The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-08-30
sIXTo LOPEZ TALKS ON THE
SITUATION.
Philippines Not Intended For The Bene-
fit of the Taft or any other Commits
sion-Aguinaldo for President.

"The Philippines do not exist for the
benefit of the Taft or any other COM
mission" said Sixto Lopez this morning
ing.
Mr.. Lopez is staying at present at the
California with II. T. Patterson, an
Australian sympathiser ana intimate
friend of Aguinaldo and Fiske Warren
a wealthy merchant of Boston, late a
member of the American Anti-Imperia-
listic League, who is going to the Phi
lippines to study the existing condl-
tions After a short stay in Honolulu
the party will process to Manila on the
earliest steamer.
"In 1892" said Mr.. Lopez, who reads
and writes English fluently although
the speech does not as yet come very
readily to his tongue; warrants were
issued by the Spanish authorities for
the arrest of DIR. Jose Rial ana SlNto
Lopez, the latter being charged with
being the worst active agent OF the
| former. Rizal was arrested and banlsh-
ed to the island of Mindanao, whist l
escaped a like fate by submitting 10
voluntary exile. Since then L nave not
been in the Philippines.
81 was appointed by Aguinaldo, then
| President of the Philippine Repubnc,
as secretary to the Commission when
went 20 Washington in 1898 for the pur-
pose of obtaining recognition OF our
government The work of the Commls-
! sion ceased upon the outbreak of nos
tilities with America, and since that
time 1 have held no official position un-
! der Aguinaldo or the Philippine Repub-
! lie l claim simply to represent the
| aspirations of my fellow countrymen.
1.-THE policy of the Filipinos according
: to my outlines may be stated as FOL
! lows: The words 'protectorate and
! protection seem to be very much mis-
.
uuently confused with each other. Pro
lection may permit of the absolute In
/ dependence of the country protected, g.
| in the case of the South American
countries under the Monroe doctrine.
protectorate may be one of the worst
| forms of despotism. Now, me F1liplnos
| desire independent self-goVernment uh-
der American protection. For such pro-
tecLlon the Filipinos are willing to con
cede coaling stations, basis for military
and trade operations in the Far East
and to grant certain rights which WoulC
safe guard Americas interests ano
foreign obligations
1.-THE work of organizing a selt-goV'
ernment would be carried out along the
lines of the method now in progress II
Cuba. The question of the Taft Com
mission and work already accomplish
ed by the United States is readily
soluble.
"The Philippines do not exist for the
benefit of the Taft or any other com
mission Judge Taft himself would h'
the last one to hold such belief I'm
der independent self-government the
work of the Taft Commission would
cease. An elected constitutional Com
mission (as in Cuba) would be formed
and the work of taking over the powers
of government from the American au'
thorities would proceed. The military
authorities would remain until the gov
ernment had been established, or unit
any later period mutually agreed upon
The teachers would be given the optioT
| or serving under the new government
or returning to America. All these are
ma tiers of detail which in no way form
a barrier to the granting of independ'
ence to the Filipinos. Any average
statesman could arrange all these de-
tails in forty-eight hours"
With regard to the suggested head L
any of the new Independent Govern
ment, Mr.. Lopez said:
| General Malvar Is now at the heac
of military operations, and he is brave
| and capable man, But until we know
with certainty what Aguinaldo has
really done, said or proclaimed" anc
unless his action and proclamation are
| against the best interests of the Phil
lippines, he will remain our leader ant
will probably be the first president o.
our Republic"
Mr.. Lopez will probably return to the
states next year and will go to Wash
! ington If occasion or necessity demand:
| it negotia ting with any one whom
America may authoratatively appoint
| This is the first visit of Mr.. Lopez tC
these Islands and while here he will en-
deavor as far as possible in the short
time available, study the condition OF
Hawaiian affairs since and before an
neXation.
Asked whether he had had at any
! time been obliged to cross the Canadian
line on account of his views, Mr.. Lopez
replied.
mo, never. I have been permitted
the utmost libertv of expression in the
United States. The only place where
liberty of speech is not permitted un-
der the Stars and Stripes is in the
Philippines"
| Annexation" concluded the Filipino
diplomat twill always be resisted, the
method always depending upon what
we find to be the best form of resis-
! tance."
II