The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-01-28
FROM FOREIGN LANDS.
The Insurrectioh Which Is Going On in
the Philippine Islands.


Philippines is not yet crushed, the Span
ish authorities there report that it has
been reduced to a minimum. The ma
tives do not follow the practice adopted
by the Cubans. They meet the Spaniards
in battle land suffer serious defeat in con-
sequence. The natives of the Malaysian
archipelago, with the exception of those
of Java, are very fierce, and their Euro
pean suzerains are obliged to keep on
hand large military forces unless, as in
the case of Borneo, which is divided be-
tween England and Holland, they are
content to exercise an authority which
exists in name only. The Vossische
Zeitung, Berlin, received the following
communication from German firm
doing business in the Philippines:
THE backbone of the rebellion is
broken. The influential rebels have been
killed or deported. What remains is
only rabble, always eager for plumber,
always ready to murder any European of
whatever nationality. That he autho.i-
ties have not been able to arrest the
marapding bands need not create aston
ishment. The enormous extent of those
islands should be taken into considera-
ton. The native troops do not count for
much: of Spanish troops there was only
a regiment of artillery when the rebellion
began. Even now there are hardly
10000 Spanish soldiers. If we remem-
Der that 100000 have been sent to Cuba
it will be acknowledged that 10000 can
not do everything in the Philippines
The Spanish authorities are evidently
divided in their opinion with regard to
ecclesiastical authorities advocate great
rigor. They accuse the military COM
manders of ignorance with regard to The
treacherous character of the natives
The Archbishop of Manila thinks rebels
taken with arms in their hands should be
shot without further ado. The military
commanders believe that the necessity
for such extreme measures has ceased to
exist.
A correspondent of the China Mail,
Hong Kong, writes:
The rebels are now massed in me
triangle of land, connected with the main
part of the island by two necks passing
on either side of n lake. The combined
width of these strips is sixteen miles.
The Spaniards ought to tackle the rebels
from the land side. If they attack them
from the sea the rebels will be enabled to
escape to the hills, where, like the
Cubans, they can escape the troops.
Though the rebels are very barbarous
the government is lenient. The COVER
nor general does not believe in indis-
eriminate shooting, be it said to his
honor. Manila is perfectly quiet and
one would hardly think that anything
out of the way was going on"
Gen. nanco has issued proclamation
to the heads of districts and the military
commanders Its tenor is said to be lit
tie to the liking of the clergy, who are
for a wholesale massacre of the natives.
But the military authorities believe that
extreme harshness will do more harm
than good. The proclamation. which APP
peared in the Diario d. Ia Manila, runs in
the main ms follows: ~,
The insurrection can now be regarded
as localized within small area. and We
must now be moderate and above all con-
ciliatory. Only by this can tranquility
be restored. You will, therefore, take
care not TO order any imprisonmcnts
which Ore not thoroughly justified by
some grave complications. You will take
care to impress the people with feeling
OF security, and to remove all fear of OPP
preston. All those who, without having
actively interviewed in the rebellion, yet
favored it., should be informed that they
will be treated with indulgence if they
are now loyal. You must use every
means in your power to induce the vii
layers TO return to their normal occupa-
TONS"
That the japanese government favors
the rebellion seems doubtful. A careful
perusal of our exchanges from the Far
East fails to reveal that Japan has, been
disloyal to Spain. 1t seems, however
that Japan will establish a claim to the
Philippine islands if Spain is willing to
retire. Japan will not allow England to
establish herself there unchallenged. The
Japan Gazette, Yokohama, says:
England captured the group in 1862
and gave il up in 1864 for the sum of H.
OOO,00O sterling, which it is said has new
er been paid If any question as to the
disposal of the island should arise a fact
so pertinent is not likely to be forgotten
in Downing street. Japan also once laid
claim to the islands, during the rule of
who was a man of Napoleon
ic instincts. That Japan would
hesitate to revive the claim should con-
yenient opportunity offer, no one who has
studied her behavior just previ-
Gus to the war with China will deny.
Not that we shall waste sympathy
With Spain. The men she has sent to the
Philippines have been more anxious about
revenues than TO develop the islands.
Perhaps these things may follow
IS the result of the outbreak, for in any
.ase the insurrection must teach the les
son that TO effectually control barbarous
people the means of communication must
Dc such as to enable the concentration Of |
,orces at any given point to be effected
With the minimum Of delay. |
Digest.
q
POSTPONED ONE WEEK.
WashinUfan Or Tho hnt,cn cnt,,. /