The state herald., 1898-10-14
PHILIPPINE REBELS.
ARE coNovERlNo spAN,ARDs.
Making Successful Attacks In the southern
fsiands-rhey Are Anxious to lss An
ueNed to the United states.

Chicago, oct. lO-A cahlegram from
lloilo. Philippine islands, 10 the Record,
says:
The Insurgents of the island of Luzon
have invaded the island of Panay and
are moving ON Iloilo. which 1t is eN-
pected they viii attack before the
poace conference at Paris shall have
arrived nj decision regarding the fate
OF the Philippines.
General Rios. aching captain general
of the Spanish forces N these Islands.
is concentrating troops on Panay TO re-
slst the rebels. but he frankly admits
that he regards such resistance as
hopeless, because of the number and
enthusiasm of the native forces and
the lack of spirit manifested by the
Spanish soldiers. To protect lloilo
General Rios has withdrawn the Span
ish garrls1nS from Mindanao and
Paragua, leaving those Islands prac-
tically defeuselcss. In his desperation
General Rios has cabcd Madrid advo'
eating the granting of autonomy TO the
natives of the Philippines. this being
n last resource, the Spanish forces he
ing utterly unable to cope with the i'll
surgents. The Madrid government re-
fused to grant autonomy on the rec
ommendation of the acting captain gem
cral. whereupon General Rios immcdi-
ately resigned his Office. and now a
new governor for the islands Is coming
from Spain.
The insurgents from LuZOn are land
ing in large numbers on the west coast
of Panay and are moving in force
from the west 10 the east clast 10 at
tack lloilo. Spanish troops are being
hurried out of lloillo to intercept the
lnsurgent advance. The Snanards,
however, have already been badly
beaten by the insurgents on the west
coast of Panay. and they expect no bet
ter fortune In future engagements.
The defensos of the city are very
weak. the garrison consisting Of less
than Il thousand soldiers. n majority
of whom are natives and thoroughly
unreliable. since they have no love for
Spain.
The proposition which seems to find
favor In the United States, that Amcri-
ca retain only the island of Luxor.
leaving Spain 10 rule all the other isl
ands of the Philippines, Is regarded
with the greatest possible dlsfavor in
this city, not only by the large com
merclal firms. which believe that
America is responsible for the future
welfare OF the islands and should hoil
all of them. but also by the natives
themselves. The FilipinoS of Panay are
acting independently of Aguinaldo and
his provisional government and they
are heartily in favor of American an
neXatiOn. So also are the Spanish bus
incsS men, for existing conditions have
convinced them that II Is impossible
FOR Spain ever to regain control of the
southern islands OF the Philippines. lf
America should rclinquiSh the south
crn Philippines the result Is sure to De
n prolonged rebellion by the natives
against Spain. leading ultimately to
the overthrow OF Spanish rule.
The commercial possibilities OF the
southern Philippines are fully equal tc
those of LuZon. the Islands OF Ncgros
and Panny being the greatest sugar
producers of the entire group. The
island of Mindanao Is the largest of tae
Philippines. and the possibilities there
of growth In important Industries are
very great.
A large number Of priests are dis
posing Of their property and leaving
lloilo In citizens clothes. the threats
OF the Insurgents and their impcndia:
attack on the city rendering II very I'M
safe for them 10 remain.
Three small Spanish gunhoats are
cruising among the southern Philip
pines and have driven most OF the IN
surgcnts back To Manila for safety. \
report was started recently that the
cunhoat III CanO had fired on and SUNK
the insurgpnt vessel filiplnns. which
bay. but this report Is untrue.
II is positively known here that n
large steamer Is on lis way to the Phil.
'nplnes from Spain bringing nmmu1!
flon ana supplies for ,he Spanish
troops.