Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1902-07-04
Admiral Dewey's Testimony.

!
sides. Final judgment on this testi-
mony should be suspended, however,
until complete report of it has been
made public, special features alone
having been printed thus far. These
are undenably remarkable and unique.
He says that the city of Manila had
been surrendered to him Immediately
after the battle in which the Spanish
fleet was sunk; but he had no troops
to land and take possession and there
was a garrison of $4,000 Spaniards, so
he waited until the arrival of the
American troops. When they arrived
| the attack on the city and its surren-
der were merely the carrying out of a
pre-arranged program, at the request
of the Spanish governor, who insisted
that shots be fired to save his honor. y
The admiral declares that he ''had to
fire and kill few people, in order to
do this, although the city might have
been taken without loss of life. He
says lHdl lc lpli NItllEld Ahtll III VI
this arrangement, but that neither the
general or his own flag lieutenant
seemed to "take much stock in the
protfered capitulation. He alone, it
seems, knew that they would surren-
der, understanding the straits they
were in. He also, best of all, under
stood the real character of Aguinaldo,
the Filipino Washington. He says
emphatically that he never recognized
Aguinaldo's government, never trust
ed him, and did not want him in Ma
Mia. fIe asserts that the Filipino
chief went there simply "for gain,
for loot, and that independence never
entered his head. From the begin
ming he was taking everything in sight.
He was a mere tigurehead, and sur
rounded by stronger men than himself.
General Luna, whom he killed, was
one of these In spite of this opin-
ion, Admiral Dewey admits giving Ag
unaldo arms and printing press, and
taking him to Manila to lead the native
people, although it was generally re
ported that in 1897 he had betrayed
those people to the Spaniarcs for mon
ey. He insists, however, that Aguin-
aldo and his people were forced upon
him by Consul Pratt and others-he
did not want them.
The Admiral further testified that
while the islands are worth keeping,
the Filipinos are not fitted for self
although the equal of the
Cubans. He says that he never prom
Used them independence, never re
garded them as allies, did not want or
need them and never saluted their flag
In connection with this testimony,
some newspapers are recalling that on
April "a, 1898, the Admiral telegraphed
in answer to Consul Pratt's query,
Tell Aguinaldo to come as soon as
possible; that he had previously tes-
titled in regard to Aguinaldo, II want
ed his help; that he himself admits
the Filipino leader from
leaving Manila Bay and going to ia
pan; that June II, Dewey sent to
Aguinaldo's proclamation /
to his people that the
United States considered them capable !
If self government; that he stated that I
: in my opinion, these people are far I
superior in their intelligence and ca
1acity for self government than the ma
ives of Cuba and that finally on
July he turned Spanish prisoners of
var over to Aguinaldo. The climax of
his surprising testimony came when,
ccording to the press reports;
Senator Dietrich asked the Admiral
f it. was not true that if he had recog-
Iized the F'ilirinos as allies, trusted
hem as such, and considered them cap
BILE of taking charge of Manila, he
would have accepted the protfer for the
of Manila before the arrival
f the American troops Yes" re-
lied the witness, "that is true and it {
5 good idea. | had not thought of
t and | am glad you suggested it. 1t ,
lakes my testimony stronger. 1t is
rue, and the fact that | didn't accept ;
be surrender and put them in charge l
hows that | didn't trust them: it
ever entered my head to do that. -
The real reason why the surrender of
Ianila to Aguinaldo was not allowed
, said to be that the Admiral had Y
cen instructed by Secretary Long not {
, have any political alliances with |
he insurgents. \
Admiral Dewey is great man in his e
llling and as naval hero, the coun- I
y is proud of him. He is to com t
and the great naval manoeuvres of t
lie American squadron in West Indian
alters this winter and no one doubts
is ability or fitness for this or any
her high naval commission; but he q
ems to have strange propensity, on b
nd, for saying and doing unexpected c
I'd disappointing things And in u
lis matter he has evidently sustained
previous records. Anti imperial g
is will not enjoy the testimony. n
tC
An annual reduction of So 600, 600 W
the income of the United States gov II
nment will be made by the repeal of "a