The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-07-23

population of a quarter-million of full
blooded Malays. ordinarily indolent. but
intensely excitable on occasions and ca
pablo of anything. such as the storming
OF the city by their kinsmen under the
i%nsurgent flag. Neither the place nor the
people can go through a week of what
Paris had to endure for six weeks. Yet
the Spaniards are as desperately I'M
yielding as the French were in 1870, as
confident in their ~unavailing valor, as
ignorant OF the irresistible forces they
defy.
Every day and all day there is an exo-
dus from the city, stimulated every few
DAYS by some new scare. Large, clumsy
river boats, towed by steam launches or
poled by natives, start up the river, con-
veying families and goods and come
down again for more. Every road lead
ing out of the city is thronged day after
day with similar traffic. until the roads
are one by one declared unsafe beyond
stated points on account of the insur-
gents.
The first news of A%guinaldo's advance
on the city increased the refugee move
ment, but now he is reported within
nine miles of the city limits and COM
plete panic prevails. Soldiers are being
hurried to the front and are coming
back horribly slashed with the forester's
knives of the natives. All day long the
u IlIEk tDTOuSn the SITeetS.
a pitiful procession after the bravery
and trumpeting that heralded their de-
parture. The careless swagger and the
naughty strut which characterized the
Spanish soldiery in the streets of Manila
has given place to a weary shuttle and a
sullen trudge.
1t is pitiful to see so man. school boys
v~aliantly taking part in the wal and
most of the men here have never been
out of their native villages until now.
The boyish appearance is not lessened
by the uniform, which looks almost a
burlesque, a light straw hat, high in the
crown and wide rim, like that of a
typical stage brigand, a black leather
belt and footgear of many sorts.
Many Of the poor fellows have no
shoes at all and they got their feet
shockingly lacerated in the country. 1t
is said that over so per cent. of the army
hospital cases are feet fostering from
thorns. The Spanish army suggests
comic operas. There are burly Falstaff
officers, swarming about the cafes and
saloons. Spanish officers might at any
rate devote two or three hours a day
to the question whether there is any,
thing in the world worse than an Off
Ger asleep on a beer shop lounge in the
forenoon when the enemy is at the
gates Of the city.
The rank and file can MY be pitied.
There are whole regiments of striplings
not long out from Spain, picturesquely
ready and willing to do anything
and never count the odds or finch from
death. But they cannot fight because
they are not trained and their leaders
are incapable.
The Philippine native. like all the kim
dred Malay races, can't do any fighting
as a rule, except at close quarters,
with his heavy knife. The
weapon is much the same. be 1t called
or bolo or kampilan or parang
or kris. The plan of action is the same
to rush in Unexpectedly and hack
about swiftly, without the slightest at
tempt at self-preservation.
The Mauser rife, too, in hard work is
to be a mistake. 1t has a case of
which have to be removed
before others can be inserted. Perhaps
II may be the fault of the men or the
and lack of instruction. What
ever it is, there is something wrong
soldiers armed with rifles are
by natives armed with knives.
insurgents nave some guns.