Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-12-30
ANXIETY ABOUT NON0.
A Belief That the Spaniards Have
Been Defeated and the City
Captured by Insurgents.
WE MAY HAVE TO FIGHT FlLlPIn0S.
The Evacuation by the SoanIards of All the
Philippine Ports Has Com oIic ate the
Problem OF Extending the Military Ju-
risdiction of the United States Over the
Tslauds.

Islands.
Washington, Dec. 2S-There is a
good deal of anxiety in official circles
here over the recent events at 1loilo.
Two official dispatches have been re-
ceived by the state and war depart
ments but it is impossible to gather
from theman accurate knowledge as to
the condition there. 1t is not even
posi- ole to learn whether the insur-
gents or the American forces have
taken the place. This morning Z nited
States Consul Pratt at Singapore
cabled the state department.: '1loilo
taken the Gath. Spanish fled to Bor-
neo."
This threw the officials into deeper
doubt than before. The American
expedition, which left Manila to GO to
1loilo. 1000 troops and the warships
Baltimore and Cailao, would scarcely
have had time, it is said, to have
reached Iloilo by the cath. So the in
ference is that the insurgents are in
possession. Color is lent to this belief
by the facts reported in one telegram
that the Spaniards have retreated to a
strongly fortified town on the island
of Mindanao This does not agree with
Consul Pratt's statement that they fed
British possession. but it is believed
that the consul is in error on this
point, which might easily be the case in
view of the distance from his post to
Iioilo. The fact that the Spaniards
have retreated at all is also construed
as an indication that the town was
abandoned to the insurgents, for it is
believed that Col. Rios, the Spanish
commander. would have cheerfully
surrendered to the American force
with a view to securing the safety of
his men and their ultimate return to
Spain by the American government,
according to the terms of the treaty.
The officials at the war department
still decline to make public Gen. Otis
telegram of yesterday, but there is no
dou bit that he is meeting with great
difficulty in his effort to secure the re-
lease of the Spanish prisoners held by
the Filipinos. 1t begins to appear
clearly that a considerable element
among the Filipino leaders probably
a majority are disposed to use these
unfortunate prisoners as basis for
negotiations with the United States
government, making their release con-
ditional upon certain more or less inn
portant concessions demanded by them.
Just before noon another dispatch
came from Gen. Otis that confirmed
the fears of the officials of the war de-
partment as to what had taken place
at Iloils, 1t appears that the Ameri-
can forces had arrived too late on the
scene and that the insurgents had
added to the difficulty of the problem
already presented by hosting their
flag over the city which they had been
besieging for months. The news WAS
contained in the following message
from Gen. Otis:
Manila, Dec. 2Z-AIjutant General, Wash
ington: Sent Col Potter on fast vessel u
Iloilo on the gath to communicate with Spanish
Gen. Rios: latter ev4cugted on evening Of the
9Th and Potter 80 hours late Insurgents took
possession OF the city on the 18th and Potter
found Aguiualdo's flag flying. Cannot now re-
port probable results; will not hsar from there
for four days, there IS no cable eommunieR-
ton Spanish forces have evacuAted all sta
lions In southern ISLANDS except Zambonafa.
Mindanao. by orders. they say, from Madrid
Otis.
The evacuation by the Spaniards of
all the Philippine ports. as reported by
Gen. Otis, although doubtless inspired
by a desire to secure their safety by
concen tFation. doubtedly has done
much to complicate the problem al
ready presented to the war department
of the United States over the islands
1t will now be necessary 70 expedite
the execution of the original plans
and it may be fully expected
that within week important
events will have happened in
the Philippines 1t is presumed
that Gen. Otis will demand the sur
render of Iloi1o into his hands. and
this demand may at once raise the
issue between the insurgents and our
own government of possession of the
| islands. The province of Iloilo is set
down in the official directories as hav-
| ing a ponalation of 472, 200, and it is
the second seaport in Importance in
the Philippine group. It is located on
a river ravigable for vessels of Is feet
draught, so that very few Of our gun
boats would be available to assist the
troops in case it should be necessary
to take forci Die possession of the city.