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Aguinaldo's Manifesto.
Dispatches from Manila glvo the manifesto Is
sued by Agulnaldo. It reads:
"I believe I am not in error in presuming that
the unhappy fate to which my adverse fortune has
led mo is not a surprise to those who havo been
familiar with the progress of the war. Tho lcsr
sons taught with a full meaning,, and which have
recently como to my knowledge suggest with irre
sistible forco that a complete termination of hos
tilities and lasting poaco aro not only desirable,
but absolutely essential to tho welfare of tho Phil
ippine islands. Tho Filipinos havo never been
dismayed at thoir weakness, nor havo thoy falt
ered in following tho path pointed out by thoir
fortitude and courage
"The time has como, however, in which they
find their advance along this path to bo impeded
by an irresistible forco which, while it restrains
them, yet enlightons thoir minds and opens to
them another course, presenting them the cause of
poaco. This cause has been joyfully embraced by
tho majority of my follow countrymen, who havo
already united around tho glorious sovereign ban
ker of tho United States. In this banner they re
poso their trust and belief that under its protec
tion tho Filipino people will attain all those prom
ised liberties which thoy are beginning to enjoy.
"Tho country has declared unmistakably In
favor of peace. So bo it. There has been enough
blood, enough tears and enough desolation. This
wish cannot bo ignored by the men still in arms if
they are animated by a desiro to servo our noblo
people, which has thus clearly manifested its will.
So do I respect this will, now that it is known to
me.
"After mature deliberation I resolutely pro
claim to tho world that I cannot refuse to heed tho
voice of a people longing for peace nor the la
mentations of thousands of families yearning to
see. their dear ones enjoying the liberty and the
promised generosity of the great Amorlcan nation.
"By acknowledging and accepting the sover
eignty of the United States throughout tho Phil
ippine archipelago, as I now do, and without iWy
reservation hatsovoro, I believe that I am serv
ing thee, ray. beloved country. May happiness be
thine."
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Opening Indian Reservation.
Tho following press dispatch from Wash
ington in regard to the opening of tho Indian
reservation will be of interest to those who
think of securing homes in the territory:
Tho prospect for the opening of new lands in
Oklahoma territory to settlement under tho act of
March 3 last, providing for tho disposition of lands
ceded by tho Wichita, Kiowa, Comancho and
Apache Indians, has had the effect of increasing
the correspondence of the commissioner of tho
general land office until it has become to bo of
enormous dimensions. Most of the letters ask for
information upon this subject. In January 2,326
letters wore rooeived; in February, 4,329; in
March, 5,074, and thus far during tho present
month this mail has numbered 3,744. In view of
tho fact that the lands to bo offered for settlement
include only about 12,000 quarter sections, or an
equal number of homes, it is foreseen there will '
be tremendous rivalry..
Many persons in the vicinity of tho new lands
and elsewhere aro represented to be holding out
inducements to would-be settlors to consult them
as to ways and means of securing lands, profess
ing to havo exclusive information. Commissioner
Hermann of the general land office today Issued a
warning to the public against all such representat
ions. "No one can havo information on this ques
tion that is not open to all alike," ho said. Ho
also repeated tho department's warning against
intruders, saying that those who abide by the law
The Commoner.
will bo protected in their rights, while those who
violate it will bo punished.
The lands will bo thrown open in accordance
with tho terms of tho president's proclamation
ond under tho law that proclamation cannot bo
issued until after August G next.
The Australian Commonwealth.
The birth of tho Australian Commonwealth
was fittingly celebrated last night by an assem
blage of liberals at the National Liberal club, un
der tho presidency of Lord Spencer. Tho forma
tion of a new and powerful English state in tho
Pacific is a matter of interest to all Englishmen,
without distinction of party. But it is peculiarly
significant and gratifying to liberals, inasmuch as
it marks a great triumph for the principle of pop
ular self-government upon which liberalism is
based. The liberal creed, expressed most simply,
i.i "Trust the people to govern themselves wisely,"
and by ho community in the world has this creed
been adopted so completely as by the Australians
in the constitution of their new Commonwealth.
The democratic constitution of the United States,
it has been well said, is based on the principle
"Trust in no man." But in the democratic con
stitution of Australia, as a conservative "Quarter
ly" reviewer recently pointed out, "the policy of
'Trust in the people' haB been adopted with an al
most naive confidence. The people believe them
selves to be vigilant and competent to undertake
every function of government; therefore tlffey will
havo no intermediaries in the formation of their
senate; they need no conventions to approve
amendments of their constitution. The possession
of power by a government readily answerable to
.the people need cause no fear; government is not
evil, but beneficent." The Australian people, that
is to say, have of set purpose adopted a thoroughly
liberal system of government now that they havo
become a nation, and English liberals have a right
to exult over a fact which promises well for the
future of Australia and of the cause of progress
throughout the world. Manchester (Eng.) Guar
dian. ' '
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Trouble Just Beginning.
