The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-02

time, but the remarkable success of the
rebel leader has proved that you were
good judge of human nature when you sized
up Aguinaldo's capabilities" The friction
between Agunaldo and his officers has re-
appeared, the latter taking offense at his
assumption of the role of dictator. Mr..
Wildman informs me that his latest dis
patches from Manila say that Germans, are
now giving less trouble. There was not
much fighting last week. The chief topic
of discussion is q report that Lecarda,
Aguinaldo's principal secretary. has either
deserted or been captured by the Span
iards. When the French war ship Pascal
arrived at Manila the other day she neg
lected to salute the American flag being re-
minded Of the oversight by Admiral
Dewey. The latter says the health OF
Eis men has never been better since they
have been on the Asatic station
A dispatch to the Times from Cavite,
dated July &C. says: 1T is becoming more
apparent daily that there are serious COM
plications ahead The Americans never
made a greater mistake than in bringing
Aguinaldo and the insurgent leaders here
and giving them arms and ammunition for
free use from the Cavite arsenal. Aguin-
aldo, fearing annexation by the Americans,
openly opposes them Either he has been
corrupted by some foreign power or he has
a false notion of the strength of the Philip
pine revolutionaries, failing to recognize
that their recent successes are due to the
concentration of Spanish strength at Ma
nila consequent upon the presence of the
Americans. Although he admits no foreign
recognition he talks of his government and
dictates to the American authorities in
absurd and inflated terms He has COM
PEELED the natives of the southern ap-
proaches to Manila to register their bull
locks, ponies and conveyances, instructing
the owners not to supply them to the Ameri-
cans for transportation without his sane
ton.
Brigadier General Anderson promptly
adopted firm measures. warning Aguinaldo
that force would be used to impress the
means of transport, which were ultimately
forthcoming. Aguinaldos attitude makes
future operations against Manila proble-
matte. In my opinion, with the aid of the
fleet the city might already have been
American Nothing but the complications
with the natives prevented an advance Now
the violent rains have set in making camp
and field operations arduous and threaten
ing the health OF the men which. until now,
"Aguinaldos forces encircle the city, max
ing daily and nightly attacks. The Span
iards still hold the whole of the suburbs.
Occasional sorties are made, in which the
loss of life is slight. Two miles behind
Aguinaldos lines, south of Manila five
thousand American troops are encamped.
The remainder are at Cavite. Aguihaldo is
understood to have objected to the advance
of the Americans to ground captured by the
insurgents, forgetting that his landing was
effected by the grace Of the Americans. 1
am convinced that the Fiiipinos will never
capture Manila unaided and that if the
Americans withdraw the fate of the natives
under Spanish rule would be worse than
before. There would be constant fighting
and trade extension would be impossible.
The best solution of the political situation
would be that America should administer
the islands, dealing firmly and justly with
the natives and insisting on their immediate
disarmament
Five half-breeds, taken by Aguinaldo,
with Spanish passes rolled into cigarettes.
have been condemned to be shot.
THE United States gunboat McCulloch
now patrols between the neutral fleet and
Manila to prevent communication