The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-09-12
TOO LATE"
AgUinaldO'S Reply to American
Orders at Manila.
The Insurgents in a State Of
characterization.
ULTIMATUM ISSUED
FilipinOs Notified to Withdraw
From Territory
Which Was Surrendered to the
American Army.
ULTIMATUM ISSUED

Chicago, Sept. IA special cable
| dispatch to the Inter-Ocean from Ma
/ Mia says:
The situation as regards the insur-
| gents is acute.and a conflict is unavoid-
| able unless Aguinaldo recedes from the
position he has assumed.
The cause of the trouble antedates
| the occupation of Manila, by the Ameri-
cans. Aguinaldo had prepared to ad-
vance his men simultaneously with the
American attack upon the city. The
| day before the surrender of the town,
General Merritt ordered General An
derSOn to prevent the insurgents from
advancing. In accordance with this or
der, General Anderson telegrap pied to
AguinaldO warning him not to advance,
as it would be impossible to permit the
EilipinOs to enter the city.
To this telegram Aguinaldo replied
4acOnically, TOO late, and accordingly
there was a general advance of the in
surgents, which gave the Americans
considerable trouble as they were IN
successful in excluding the Filipinos
entirely, and several bands of them en-
tered the city. The Americans held
these in the suburbs, however, and dis
armed some of the insurgent COM
panies.
The next morning General Merritt or
dered General Anderson to clear the
city of insurgents, but did not give him
any specific instructions to use force
in doing so. GSueraI Anderson tele-
graphed Aguinaldo informing him that
he must withdraw his men at once. In
reply to this telegram AguinaldO sent
commissioners to General Anderson,
who were the bearers of taen demands,
as follows:
That the Americans should be con-
fined to the limits of the territory sur
rendered to them by the Spanish
That the Filipinos should retire only
within certain limits.
That the FilipinOs be allowed to re-
main in certain converts in Manila
That the Filipinos should have free
use of the Pasig river.
General Merritt is asked to consult
with Aguinaldo in regard to the civil
appointments, though the insurgent
leader himself intimated that he pre-
ferred American officials.
That the FilipinOS be allowed to re-
tain control of the Manila WaterWOrks.
That the arms taken from the insur-
gents be returned to them.
That the insurgent officers be allowed
to enter the city with arms.
That the FilipinOs should share with
the Americans in booty captured in the
city.
That all negotiations be put in writ
ing and confirmed by the commander |
of the American forces.
General Anderson fatty refused to |
discuss these demands until the insur-
gent troops had been Withdrawn from |
the city, and took the insurgent COM
missiOners before General Merritt. Cen |
eraI Merritt heard the demands. post |
poned his reply. and Immediately saw |
Admiral Dewey After consultation |
with the admiral, General Merritt sent !
tached command, and assumed charge /
General Anderson to Cavite with de- /
OF the negotiations with Aguinaldo per-
sonally.
The principal negotiations concerned !
the control of the water supply, which |
the Filipinos insisted upon retaining.
and the withdrawal of the inSurgent |
troops. In addition to these matters,
the insurgent leader made these further
demands:
1. That naval protection be given to
the shipping of the FilipinOS in the wa
ters which the Americans controlled.
?. T5at the withdrawal of the in
surgent troops be only to the lines prev
iOusly proposed.
3. That the Americans retire within
that line.
The letter conveying these demands
had not been answered when General
Merritt left and such is the condition
of affairs which General Otis inherited. |
Several hundred insurgent soldiers
were retaining control of the water sta
ton which they had captured without
the assistance of the Americans This |
they insisted on holding on to, but they
finally agreed to relinquish their abso-
lutte control, and now the city has
supply of water. The F'ilipinOs can des-
troy the water works, however. when
ever they wish. The captured arms
we're returned to the insurgents, but the
troops still remained in the
city.
Subsequently Aguinaldo wrote to
General Merritt proposing these condi-
tons:
That the FiHpinos occupy barracks
n Manila; that their troops be station
ID at each of the principal i've roads
eading from the city, and that their
principal strength be centered at Tondo,
Pace, and Malate.
Aguinaldo clings to the impossible
dea of joint occupation. The Amerl-
ans are willing to continue the con
iition of things prior to the surrender
# Manila, but the insurgents are con
inually encroaching and are constantly
working in the trenches surrounding
he cfty They declare that they are
merely strengthening themselves
gainst the Spanish. but actually they
re menacing the Americans.
The Spanish have been endeavoriTS
O provoke a conflict, telling the Fiji
limos that the Americans intend TO
eturn the islands to Spain A great
nanv FilipinOS believe the story ana
I7inL- that in that case the Americans
-ould re-estabIish the Spanish in
lower.
There has been considerably petty
eviItry. such as rObberies, assaults,
idnapping etc. the tendency of which
: TO create friction The perpetrators
s71aI1v wear the insurgent uniform In
oruation is reaching the American au-
horities that the Spanish are melting
INCH of the disorder in the hope OF
reducing trouble between the Amerl-
ans and the insurgents High spanish
mcials are accused OF DelhS COLiceili0N
4 this scheme
General Otis is determined to term
ATE this eouivocaI situation promptly,
NJ has notified AguinaldO that the .
'iIiDinos must withdraw before fixed
ate. or the Americans will use force
Iei,7r in7nOssible for the Americans
, hermit armed forces not recognized
: lilies TO OCCUPY territory surrendered
, themselves
This I1ltinatum had not been answer \
I at this writing The FiIpinOs, how
yer. insist that they are maintaining
cir DOsitiOu against the Spanish, and