Evening journal., 1902-06-27
DEWEY TELLS Oh
MANILA'N pALL
Put No Faith in Promises Of
PiIipinOS
Tells Senate He Never Gave the
Slightest Recognition to the
Philippine Republic

Washington, June 27-Admiral Dew
ey made a statement before the senate
committee on the Philippines yesterday
concerning the early operations at Ma
Mia, when he was in command Of the
American naval forces in Philippine
waters. The admiral's statement con-
tributed an important addition to the
history of the surrender of the city of
Manila. This consisted of positive
statement by the admiral to the effect
that the city had been surrendered to
him at the time that the Spanish fleet
was sunk and that when the city did
surrender it was in pursuance of def
mite understanding between himself
and the Spanish governor-general.
The admiral was questioned by Sena-
tor Lodge. He said he had first heard
from Aguinaldo and his friends about
April 1, 1898, month before the bat
tie in Manila Bay, when it became GER
tain that there was to be war.
Il then heard that there were a num-
Der of Filipinos who desired to accom-
pany the feet to Manila" he continued.
"All of them were young and earnest.
I did not attach much importance to
them or to what they said. The day
before we left Hong Kong l received
a telegram from Consul General Pratt
located at Singapore, saying that Agui-
naldo was as Singapore and would join
me at Hong Kong. l replied: All
right; tell him to come aboard but /
attached so little Importance to the
message that I sailed without Agui-
naldo and before he arrived.
There were then many promises as
to what the Filipinos would do, but l
did not depend upon them. Consul
Williams assured me that upon our ar
rival and the firing of the first gun
10000 Filipinos would rise. None did
rise and frequently joked him on this
point.
'The governor general of Manila sur
rendered to me on the first day of May.
That is a fact not generally known. He
fired a number of rife shots at my
feet and l sent word to him that if h.
fired another shot / would destroy the
town. He replied that he would not
fire il I did not. So while the Spanish
flag was not actually hauled down, Ma.
nila was virtually surrendered to me on
the first Of May.
81 anchored my fleet right under
the guns of the town, within easy
range, about 1000 yards. If we had
had 5000 troops present right then
we could have taken possession, and
that would have been the end of it,"
The admiral said that after Aguinal-
do got his forces organized, he occu-
pied Cavite, but when he dewey
learned that American troops were ex-
pected TO arrive soon, he asked the
Filipinos to retire. They at first de-
INJURED, but ultimately consented. II
was after this time, on July Is, that
Aguinaldo sent 70 him his first pro
clamation of the independence Of the
Philippines.
"That proclamation" said the ad
miral, was the first intimation ! had
ever received Of the aspiration Of the
Philippine people for an independent
government. Aguinaldo had never told
me that the independence Of his peo
pie was his aim. But when the pro
clamation came ] thought nothing oi
It, Indeed, I attached so little import
ance to it that did not cable it tC
Washington, but left its transmittal t
the mails"
When Senator Lodge asked the ad
miral: Did you recognize the. Philip
pine republic?" he replied. Il did not
1 never gave it the slightest recogni
ton. had no authority to do so, an'
beside did not consider it an organized
government There was a reign o
terror, and the Philippine forces wer
riding rough shod over the community
committing many acts of cruelty.
sent word to Aguinaldo that he mus
treat his prisoners kindly, and he re
piled that he would"
Admiral Dewey gave it as his opir
ion that after all the United State
had done for the Filipinos it wa
base ingratitude for them to tur
on u.s."