We note at the very start, however, one happy
circumstance It is that the Filipino causo is now
in a fair way to get a more impartial hearing in
the United States than has thus far been possible.
The reason is plain. Human nature being what it
is, people will not parley with men in arms against
them. It ought not to bo so. Right and justice
and humanity, it should always be in order to dis
cuss, even inter arma. But to such a creature as
man, living in such a world as this, as Bishop Bug
ler used to say, we kno.w that it is not possible.
"Let them quit fighting, then we will talk with
them. If thoy have a case to present, let them
first lay down their arms." That is what has been
said all over the country these two years past,
and it has had tho practical effect of putting the
Filipinos out of court. But now that tho eia of
discussion as a purely civic question has apparent
ly come now that the shouting and the tumult
must give way to calmer methods there is hope,
we say, that the whole Philippine question will bo
looked at in a larger and more rational way.
Any ruler can carry on a war. McKinley could
do it; Agulnaldo could do it. But to decide what
to do after tho war is over will, require all our
wisdom. Thus far the president has not gone be
yond tho military stage of the problem that is,
the easiest. All that he has asked or promised,
beyond military measures, has amounted to little
mo;e than "the polysyllabic art of saying noth
ing." But now he must translate his vague gener
alities into clear-cut particulars. "The best and
most extensive system of self-government which
the Filipinos aro capable of," is one of his phrases.
"Well, how are we going to find out what that is?
The American way has been to try and see. Cast
the bantling on the rock. The way to self-govern-lnont
lies through self-government. To cure ex
cesses of liberty, grant more liberty. Probably
wo are not up to that yet in the Philippines, but
we must make a beginning, and obviously the only,
way to begin is to consult the Filipinos them
selves. We are not speaking now in any abstract
way about the consent of the governed. Call that
an exploded doctrine, if you please; the practical
fact remains that as a pure matter of business, as
a way of taking the first step out of the bog, we
cannot set up a government for the Filipinos with
out ascertaining thoir wishes in the premises.--New
York Post.
Two of a Kind are These.
Newspaper readers of the past ten days havo
no doubt noticed the similarity, of headlines, in
oven the most conservative of newspapers, re
ferring to the president of the United States and
the emperor of Germany. In the same issue of one
of the prominent republican newspapers of tho
United States recently appeared a heading: "Will
Suppress Papers Criticising McKinley." On an
other page of the same paper is a heading: "Ger
man Newspapers Are Warned Not to Criticise tho
Kaiser."
A few days ago La Discusion, a newspaper -published
in the city of Havana, printed a cartoon
symbolizing the Cuban view of that country if they
were forced to submit to the Piatt amendment.
The cartoon which caused General Wood to sup
press the newspaper publishing it represented the
Cuban people in the person of a Cuban soldier be
ing crucified between President McKinley and
General Wood, while Public Opinion wept at tho
foot of the cross. The cartoonist pictured Senator
Piatt offering vinegar and gall to the dying sol
dier. Underneath the cartoon were the words,
"Destiny will not reserve for us a glorious resur
rection." t ..,-.,'
Not only did General Wood suppress the news
paper criticising the president, but its editor and
the cartoonist were both arrested on criminal .
charges, and will be prosecuted before courts ap
pointed by the president and under laws provided
by tho president. Houston Post.
A Royal ttedicine Man.
eof PrInceton dispatch to the Chicagp Tribune
says. "The Princeton alumni weekly todav an-'
nounces that Edward VII., when he was Prince Sf
w S'f5SCSP ed ?n election as an honorary mem
S?hi?h ? priMeton medical faculty, a department
J?ai?fS0ef ,not,ex,Bt at Princeton. Then is ex
posed the joke played upon the Prince of Wales in
j.o. At tnat time a great many decrees and
honors were being conferred upon his Royal High-
'71S Van(1Hiiv0CtJUrr,e1 t0 memrs of the7 clals of
71 that they ought to do their share so thev
unanimously elected the prince a member of the
Princeton medical faculty.
AFArma ,n(ltice of hIs election, elaborately
worded, and it is said, written upon official paper
was sent to the prince. In due time tho following
SS?f acceptance, addressed to Messrs. Male?,
I'ield and Haimes of Princeton college, and dated
Sandringhain King's Lynn, was received
from Francis Knollys, then private secretary to
the Prince of Wales. '
i" 'Gentlemen: I am desired by the Prince of
ales to acknowledge your letter announcing that
ho has been elected .an honorary member of the
Princeton medical faculty. His Royal Highness
directs me to return you his most sincere thanks
for your communication and for the honor which
has been conferred upon him. His Royal Highness
will over remember with pride and satisfaction
the mark of distinction that he has received at
the hands of the medical faculty.
"'I have the honor to remain your most
obedient servant,
. , ' FRANCIS KNOLLYS,
Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales
"This letter is now in the possession of a -sophomore
here.
"The names Maior, Field and Haimes are fic
titious. It is not known that King Edward has '
yet been informed of tho non-existence of the
Princeton medical faculty."
-IV
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