ly ignoring their wishes in the matter, was a
snub. Still worse, it seemed to guarantee perpetuation of the friar
abuses under which the Filipinos had groaned so long. Outside Manila
threat of American rule awakened bitter hostility. In Manila itself
thousands of Tagals, lip-servants of the new masters, were in secret
communion with their kinsmen in arms.

[Illustration]
Native Tagals at Angeles, fifty-one miles from Manila.

No blood flowed till February 4, 1898, when a skirmish, set off by the
shot of a bullyragged American sentry, led to war. February 22, 1899,
the insurgents vainly attempted to fire Manila, but were pushed back
with slaughter, their forces scattered.

March 20, 1899, the first Philippine Commission--Jacob G. Schurman, of
New York; Admiral Dewey; General Otis; Charles Denby, ex-minister to
China; and Dean C. Worcester, of Michigan-began their labors at Manila.
They set to work with great zeal and discretion to win to the cause of
peace not only the Filipinos but the government of the Philippine
Republic itself. In this latter they succeeded. Their proclamation that
United States sway in the archipelago would be made "as free, liberal,
and democratic as the most intelligent Filipino desired," "a firmer and
surer self-government than their own Philippine Republic could ever
guarantee," operated as a powerful agent of pacification.

May 1, 1899, the Philippine Congress almost unanimously voted for peace
with the United States. Aguinaldo consented. Mabini's cabinet, opposing
this, was overturned, and a new one formed, pledged to peace. A
commission of cabinet members was ready to set out for Manila to
effectuate the new order.

A revolution prevented this. General Luna, inspired by Mabini, arrested
the peace delegates and charged them with treason, sentencing some to
prison, some to death. This occurred in May, 1899. After that time not
so much as the skeleton of any Philippine public authority--president,
cabinet, or other official--existed. Later opposition to the American
arms seemed to proceed in the main not from real Filipino patriotism,
but from selfishness, lust of power, and the spirit of robbery.

Everywhere and always Americans had to guard against treachery. In Samar
false guides led an expedition of our Marine Corps into a wilderness and
abandoned the men to die, cruelty which was deemed to justify
retaliation in kind. Eleven prisoners subsequently captured were shot
without tria