"The slaughter at Manila was necessary, but not glorious. The
entire American population justifies the conduct of its army at
Manila because only by a crushing repulse of the Filipinos could
our position be made secure. We are the trustees of civilization
and peace throughout the islands." Chicago Tribune on the
fighting deaths that occurred the night the Philippine-American
War began Just as being "trustees of civilization and peace
throughout the island," America's "position" as to the status of
the Philippines was self-proclaimed. And one of the causes that
led to the outbreak of hostilities that led to war. Having
failed to win independence from Spain, the pact of Biak-na-Bato
was signedofficially ending resistanceand the leader for the
cause, Emilio Aguinaldo, went into exile in Hong Kong. It was
arranged for him to return when the Spanish-American War broke
out, in order to help fight (conveniently running the war until
the United States could get troops theremost fighting was done
by Filipinos). As an