Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 15.djvu/821

PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. The Liga Filipina was founded by (q.v.) to work for the expulsion of the friars and to secure the same political concessions for the islands that had been granted to Cuba, a larger recognition of the natives in the appointments to civil offices, and freedom of the press and of association. More radical than these was the Katipunan, which was established in 1892 to secure independence by open revolt, and began by wholesale assassinations of Spanish officials and friars. The existence of an elaborate plot was revealed by a native, August 19, 1896, and on the 25th the mask was entirely thrown off. The garrison of Manila consisted of only 300 Spanish regulars and about 1200 native soldiers. The total number of Spanish soldiers in the islands was under 2000. The authorities could act only on the defensive until October, when reinforcements began to arrive from Spain. On the other hand, file insurrectionists were hampered by a great lack of arms and ammunition. The insurrection centred in the province of Cavité, which was under the control of the rebels until their power was broken in the spring of 1897 by the vigorous campaign of General Lachambre. Its leaders were Andrés Bonifacio, the head of the Katipunan, and (q.v.).

After organized resistance had been shattered, it seemed wise to the Governor-General, Primo de Rivera, to attempt to secure peace by obtaining the withdrawal of the native leaders from the islands. In accordance with the Treaty of Biaenabató, Aguinaldo and some of the other generals withdrew to Hong Kong. No properly authenticated text of this treaty has ever been published. That made public by Aguinaldo is substantially identical with the demands which he made, and which it would appear were not acceded to by Primo de Rivera. Aguinaldo demanded $3,000,000, the expulsion of the friars, the representation of the Philippines in the Cortes, equality of Filipino and Spaniard in the administration of justice, the participation of Filipinos in the higher administrative offices, a readjustment of the property of the parishes and of the taxes in favor of the natives, the proclamation of the individual rights of the natives, and liberty of association and of the press. Aguinaldo has asserted that the suppression of the religious Orders and the establishment of administrative autonomy were agreed upon, although not put down in writing. Governor-General Primo de Rivera giving his word of honor that the agreement would be fulfilled. Primo de Rivera, on the other hand, maintained that nothing but money and personal security were promised to the leaders. The treaty was signed December 17, 1897. Only the first installment ($400,000) of the sum of $800,000 finally fixed was ever paid, and, on the other hand, the insurrection was quieted only temporarily. In March, 1898, a new rising in the provinces north of Manila took place and early in April there was an outbreak in the island of Cebú. On March 24th the Seventy-fourth Regiment of native soldiers deserted to the insurgents, who now vastly outnumbered the Spanish forces, but were greatly hampered by the lack of arms.

The day that war began between Spain and the United States, Aguinaldo appeared in Singapore and on April 24, 1898, United States Consul-General Pratt had a conference with him in reference to coöperating with Commodore Dewey. Of the exact nature of the understanding the same

uncertainty exists as in the case of the Treaty of Biaenabató. What is certain is that Commodore Dewey arranged for Aguinaldo to follow him to Manila and that Aguinaldo expected the United States to pursue in the Philippines the policy proposed for Cuba, the policy of common action with the insurgents against Spain for their liberation from her rule. What is probable is that Consul Pratt at Singapore, and Consul Wildman at Hong Kong, and Commodore Dewey as well, had similar expectations. Later they all equally disclaimed having bound the United States in any way. On May 1st the Spanish fleet in the Bay of Manila was annihilated by the Asiatic Squadron under Commodore Dewey, Aguinaldo arrived at Cavité on May 19th, in the American dispatch boat McCulloch. He had an interview with Dewey, who supplied him with arms for the insurgents, who flocked to his standard. In the weeks that elapsed until the arrival of General Merritt late in July, Aguinaldo secured control of the Province of Cavité and thoroughly invested Manila by land. His capture of Spanish garrisons was not only sanctioned, but assisted by Dewey, and had it not been for the native forces the capture of Manila would have been a far more arduous undertaking for the Americans and the Spanish forces might have eluded them by retiring into the interior. As it was, the con- dition of the Spaniards was hopeless, and on August 11th the arrangement was effected, through the Belgian Consul André, by which the American ships should refrain from firing on the walled city of Manila and the Manila forts from firing on the ships, while on shore there should be only a brief show of resistance to enable the Spanish general to save honor at least. The American soldiers were in ignorance of this arrangement, and through an accident there was more bloodshed than was intended at the taking of the city (August 13th). To the onlooking foreigners in the harbor the transaction seemed like a travesty of war. The fall of Manila marked the complete collapse of the Spanish power in the islands. The Americans held the capital and controlled the harbor; and Aguinaldo and the insurgents rapidly extended their control over the various provinces.

In the meantime (almost exactly coincident with the capture of Manila) came the signing at Washington of the peace protocol (August 12th), providing that the United States should occupy and hold the city, bay, and harbor of Manila, pending the conclusion of a treaty of peace, which should determine the control, disposition, and government of the Philippines. On October 31st, after the Peace Commission had been at work in Paris for a month, the Spanish plenipotentiaries were painfully surprised by a demand for the cession of the whole group. It was nearly a month before Spain yielded to the inevitable. In the treaty as signed December 10, 1898, Spain ceded the whole group and the United States agreed to pay Spain $20,000,000, give Spanish ships and merchandise admission to the islands on the same terms accorded to American ships and goods for a period of ten years, and to transport to Spain the Spanish soldiers captured at the surrender of Manila. The treaty was submitted to the Senate of the United States January 4, 1899, and it was ratified February 6th, by only three votes more than the necessary two-thirds majority (57 to 27).