Evening star., 1898-09-12
AGUlNALD0- is FRIGHTENED
u
Fearing the Americans He Moves His Head
quarters TO kololla
Insurgents Hpve Conquered Nearly
All of the Lss'nna. of Luuon-E,,-
dences Ga Disorganization.

dences aa Disorganization.
E e
| The Hong Kong correspondent of the
London Daily Mail, stelegraphing Sunday,
| says. b
| "Aguinaldo is becoming frightened of the
future. He is REMOVING his Headquarters
| to Mololla, the present position being too
| much at the mercy of the Americans
| Many of the best men in the insurgent
| camp are deserting and going to live in
| Manila. They are disgusted with Aguinal-
| dos attitude toward the Americans, who
| have been most forbearing
| "A wonderful change has come over
! Manila. The careworn look formerly on
| everybody's face has disappeared Busi-
ness has been in full swing for week
| I he American soldiers have flooded the
| banks and are changing gold dollars into
silver.
| -Four miles outside of Manila. in the
| rebel lines, crowds of natives hurry about
! with the air of conquerors some with
| rifles, others with bayonets some with
merely bolas. The rebels are bitterly DIS
| appointed at not being allowed to OCCUPY
! the rich Spaniards' houses in Manila
| Every native passing the lines is searched
ard deprived of his arms"
The Conquest of Luzon
| Iiie correspondent or the LOnQOn
| Times. telegraphing September ., says:
THE insurgent conquest of the Island
of Luzon is rapidly approaching compile
| ton. Recent authentic reports announce
| the capture of successive Spanish posi-
| tions, and at present the rebels control
every foot of the island except Manila,
| Cavite, and d small portion of the Prov
| nce of Albay.
They hold over 1900 Spanish prisoners
! and have recently captured several tho;l-
| sand rifles, some cannon, large quantity
| of ammunition, and several small armed
steamers. The SDaniards held out valor-
| Cusy, but were fighting against the in
| evitabie.
1T is underiable that the course of the
| Insurgents in pursuing the campaign after
| an armistice was declared has caused much
| useless suffering and destruction of prop
| erty and has annhilated their every claim
| to be considered in any respect as the al
| lies of the Americans. Their motive has
| been two-fod: First an impaca BILE hatred
| of the Spanish, with an innate racial thirst
| for revenge, and secondly. their ambiti on
to place themselves record before the
| world as a successful revolutionary gov
| ernment and as complete masters of the
Luzon provinces and as many adjacent
| islands as they may have time to occupy
before the Philippines question has been
! settled by the Paris commission.
| InsurEent Disorganization.
| They are now free to withdraw their
| troops to make an expedition against
| Panay, and to capture Ic;o BY contin-
uing the campaign now, regardless of the
| armistice. they put themselves in the
| wrong with everybody, just by crow1-
! ing into the suburbs of Manila and refus-
| ing to vacate the same unless compelled
| by superior force they have put them
selves in the wr9 with the Americans.
| Their action sds doubtless due parity to
| a disoTganizatidn OF their force, which,
| by their own confession, consists of a
gregation Of independent units with chiefs
| each ambitiOusdof power :lnd distinction,
| and all the struggling positions which will
| secure for them, by booty or otherwise,
| private fortune.o OF
| This DISCRIMINATION. which naturally af-
| fects the irresponsible individual soldier,
| has been cons tly"fomenting the irrita-
| tion resulting from the dual occupation
! in the suburbs of Manila. The situation
| has been Impossible from the beginning,
and conflicts hAva been avoided only by
| great tact and fhe extraordinary patience
| of the American troops, who loyally OBJ
| serve their duty of5preserying- the peace of
Gen. etis' Energy.
| Gen. Otis has attack I'd the complicated
| questions he inherited from Gen. Merritt
| his predecessor. with remarkable energy
| and decision and is rapidly establishing or
| der in avery department where conpara-
| tive chaos ruled before. He has been fully
| occupied with matters more Intimately con-
! cerning the military government of Manila,
and only recently has he been able to study
| exhaustively the insurgent question and to
| satisfy himself regarding the equity of the
| insurgent claims, to solve a problem
| practically unapproachable heretofore.
"AGuinaldo has fperSistently demanded. in
| terms not too polite various impossible
| concessions. For example. an occupation
| OF the governor generals palace ana other
| palaces, written assurance that the in
| sGrgents will be permitted to occupy per-
| manently their military positions around
Manila. and protection for the insurs mt
vessels by the American fleet, with many
| other claims, including an innocent demand
| for a share of the booty captured by the
Americans at Manila.
After car fui review of the situation
! Gen. Otis arrived at the logical conclusion
| that the insurgents have no right to occupy
| the suburbs of Manila, and that Aguinal-
dos claims have the support of neither
equity nor reason. He has therefore cate
| gorfcally refused to consider Aguinaldo's
demands, and today sent him ultimatum
! that he must withdraw his troops from the
| suburbs before the 18th or suffer the conse-
| quances of refusal.
| AGuinaIdo's Feeble Hold.
The answer will probably be that Aguin-
aldo himself is only too willing to obey the
order but cannot. explain to his troops the
reasons why they cannot remain al Manila
| This tamporizng excuse, although now
| stale from too frequent use conceals much
| truth 1t is an undoubted fact that Aguin-
aldo has bur feeble hold on the organza-
ton. His power is fast waning, and the
Insurgents are threatened with disintegra-
ton into opposing factions unless some
| leaders are soon discovered who are able
| to harmonize the conflicting personal in
tereStS.
1T is reported that the presidency of the
revolutionary government will be offered
| to Cajetano Arellano at d congress at Malo-
| los on September 10. Arelano is lawyer
of excellent repute-the one man among
| the Filipinos who is universally respected.
Hitherto he has consist entity avoided pol
| itics, and it is doubtful whether he will
undertake the task of steering a rudderiess
ship.
Whatever may happen at the congress
| there is possible assurance that the ma
| tives are capable of self-government. The
educated class feither desire nor hope for
complete Independence, and will welcome