The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-06-27
aN0rGh @ar0[Hna Daily aper@ Circulation

ty-five Mauser rifles and some ammuni-
tion.
1--WE had a common enemy" said the
admiral, 'and L wanted his help"
The admiral said he paid no attention
to Aguinaldo's first proclamation of in
dependence of the Filipinos. Speaking
of Aguinaldos military operations he
said he did wonderfully in whipping the
Spanish.
Admiral Dewey said emphatically that
he never had recognized Aguinaldo's
government; nor did he salute Aguinal-
dos flag; he never called Aguinaldo
general" but addressed him as Don
Emilio"
The admiral said he had never given
the Philippine republic the slightest re-
cognition, that he had no authority to
do so, and did not consider it an organ
lied government. He said the Spaniards
were fearful of the Filipinos enteringI
Manila and therefore surrendered to him
in advance. He said there was no need
for the loss of a man in the capture of
the city. No gun would have been fired
but for the desire of the governor, who
said his honor demanded that few
shots be fired, $50 I had to fire and kill
few people" said the admiral, but the
Spaniards did not fire because he Dew
ey) had warned them not to do so.
Admiral Dewey added that he was
pleased to supply the committee with
this history. 1t had, he said. never been
printed, and he had been reserving it
with the view of writing the story him
self.
He did not believe the Filipinos could
have taken the city unaided, but the
Spaniards were greatly demoralized.
On cross examination by Senator Pat
terson, the Admiral said he never re-
ceived letter from Consul Pratt tell
ing him he must cooperate with Agui-
naldo. He added that Pratt wrote
number of foolish letters about that
time.
Admiral Dewey said he had written the
Navy Department that the Filipinos were
more capable of self-government than
the Cubans because he saw that Con-
gress contemplated giving independence
to Cuba, and he knew that the Ameri-
can people had little information con-
cerning the Filipinos.
He said he still thought the Filipinos
better capable of governing themselves
than the Spaniards were.
Senator Carmack called Admiral Dew
eys attention to the fact that he had
given arms to Aguinaldo notwithstand-
ing the governor general had told him
he would surrender the city at any time
and asked why he had done so in the
face of that understanding. The reply
was to the effect that he considered it
a proper military act.
Even he added, when Aguinaldo
was ut the height of his power at Malo-
los, Admiral Seymour. of the British
navy told Agunaldo that he should tie
to the Americans as they were their best
friends. The Filipinos then were our
friends and were helping US. We had no
troops, to land, and knew that the more
closely the city was invested the easier
it would be to take it when our own
II oops should arrive. Still I think we
could have gotten On as we'll without
them. 1t was their own idea We all
know that hindsight is better than fore
sight. Looking back 1 would not have
had the Filipinos join me. But /
thought they would be friendly, and
think it very ungrateful in them to have
turned against us. Later 1 said to Agui-
naldo, There is the enemy; you pursue
your course and we will pursue ours
think that is the wisest thing ! ever
said. They were assisting us and at the
same time fighting their own battles.
had in mind in dealing with the Fill
pinos the assistance that the negroes
had given the Federal forces, during the
Civil War. We availed ourselves of that
| assistance and / thought we could ac-
cept the aid of the Filipinos in the same
way. This one idea was to get rid of
the Spaniards and l believe that if on
May /, before the insurrection was or
ganzed we had had there a few Ameri
can troops the Filipinos would have ac-
cepted us and that they would have re-
NAMED loyal
Admiral Dewey said that he and not
The Filipinos had captured Subig Bay and
he said he had done so because a Ger
man man-of-war was preventing Agui-
naldo from passing. He had turned the
prisoners taken over to Aguinaldo.
Asked why he had taken possession on
Aguinaldos complaint, Admiral Dewey
said;
Il did not want any other power to in
terfere." The Admiral was still on the
stand when the committee adjourned
until tomorrow.