. Gen.
Macarthur, commanding the division taking
in this place, February 2, protested at this
action and especially at the occupancy Of a
point one nunQreQ ydrQS WITHIN the Amerl-
can lines by an insurgent party "active in
exhibiting hostile Intentions" The native
Col. San Miguel promptly replied that he
would order that party's retirement. Events
followed rapidly now.
The Nebraska regiment was in camp on
the east line at Santa Mesa, and was guard
ing its front. For days before the memo
rable 4th Of February, 1899, the outposts
in front of the regiment had been openly
menaced by insurgent soldiers. They made
light of our sentinels. persstently ignored
their orders and boasted Of their own prOW-
eSS.
The First Shots Fired.
The evening Of the 4th Of February, an
insurgent officer came to the front with
detail Of men and attempted to pass the
guard on the San Juan bridge, the Ameri-
can guard being stationed at the west end
of the bridge. The Nebraska sentinel drove
them back without firing, but few min
utes before o'clock that evening large
body Of insurgent troops made an advance
on the South Dakota outposts, which fell
back rather than fire. About the same
time the insurgents came in force to the
east end of the San Juan bridge, in front
of the Nebraska regiment. For several
nights prior thereto a lieutenant in the in
surgent army had been coming regularly
to outpost No. of the Nebraska regiment
and attempting to force the outpost back
and insisting on posting his guard within
the Nebraska lines; and at this time and
in the darkness he again appeared with a
detail Of about six men and approached
Private Grayson of Company D, LIST Ne
braska Volunteers. the sentinel on duty at
outpost No. 2. He after halting them three
times without effect, fired, killing the lieu
tenant. whose men returned the fire, and
then retreated. Immediately rockets were
sent up by the Filipnos and they COM
menced firing all along the line.
The attack was repulsed, as all know.
That night Aguinaldo issued a proclama-
ton declaring war against the United
States. and he followed this the next day
with another proclamation showing how
the war was to be carried on. There seems
to be little doubt that rising Of the ma
tives against the Americans in Manila was
planned for a few days later. but the con-
spiracy was detected and foiled.
Some Other Features.
The appendix contains. among other
things, letter from General Sir Andrew
Clark, the man who founded British rule
in the Malay archipelago. This letter was
transmitted to Peace Commissioner Day by
Ambassador Hay in August, 1885, just be-
fore the former sailed for Paris. 1t gives
in detail his method of government, which
was. in brief, to make each prominent ma
tive leader high official with large sal
ary and place behind him a British officer
who would have practically veto power,
but who would carefully conceal the pos
session Of this power. Sir Andrew urged
the same system in the Philippines, as the
Filpinos are also Malays.
The pamphlet further gives number of
cablegrams that passed between Gen. Otis
anu the War Department and the sub
stance of debates on the Philippine ques-
tion in the United States Senate, present
ing all the facts In what Is declared to be a
wholly impartial way.
Building Permits Issued.
pollo