Evening journal., 1898-08-18
PHILIPPINE REBELS.
Dewey and Merritt Want to
Know How to Treat Them.
FEAR THEY MAY INITIATE CUBAyS.
The Administrations Instructions Are
That the Insurgents Must Not Enter
Manila-WnI Receive the Same
Treatment as the Spaniards.


WASHINGTON, Aug. 1s.-The two
American commanders at Manila Ad-
miral Dewey and Major General Mer-
ritt, united in a joint dispatch which
was received here late yesterday after
noon asking for instructions as to the
manner OF dealing with the various ele-
ments, particularly the insurgents, now
that the city is occupied by the Amer
lean forces. After a conference at the
White House. in which Secretary Alger
and Acting Secretary Allen participat-
ed, instructions were sent to the two
American commanders. The text Of the
request for instructions and Of the an
swer was not made public, but Secre-
tary Alger summed up the instructions
substantially as follows:
THE Instructions are to enforce law
and order and TO treat all law abiding
citizens alike"
The instructions are practically the
same as those sent to General Lawton.
The latter order specifically stated that
the insurgents must recognize the milf
tary occupation and authority of the
United States and the cessationSof hos
tilities proclaimed by this government.
Doubtless the same rule is being applied
to the insurgents under Aguinaldo, al
though IL was not officially stated that
such specific orders were sent. 1t is
said the joint dispatch from Dewey and
Merritt did not I'M terms refer to Agui-
naldo, nor did the instructions mention
the insurgent leader by name
IL is well understood however, that
the desire of the American commanders
was to have instructions on the man
ner Of dealing with the large and mem
acing force Of insurgents under Agui-
naldo who have surrounded Manila for
many weeks and who. Il is thought. may
or have demanded the right to occupy
the city with the American forces as the
Cuban insurgents did at Santiago. It
had been thought in some quarters here
that the showing heretofore made by
the insurgents would lead to their re-
celving a c.itain amount of recognition
in the way Of joint action between the
United States forces and those Of the
insurgents when the city was occupied
but the instructions sent last night are
based on occupation by the United
States alone and as a high administra-
tion official summed up the situation:
There shall be no joint action except
between Merritt and Dewey They viii
maintain law and order and VIII treat
insurgents and Spaniards alike. requlr-
ing an TO observe peace and order"
1t was noted that neither the first dis
patch of Admiral Dewey nor the joint
dispatch Of Dewey and Merritt made
any reference whatever to the part
which the German cruiser Kaiserin Au-
gusta took in removing Captain General
Augustin from Manila TO Hongkong
From this the officials believe that the
American commanders do not attach
serious significance 10 the course Of the
German naval authorities The incident
continues to cause sope irritation here,
but II is practically certain that no off,
ciar cognizance will be taken Of It. A
high official Of the navy department
said that at most the course Of the Ger
man naval commander was one Of bad
taste There is no disposition in any
official quarter at present to carry the
incident to the point of considering it
a breach Of neutrality, as has been sug-
gested in some British newspapers.