Nr. 11994. Vereinigte Nr. 11994. VEREINIGTE STAATEN. Derselbe an Denselben. Vorschläge für den Fall einer längeren Okkupation der Philippinen. U. S. S. Baltimore, Manila Bay, Manila, Philippine Islands, July 2, 1898. Sir: I have the honor to report the arrival here on June 30 of 2,500 United States troops under command of General Anderson, the flotilla being 2. Juli 1898. convoyed by the Charleston. | To General Anderson and all I am rendering every possible assistance, and have been asked by him to treat with General Aguinaldo as to American interests. We await second flotilla, and also Monterey, but may take Manila to morrow. || The health of men, naval and military, is excellent; all eager for great results. Cavite and navy-yard have been put in excellent sanitary condition and soldiers are most comfortably quartered. | Weather is superb for the latitude mercury hovering about 80° to 85° in the shade during day, with cooler nights. Frequent rains make air pure and climate healthful. || En route the Charleston made conquest of the Ladrone group of the Philippine Islands by taking Guam and bringing aways its government officials and Spanish residents as prisoners of war. | If long occupation or possession on the part of our Government be considered, I believe early and strenuous efforts should be made to bring here from the United States men and women of many occupations -mechanics, teachers, ministers, shipbuilders, merchants, electricians, plumbers, druggists, doctors, dentists, carriage and harness makers, stenographers, typewriters, photographers, tailors, blacksmiths, and agents for exporting and to introduce American products, natural and artificial, of many classes. To all such I pledge every aid, and now is the time to start. Good government will be easier the greater the influx of Americans. || My dispatches have referred to our present percentage of export trade. If now our exports come here as interstate duty free, we have practical control of Philippine trade, which now amounts to many millions, and because of ingrafting of American energy and methods upon the fabulous natural and productive wealth of these islands can and probably will be multiplied by twenty during the coming twenty years. All this increment should come to our nation, not go to any other. Those who come early will reap great rewards and serve patriotic purpose at the same time, while their prompt and successful work will furnish outlet for the glut of United States products. Each American concern in each of the hundred ports and populous towns of the Philippines will be a commercial center and school for tractable natives conducive to good government on United States lines. Spanish or native language not essential. With Spaniards expelled, it should apply that our language be adopted ad once in court, public office, school, and in newly organized churches, and let natives learn English. I hope for an influx this year of 10,000 ambitious Americans, and all can live well, become enriched, and patriotically assist your representatives Vereinigte in the establishment and maintenance of republican government on these rich Nr. 11994. islands so extensive in area as to form an insular empire. || I hope in your Staaten. own good way my idea may be effectively placed before the American people. 2. Juli 1898. O. F. Williams, Consul. Nr. 11995. PHILIPPINEN. Aguinaldo an den Präsidenten der Verkauf der Philippinen. Cavite, June 10, 1898. Philippinen. Dear and Honored Sir: I come to greet you with the most tender Nr. 11995. effusion of my soul, and to express to you my deep and sincere gratitude, 10. Juni 1898. in the name of the unfortunate Philippine people, for the efficient and disinterested protection which you have decided to give it, to shake off the yoke of the cruel and corrupt Spanish domination, as you are doing to the equally unfortunate Cuba, which Spain wishes to see annihilated rather than free and independent, giving her, to quiet her and to cicatrize the deep wounds made in her heart by the iniquities committed upon her children, a false autonomy of which one bold blow of the Governor-General may deprive her immediately, as she has no colonial army to serve as a counterpoise to the almost sovereign powers of that supreme authority. | At the same time, as I am always frank and open, I must express to you the great sorrow which all of us Filipinos felt on reading in the "Times", a newspaper of the greatest circulation and reputation in the whole world, in its issue of the 5th of last month, the astounding statement that you, sir, will retain these islands until the end of the war, and, if Spain fails to pay the indemnity, will sell them to a European power, preferably Great Britain; but we found a palliative to our sorrow in the improbability and suddenness of that statement, as common sense refuses to believe that so sensible a public man as you would venture to make an assertion so contrary to common sense, before events are entirely consummated, as you well know that if God favors the triumph of your arms to-day, to-morrow He may defeat them and give the victory to Spain, and because such an assertion is not consistent with the protection of which you make a boast toward this unfortunate people, which has been groaning for more than three centuries in the clutches of a nation which has for its shield (emblem) the lion, one of the ferocious animals, although she displays it as a symbol of nobility, which she certainly does not possess, besides the fact that it is opposed to your noble and generous sentiments to wish to sell these islands to a European power such as England, thereby making us pass under the domination of that nation, which, although it has a truly liberal government, partakes none the less of the nature of a tyranny as it is monarchical. || Oh, sir, you are greatly injured by this statement, which ought to be regarded merely as a diplomatic trick invented by the friends of Spain to induce us 10.Juni 1898. Nr. 11995. to help her by using this vile slander which has been hurled against you to Philippinen. arouse our hostility to that powerful nation over whose destinies you happily preside. The Philippine people, however, have not given credit to that awkwardly invented fable, and have seen in your nation, ever since your fleet destroyed in a moment the Spanish fleet which was here, in spite of its being assisted by the guns of their two forts, the angel who is the harbinger of their liberty; and they rose like a single wave when, as soon as I trod these shores, I addressed them to gain them over; and they captured, within the period of ten days, nearly the whole garrison of this Province of Cavite, in whose port I have my government by the consent of the admiral of your triumphant fleet as well as the garrison of the adjoining Province of Bataan, together with the governors and officials of both provinces; and