The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-06-01
TESTIMONY
OF FILIPINO
AguinaIdo's Former Secretary
Before Philippine Commission.
ANNEXATION OR LIBERTY
NATIVES DO NOT KNOW .WHETH-
Err THEY CAN STAND ALONE.

H7ASHIGTON, May S1.-Felpe Buen-
w canine. former secretary Of state
in Aguinaldo's cabinet, was heard
today through an interpreter, by the
house committee on insular affairs.
Chairman Cooper. asked Senior Buen-
canine why he had come to the United
states. He said he was here represent
ing the federal party and the inhuen-
tial elements of the insurgents, and the
Kadpunan society.
we would like to know what we
are said he, with emphasis Are we
Americans. or are we FilipinOs? This
is the question impressed upon me by
the federal party and by the Filipino
people.
He approved the plan Of legislative
assembly or the Filipino people but,
said ne, do not call it a Filipino as
sembly; let the members meet as
Americans, and let the assembly be
Americans"
Senior BUenCaminO spoke Of the many
schools and the improved educational
methods, the Filipino families no longer
finding it necessary to send their chill
dren to Manila. as the local schools
We're ample. Instead Of 1900 American
teachers, he said, there should be 5000
and the salaries should be doubled, in
order to secure the, best material.
Speaking of education be said the
friars were hostile to the American
government. on Palm Sunday, he as
serted, the friars had told the people
in the confessional shat the cholera eX-
listed only I'm the minds of the Ameri-
cans. for the reason. he said, that the
friars desired cholera to spread i'm or
der shat their fees for various attend
ance and ceremonies might be in
! creased
Among the statements he made were
! the following:
.Eighty-five per cent Of the people
I are illiterate. and cannot read or
/ write"
Are the people capable at this time
/ Of independent f-gOvernmenu?"
1T would not be advisable he said,
I turning to the map of the archipelago.
/ Russia was near at hand, at Port Ar
! thur. Japan also was near: Australia
and other British possessions We're
nearby.
Besides" he said, Great Britain
and Germany had on file at the Ameri-
can state department large claims for
damages growing out Of the hombard-
ment of TloilO,' etc.
Suppose the United states abandons
z u.s." he said then ali those clala EfI
( he presented against the Philippines,
/ backed up by sqUadrons."
/ Mr. Jones OF Virginia questioned the
I witness at length as to the responsibility
] for the recent outbreak. Preparations Tor
war were begun by AguinaldO as early as
! October 1895 the witness said.
Asked who were the slayers. of General
/ Luna. the witness asked to be excused,
/ saying an answer would require reference
| to AguinaldO, who was now "a prisoner
| and an enemy Of the witness He said
! however, that Aguinaldo was seventy-five
/ miles away.
Asked If the FfHDinos, after three or
/ four years of American tutelage, could
/ stand alone. Senior BuencaminO said they
1 would be able by that time to determine
! whether they wanted annexation 20 The
/ United States or Independence.
| The federal party, to which he belonged
! opposed the holding of the Philippines as
! an American colony About - per cent
] of the people, he said. favored a colonial
7 government. He said American troops
! could be withdrawn ultimately, except
! from the Moro country. where they would
/ have to remain for a long time.
! Mr. Patterson of Colorado brought out
! that the witness had come for the federal
| party. which paid his expenses. The
/ federal party favored annexation. and III
/ the pending bill did not contemplate an
/ neNarion but instead established
! colonial form of the government. the VIII
/ ness said. he did not approve this feature
] Asked by Senator Beverage for his es-
/ innate OF the character Of General Bell,
/ the witness replied
! 81 have known General Bell intimately
/ for twenty-eight years and / have never
| known drawer or more humane man.
/ know personally that he was anxious that
Z there should be no unnecessary suffering
| on the part of the people of Batangas
/ and LagUna-
He said in reply to questions from Sen
/ ator Beverage that the conduct of the
! American officers in the Philippines had
! been uniformly kind and cOnsidcrate.