The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-23

order TO be bought. The fact that one of
Aguinaldo's lieutenants is authority for the
statement that an arrangement has been
made with the Americans by the terms cf
which Aguinaldo is to be made governor
of province and each of his officers to
be given minor positions, provided his
troops lay down their arms, would tend to
show that this opinion has some basis par
ticularly when General Merritt, upon learn
ing of this statement, said emphatically
that mo agreement whatever has been
made with Agunaldo upon any subject"
The departure of Governor General Mer-
ritt and his staff for Paris to-day effectu-
ally disposes of further negotiations with
the insurrectionists for the present what
ever inducements may have been held out
to them secretly. for it is hardly to be sup
posed that so delicate duty would be del
egated by General Merritt to his deputy
1t is significant that. coincident with the de-
parture of Major General Merritt for Paris,
the rebels should have spread the report
that three of Aguinaldo's trusted Heuten-
ants have already left fer Washington with
the avowed intention of reaching the Amer
lean capital ahead of Brigadier General
Greene, who is scheduled to leave to-day on
board the China. Certain it is that the
rebels held secret meetings in various parts
of the city yesterday for the purpose of
determining their future plan for the cam
paign, but the result of their deliberations
was carefully withheld from publication.
The ecclesiastical party has apparently
concluded to accept the Inevitable with the
best grace possible under the circumstances.
AT any rate, neither the archbishop nor any
of his satellites has made the slightest at
tempt to interfere with the policy adopted
by the new administration so far, and, un-
less all signs fail, no such attempt will be
made
From an American point of view the sit
uation to-day is simply one of expectancy
the authorities awaiting instructions from
Washington and their subordinates hoping
for relief from their onerous duties and a
speedy return to their homes. The Span
ards, firm in the belief that Manila was
surrendered after the peace negotiations
had been commenced, swagger about the
city with an air of confidence that it will
soon be restored to them.
The Filipinos, with characteristic non
chaance, are making hay while the sun
shines, relieving their American friends of
their hard-earned cash by every conceivable
means, ard wondering how much longer
their good fortune will continue. What the
insurgents under Aguinaldo think Of the
situation no one seems to know or care.
The herculean task of restoring order
from the chaos due to the shiftlessness of
the Spaniards is slowly but surely being
accomplished by the American officers de-
tailed to undertake it. The brunt of the
dirty work is borne by Brigadier General
Macarthur whose duties as military com
mander and provost marshal general of Ma
Mia are as multtudinous and far-reaching
as those of the odious Koko in the Mi
kado"
Despite the lack of any definite knowledge
as to the future of the Philippines business
is decidedly brisk in Manila at present and
there is every indication of the approach of
boom. The fact that everything has been
practically tied up for the past three
months necessarily occasions an immense
amount of extra work, now that the en-
barge has been removed. but apart from
this the advent of the American administra-
ton of affairs and the prospect of it being
prolonged indefinitely have lent an impetus
to trade which nothing else could have
given it.
One of the first official acts of the new adj
ministration was to clear the channel at
the mouth of the river Pasig of the obstruc-
tions placed there by the Spaniards, there
by reopening the port of Manila for COM
done the fleet of interisland steamers,
which by an arrangement with Admiral
Dewey, had been anchored out in the harbor
and used as refuge ships by the various
consulates returned to their berths at the
river quays and after dischargng their
passengers, proceeded to reit for their
former occupation pending the decision of
the prize court as to their ultimate fate.
This has caused an enormous amount of
traffic along the water front and both the
custom house and captain of the port office
have been deluged with business for the
past ten days. In accordance with the re-
qurements of international law. no change
has as yet been made in the customs reg
ulations, hence the tariff in force before the
war is still maintained, and the Golfers of
the treasury are being replenished very ma
terially. 1t was naturally expected that
under the regime the port duties would be
considerably reduced and many merchants
laid their plans accordingly but in spite of
eXorbitant duties the demand far exceeds
the supply and the merchants are glad to
get their good through as fast as they ar
rive.
Several Americans have already an
nounced their intention of embarking in
business here and an American bi-lingual
newspaper is among the possibilities in the
near future.
The reopening of the cable to Hong-Kong
and resumption of traffic along the inter-
island telegraph lines has placed merchants
once more in direct communication with
their agents. but up to the present little
news has been received. the small force en-
ployed in the local office having been in
adequate to handle the volume of outgoing
messages filed every day.
General Anderson appointed on Aug. 20
about thirty officers with Captain Bridge
man, Sixth United States Artillery, as
chairman, to investigate the recent shoot
ing at Cavite. The report has since been
rendered unfavorable to the conduct of the
Utah soldiers All of the officers are out
spoken in blaming our soldiers for the
shooting The four insurgent soldiers i'm
plicated in the shooting were court-mar-
tailed by an insurgent board of officers in
Cayite Three were acquitted on the ground
of self-defense and one was found guilty
and will be sentenced to be shot on the
proceedings of the court being approved by
Aguinaldo An invitation was extended to
General Anderson and the other officers
stationed at Cavite to be present at the
trial of the prisoners. General Anderson
will ask that the man be not shot as he
places the blame upon one of the Utah SOL
diers.