my valiant hosts are now besieging Manila, the capital, on the south and east, while my forces in the Province of Bulacan, which adjoins this province on the north, and the chief town of which is likewise being besieged by them, nearly surround Manila on the north. || Such is the astonishing triumph which this suffering people has gained in a few days over the conquering race whose traditional valor, of which it is continually bragging, has been humbled on these battlefields and has been succeeded by a great terror; and a people of such warlike qualities, which is, moreover, thoroughly civilized, as nearly two thirds of them can read and write, and as they have in their midst many men of high attainments in the sciences and arts, should not be sold as if it were a lamb to be sacrificed and exploited for the greed of another nation. || I close by protesting once and a thousand times, in the name of this people, which knows how to fight for its honor by means of its improvised warriors and artillery men, against the statement published by the "Times", mainly for the purpose of casting a blot in history upon its glorious name; a people which trusts blindly in you not to abandon it to the tyranny of Spain, but to leave it free and independent, even if you make peace with Spain, and I offer fervent prayers for the everincreasing prosperity of your powerful nation, to which and to you I shall show unbounded gratitude, and shall repay with interest that great obligation. Your humble servant, Emilio Aguinaldo. Andere Notizen über die Philippinen. Nr. 11996. VEREINIGTE STAATEN. Denkschrift des Generals 27. August 1898. If the United States evacuate these islands, anarchy and civil war will Nr. 11996. Vereinigte immediately ensue and lead to foreign intervention. The insurgents were Staaten. furnished arms and the moral support of the Navy prior to our arrival, and 27.Aug.1898. we can not ignore obligations, either to the insurgents or to foreign nations which our own acts have imposed upon us. The Spanish Government is completely demoralized, and Spanish power is dead beyond possibility of resurrection. Spain would be unable to govern these islands if we surrendered them. Spaniards individually stand in great fear of the insurgents. The Spanish Government is disorganized and their treasury bankrupt, with a large floating dept. The loss of property has been great. On the other hand, the Filipinos can not govern the country without the support of some strong nation. They acknowledge this themselves, and say their desire is for independence under American protection; but they have only vague ideas as to what our relative positions would be what part we should take in collecting and expending the revenue and administering the government | The hatred. between the Spanish and natives is very intense and can not be eradicated. The natives are all Roman Catholics and devoted to the church, but have bitter hatred for monastic orders Dominican, Franciscan, and Recollects. They insist that these be sent out of the country or they will murder them. These friars own the greater part of the land, and have grown rich by oppressing the native husbandmen. Aguinaldo's army numbers 10,000 to 15,000 men in vicinity of Manila, who have arms and ammunition, but no regular organization. They receive no pay, and are held together by hope of booty when they enter Manila. They are composed largely of young men and boys from surrounding country, who have no property and nothing to lose in a civil war. Aguinaldo has two or three ships, and is sending armed men to the northern portions of Luzon and to other islands. The Spaniards there, being cut off from communication with Manila and Spain, can not be reenforced. | The result will be an extension of the civil war and further destruction of property. There are in Manila itself nearly 200,000 native Filipinos Staaten. Nr. 11995. among whom are large numbers with more or less Spanish and Chinese blood Vereinigte who are men of character, education, ability and wealth. They hate the 27.Aug.1898. Spanish, are unfriendly toward other nations, and look only to America for assistance. They are not altogether in sympathy with Aguinaldo, fearing the entry of his army into Manila almost as much as the Spaniards fear it. They say Aguinaldo is no fitted either by ability or experience to be the head of a native government, and doubt if he would be elected President in an honest election. Principal foreign interests here are British, and their feeling is unanimous in favor of American occupation. They have already forwarded a memorial to their Government asking for it as the only way to protect life and property. || Altogether the situation here is somewhat similar to Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1878, and Egypt in 1882, and the only practicable solution seems to be on lines somewhat similar to those adopted in those cases. The length of our occupation would depend on circumstances as developed in the future, but should be determined solely in our discretion without obligation to or consultation with other powers. This plan can only be worked out by careful study by the Paris Commission, and they should have advice and full information from some one who has been here during our occupation and thoroughly understands the situation. It is not understood in America, and unless properly dealt with at Paris will inevitably lead to future complications and possibly war. || The currency of the country is silver. The Mexican dollar is preferred, and worth about 47 cents gold, but the gold dollar will not buy in labor or merchandise any more than the Mexican dollar, and any attempt to establish a gold basis for currency would ruin any business in the islands. || The total revenue is about $ 17,000,000 Mexican, derived about 35 per cent from customs, 50 per cent from internal taxes, and 15 per cent from state lottery and sale of monopolies. More than twothirds of the internal revenue comes from poll tax or cedula, which is very unpopular. The country was self-supporting and free of debt until the insurrection broke out about two years ago, but the expenses of the civil war have disorganized finances. There is a bonded debt, Series A, $ 15,000,000 Mexican, held in Spain, for which the colony never received any consideration, and another debt, Series B, same amount, which was forced on the people here, and the validity of which is open to question. Both debts are secured by first liens on custom-house receipts, but this does not appear to have been respected. Nr. 11997. Vereinigte Staaten. Nr. 11997. VEREINIGTE STAATEN. Bericht des Major F. S. Bourns an den General Merritt. Beschreibung der Inseln. Manila, Philippine Islands, August 29, 1898. Sir: In obedience to your request I have the honor to submit the follo 29. Aug.1898, wing: || Although the Island of Luzon is the largest of the Philippine group, |