The Philippines - Past and Present (Vol. 1&2). Dean C. Worcester
their friends, and they would have been our loyal friends—I don’t know for how long, but they would have been our friends then.
“Senator Patterson. You learned from Pratt, or Wildman, or Williams, very early, did you not, that the Filipinos wanted their own country and to rule their own country; that that is what they were expecting?
“Admiral Dewey. I heard from Williams that there was an insurrection there against the Spaniards. The Spaniards were very cruel to them, and I think they did not look much beyond getting rid of them. There was one, Dr. Rizal, who had the idea of independence, but I don’t think that Aguinaldo had much idea of it.
“Senator Carmack. Then what useful purpose did the Filipino army serve; why did you want the Filipino army at all?
“Admiral Dewey. I did not want them.
“Senator Carmack. Did you not want the Filipino forces?
“Admiral Dewey. No, not really. It was their own idea coming over there. We could have taken the city at any moment we had the troops to occupy it.”
Admiral Dewey has made the following statements relative to the importance of Aguinaldo’s military operations:—
“Then he began operations toward Manila, and he did wonderfully well. He whipped the Spaniards battle after battle, and finally put one of those old smoothbore guns on a barge, and he wanted to take this up—wanted me to tow it up so he could attack the city with it. I said, ‘Oh, no, no; we can do nothing until our troops come.’ I knew he could not take the city without the assistance of the navy, without my assistance, and I knew that what he was doing—driving the Spaniards in—was saving our own troops, because our own men perhaps would have had to do that same thing. He and I were always on the most friendly terms; we had never had any differences. He considered me as his liberator, as his friend. I think he had the highest admiration for us because we had whipped the Spaniards who had been riding them down for three hundred years.
“Senator Patterson (continuing). You sent this short dispatch to the Secretary of the Navy:—
“ ‘Aguinaldo, the revolutionary leader, visited the Olympia yesterday. He expects to make general attack on May 31. Doubt his ability to succeed. Situation remains unchanged.’
“Do you recall that visit?
“Admiral Dewey. Yes.
“Senator Patterson. He came to tell you, did he, that he was going to make a general attack, and you—
“Admiral Dewey. Yes.
“Senator Patterson. And you doubted his ability to succeed?
“Admiral Dewey. And he wanted me to assist him. He wanted me to tow one of his guns up into position. I knew he could not take the city; of course he could not.
“Senator Patterson. Did you urge that he should not make the attack?
“Admiral Dewey. I do not remember that; very likely I did.
“Senator Patterson. And was he not persuaded or restrained by you from doing so?
“Admiral Dewey. I do not remember; but it is very likely. I did not want to see a lot of them killed unnecessarily, because I knew they could not take that walled city. They had no artillery, and they could not take it, I knew very well, and I wanted the situation to remain as it was until our troops came to occupy it.
“Senator Patterson. But you found that whenever you expressed a strong objection to anything being done at that time that Aguinaldo yielded to your request?
“Admiral Dewey. Up to the time the army came he did everything I requested. I had not much to do with him after the army came.”30
But Dewey’s influence over Aguinaldo was not sufficient to prevent his looting, as the following extracts from his testimony show:—
“Senator Patterson. Is that what you mean when you say he looted—that he made reprisals for his army, took provisions and whatever was necessary? That is what you meant?
“Admiral Dewey. That is one part of it.
“Senator Carmack. This was taking provisions for the use of the army?
“Admiral Dewey. That is one thing he did.
“Senator Carmack. You said you did not object to that at the time?
“Admiral Dewey. No. It would have been useless; he got beyond me very soon—he got out of my hands very soon.31
“Senator Carmack. You said yesterday you suspected that Aguinaldo took the lion’s share of the provisions that were gathered for the army. What was the ground upon which you made that accusation?
“Admiral Dewey. Because he was living in Malolos like a prince, like a king, in a way that could only have come about by his taking the lion’s share. Then, in regard to his looting, I repeat what I said yesterday. He began within forty-eight hours after he landed in Cavite to capture and take everything he wanted. I know these things of my own knowledge, because I saw the loot brought in; and I know that every dollar that was taken from the workingmen at the navy-yard was taken at the threat of death.32
“Senator Patterson. Do you believe in this proclamation he was uttering falsehoods to the Filipino people?
“Admiral Dewey. Yes; I do absolutely. I think he was there for gain—for money—that independence had never up to that time entered his head. He was there for loot and money. That is what I believe, since you ask me my belief; I believe that implicitly.33
“Senator Patterson. And you found nothing to cause any doubt as to his loyalty up to the time until after Manila surrendered?
“Admiral Dewey. His loyalty to whom?
“Senator Patterson. To you and to the cause for which he was fighting?
“Admiral Dewey. I began to suspect he was not loyal to us about the time our troops arrived, when he demurred at moving out of Cavite to make room for our troops.
“Senator Patterson. Do you mean by that that you feared that he was commencing to think more of independence than the success of the American cause?
“Admiral Dewey. Yes.”34
We have seen to what extent Aguinaldo coöperated with the marine forces of the United States. Now let us examine the claim that he cooperated with the land forces after their arrival.
One of the things which the Insurgents are said to have accomplished was the maintenance of an effective land blockade which prevented the entrance of provisions, and produced a very serious food shortage. Both Otis and Dewey have stated that they did this, but we learn from the Insurgent records how erroneous was this conclusion.35
The landing of the American troops for the attack on Manila was not actively opposed by the Filipinos, but it was narrowly and distrustfully watched.
Necessary transportation requested by General Anderson was ultimately furnished by Aguinaldo, but only grudgingly after a three weeks’ delay, and as a result of threats that it would be seized if not voluntarily supplied.
The necessary positions in the trenches around Manila from which to make the attack on that city were, in part at least, yielded to the Americans by the Filipinos upon the request of the former.
The