The times., 1898-06-13
Our Flag TO Typify American
Sovereignty.
AGUINALD9 MAY OBJECT
The InsurgeRt Chief Is Good SOI-
der and Rather Jealous of His
Power-Is Closing I'm From the
Land Sfde-First Expedition to
Reach the Philippines This Week.


laration of war by the United States on
April q.
The latest advices from Admiral Dewey
are that the governor of the Philippines
is very nearly, If not quite. ready TO
surrender to him. and that he would
have no trouble whatever in taking Ma
Mia at any time. The insurgent leader,
Aguinaldo, has encroached from the land
on Manila to the gates of the city and
at any time may take it. If he does not
there can be no question that he is held
in check willingly or otherwise by Dewey.
The first expedition of the Philippine ar
my of invasion VIII reach Manila proba-
bly, on Wednesday or Thursday but with
out doubt before the eei of the week. 1t
is composed of $500 troops. mostly in
fantry. There is one battalion of artil-
lery.
Dewey holds Cavite and is in quick
communication with Aguinaldo and the
insurgent army. The American fleet COM
mands the city of Manila and could re-
duce it to ruins in a three-hours bonn
bardment. With the arrival Of the army
of invasion there will remain no reason
why the city and the islands should not
pass formally into the possession of the
United States. The combined armies of
America and the insurgents will have no
trouble in holding the city indefinitely.
with the passage of Manila. the capital
of the Philippines. into the possession of
America will go formally the entire
group. The governor general win be COM
PEELED to surrender absolutely, and to
acknowledge as far as he may do so the
sovereignty of the United States.
The second expedition will reach the
islands month after the first. With it
viii be the Monterey probably. The moni-
tor Monterey Is the latest and the most
modern OF that class OF warships. She is
regarded as a most powerful fighting
machine. and will be an immense addition
to the fighting strength of the United
States in the Orient. The second expedi-
ton will double the strength OF the army
in the Philippines.
VIII SIove Rapidly.
From this time on the expeditions will
be putting out from san Francisco every
week the rapidity only being dependent
on the possibility Of securing transports.
The report Of the quartermaster's depart
ment Of the War Department issued yes
! terday. and published in another column,
tells OF the difficulty OF securing the
| transports. The report states that there
is no unwillmgness on the part of the
| companies to allow the United States to
have the vessels, but that they have been
in many cases off on long voyages and
are only now returning.
It is known, however, that the Pacific
| companies have evinced a rather keen
/ desire to secure good prices from the
| Government The Government has within
| the last few days assumed an attitude of
frmness that will undoubtedly make
| terms easier TO arrange There was for
a short time a proposition to impress the
vessels outright. This will not be done
if terms can be made quickly.
1t is the belief of the officers of the
department that Gen. Merritt and his
staff viii sail for the Philippines at an
early date. probably after one or two
more expeditions have been gotten away
successfully. The military government of
the islands will, of course, begin as soon
as they become the property of the
United States, but the formal governor
ship will not be set up until the arrival
of Gen. Merritt
The account published exclusively in
The Times last week on the preparations
that the Administration have been max
ing for the Government was accurate in
far and now reach into the details of tax
reform and administration. There will
be such a reconstruction of methods and
such a tightening of burdens that with
the strong and progressive and yet lenient
rule of America the inhabitants will be
far freer than Spanish subjects ever were
under the most favorable circumstances.
Even they will be far better off for a long
time than they would if they were inde-
pendent providing that they have any de-
sire to become independent
President Mckinley and his advisers in
the Cabinet and in Congress, it is said,
| have come to no formal and final deter
mination as TO the disposition of the ISL
ands. 1t is said by friends of the Presi-
dent, however, that he believes the ISL
ands will become the property of the
United States and that they will be kept.
It is certain that he is doing everything
and taking every step that will be neces-
sary in a preliminary way if this is to be
the destiny of the group.
The President realizes that this deci-
sion and the problems of the government
of the islands even before the war is de-
cided are a great matter. fuN of difficult
ties. For the time being, however. the
immediate question of the attitude of the
insurgents is the one that is giving the
Administration the most anxiety This
question must be dealt with Immediately
and it may present grave troubles if
Aguinaldo and his troops are not dis
posed to allow the United States to take
entire control without resistance.
AguinaIdo a Good Soldier.
AguinaIdo has shown himself to be a
brave and competent leader, full of ag-
gressveness and determination Appar-
entity, too, his troops are fully under his
control and good soldiers and fighters
The insurgents have shown themselves
such a formidable foe for Spain that
there has even been much talk of the
possibility that the Spanish governor
would surrender to Dewey rather than
fall into their hands. 1t seems very prob
able that with the arms that have been
furnished them by Dewey they could take
Manila without further aid. There is the
possibility that they may have done so
already in the a ahSeDca of Apoerioon