The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-08-31
LOPEZ RIDICULOUS STATEMENT.

Sixto Lopez Sho vas permitted b.
the easy going Government at Wash
ington 10 reside in the national cap
itai Of the country against which
many OF his fellow citizens we're in
armed Insurrection. and who is nov
Ia this city. is quoted By an
evening paper as saying: Had the
Americans not tnterfered the armies
OF the Filipinos would long before
this have driven the Spaniards from
the Islands and would now be enjoy
ing the blessings OF a free and indie
pendent republic"
Il does not need much effort TO
puncture this statement OF untruth.
Every reader knows that when the
United States declared war against
Spain the instruction in the Philip
pines was crushed. Aguinaldo. that
true patriot. had with others. sold
out his countrymen for 100000 in
Spanish silver. only one half OF which
was ever paid. and Aguinaldo, and
number OF his co-conspirators. who
valued Spanish silver above freedom
from Spanish rule. were sojourning
in Singapore. II We mistake not Sen
or Lopez was one OF those sojourning
at Singapore when Aguinaldo. through
the American consul, opened up cor
respondence with Admiral Dewey
with a view TO Aguinsldo accompany
ing Dewey TO Manila and arousing the
natives to joint action with the Amer
leans in expelling the Spanish from
the Islands.
After the destruction Of the Spanish
feet. the long delay OF the Americans
in capturing Manila, due to the lack of
troops. gave Aguinaldo an opportun.
fly to begin the organization Of the
natives. Believing that the Americans
would never send over any eonsidera-
BILE body OF troops. Aguinaldo and
those associated with him. true to
their former treachery TO their own
people when they sold out 10 Spain.
began plotting against the United
States. Then followed the meeting
OF the Peace Commissioners at Paris.
and the long period OF inaecision on
the part OF the United States. giving
Aguinaldo ample time to organize his
people. as they had never been or
gsnized before.
Manila had fallen. the Spanish gov
ernor had deserted his post. and. ex-
cepting at Manila and Iloilo, the
Americans we're not making any at
tempt to exercise sovereignty. The
Spanish were not strong enough to
control and in the absence OF a
leader and without civil or military
government OF their own no effort
was made either to control the natives
or even to restrain them. But for
the coming OF the Americans, with
the consequent destruction OF the
Spanish feet. and the capture of the
two chief seaports the Filipinos
would never have had any opportun-
ity to capture the Spanish garrisons
that they did. To say that they would
have driven the Spaniards from the
Islands had not the Americans inter
fered is the veriest nonsense. They
never would have done anything OF
the kind.
Their so-called republic was based
upon the same plan as those Of South
America. which are only relationships
or oligarehys under the name repub-
lie. The Fillpinos are enjoying great
er freedom. in every way. today under
the henefeent rule Of the American
government than they could ever have
accomplished in half dozen censur-
les Of rule set up by such men as
Aguinaldo. Lopez. ct al