Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-03-10
IN HIS OWN WAY
Gen. Hughes Will Not Allow Patterson
to Impose on Him.

Washington, March 9.-Senator Pat
terson continued his questioning of
Gen. Hughes in, the Senate committee
on the Philippines, Saturday, taking up
the beginning of hostilities in Febru-
airy, 1899.
The witness repeated his previous
statement that the first shot had been
fired by an American.
Senator Patterson asked Gen.
Hughes what he had meant when he
said upon hearing the firing at first.
THE thing is on" There was some
sparring between the two as on previ-
Gus occasions. the senator insisting
upon direct answer, and the witness
upon replying in his own way.
Il intend" said the latter, ''to answer
in the best way can to cover the whole
conditions. ! wish to answer in my
own way, as l am informed I have a
right to do. L felt that they had made
an attack upon us and that we must
defend ourselves he added.
Did you mean simply that you
should defend yourselves, or that you
should make an attack also?'
Il had no intention beyond what /
have stated
Mr.. Patterson then sought to bring
out the fact that the attack was made
before the Filipinos We're ready, and
Gen. Hughes admitted that the Filipino
military leaders were absent in con-
ference at Malolos. He said that hos
tilities were so active the next day that
there was no opportunity to attempt
to heal the breach.
Senator Patterson questioned Gen.
Hughes concerning the effect of Presi-
dent McKinleys proclamation of Jan.
., 1899, for the extension of the military
occupation of the United States to the
entire archipelago. asking the witness
if there was anything to do but to at
tack the Philippine forces.
Gen. Hughes replied that the policy was
to use only peaceful means so long as
they were effectual, but that when these
We're exhausted, to resort to war.
Gen. Hughes said the Filipinos made
their best fight on the 5th of February,
1899 He denied that in any subsequent
battles they were slaughtered, but SAID
that many were killed when cornered and
continued to fight when they should have
surrendered.
A number of questions were asked by
Senator Dubois about points covered by
the Philippine government BILL now pend
ing in the committee. In reply to these
Gen. Hughes said that he thought that
white labor would be a total failure Ia
the Philippines and that other labor
would be necessary there. The natives,
he said, are physically weak and lazy, and
he thought that the only resort would be
to continue to import Chinese and Japan
csc labor. for the present at least.
Gen. Hughes also expressed the opinion
that it would be well to encourage negro
pmi tiOn n The DbiIipnipac live
United States.
He added that the colored troops taken
to Samar mixed readily with the, natives
and many of the latter shed tears when
the colored soldiers were removed Next
to the American negro he thought the
japanese most desirable. Chinese labor
was the most available, but there was a
prejudice against the Cinnamon on the
part of the Filipinos.
Speaking of the American Chamber of
Commerce of Manila, he said il was COM
posed largely of Englishmen and other |
Europeans, who did not care a snap for |
American interests"