of Inquiry of the United States Officers.

The pages following, showing a cynical disregard of a solemn treaty
by the Spaniards, a complete exposure of the reasons the Filipinos had
for renewing the war, and the particulars of cases of individual wrongs
suffered, as they were made known in the course of legal investigation,
have been received direct from Manila, and enable us to complete the
story of the Philippines with the testimony that the depravity of bad
faith in regard to treaties, and incidents of personal cruelties in
Spanish colonial governments, have illustrations in the Philippines
as in Cuba, and demand of the American Nation in the hour of victory
that Spain shall lose now and forever all her possessions in the East
and West Indies, and be restricted to the peninsula and islands--the
Canary and Balearic groups--that is, in two words to home rule. The
circumstances of the treaty between the Philippine Junta--the treaty
of Biyak--and the Spanish authorities, are of great notoriety, but
the Philippine story has not until now reached the English speaking
peoples. We give it from the official paper:

"On signing the Treaty of Biyak na bato, we, the natives of the
Philippines and the government of Spain, agreed that between our
armies be established an armistice which was to last three years from
the date of the mentioned treaty.

"The natives were to lay down their arms and turn them over to the
Spanish authorities with all their depot (maestranza, a manufactory
of ammunition, for repairs of rifles, etc., etc.) their ammunitions
and forts.

"The Spanish authorities, on the other hand, bound themselves to
consent to the reforms (of public opinion amongst) the natives of the
country claim; reforms which, according to the text of the decree of
9th August, 1897, the Captain and Guberno General assured us were
granted and the execution of which was suspended on account of the
insurrection.

"The reforms asked for and granted were the following:

1. Expulsion or at least exclaustration of the religious orders.

2. Representation of the Philippines in the Spanish Cortes.

3. Application of real justice in the Philippines, equal for the
Indian and for the Peninsular. Unity of laws between Spain and the
Philippines. Participation of the Indians in the chief offices of
the Civil Administration.

4. Adjustment of the property of the Parishes (church property)
and of contributions in favor of the Indians.

5.