The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-09-13

trouble When He Sees His wov
Clear to Defy the American
Forces - He Has 67,OOO Men
Armed With Rifles, and Claims
He Can Swell the Force to 100. .OOo
MANILA, Sept. 12.-Rear Admiral
Dewey says he considers the situation
CRITICAL. 1t is understood he has asked
ror an additional cruiser and a bat
tleship.
Inc Spaniards assert that Germany
VIII take a coaling station here and
that Spain will retain the remainder
Of the islands.
Inc last Spanish garrisons at uocos
ana Laguna have surrendered and the
whole island of Luzon is in the hands
or the insurgents, except at Manila.
and Cavfte.
ASulnaldo went to Lelollos on Fri
day. He has announced his intention
OF conVening an assembly of the Fill
plnos on Sept. Is, in order to decide
upon the policy to be adopted by the
insurgents.
The correspondent here Of the Asso-
ciated Press has had an interview
with Aguinaldo, who said there were
$1,000 insurgents armed with rifles. He
added he could raise 100000 men. In
deed the insurgent leader pointed out.
the whole population of the Pbilipnine
Islands was willing to fight for their
independence. Continuing, Aguinaldo
said he had 5000 military prisoners
lncludlng 1900 in the vicinity of Ma
Mia, besides civil prisoners.
government" was now operating twen-
ty-elght provinces. He asserted that
on aug. they elected delegates in
numbers proportionate to the popula-
tlon. AS to the Americans, Aguinaldo
remarked that he considered them as
brothers, and that ''the two sovereign
republics were allied against a COM
mon enemy"
When questioned if the future Fill
pino policy would be absolute indie
pendence, Aguinaldo excused himself
from replying. and asked what Amer
lea intends to do.
Inc correspondent being unable to
| answer this question AguinaIdo con-
tinued
I'VE have been fighting for indepen-
dence for long time. The natives who
profess to favor annexation are in
sincere. 1t is merely ruse to ascer-
tain American views"
Asked if the Filipinos would object
to the retention Of Manila Aguinaldo
declined to answer.
Would the Filipinos object to Amer
leans retaining a coaling station. If
recognizing the independence Of the ISL
ands or establishing a temporary pro-
tectorate over them9"
Aguinaldo again refused to answer.
Pending the conclusion Of the assem-
bly, Aguinaldo said he was confident
there would be no trouble between
America and the Filfpinos.
AGUINALDO FEIGNS FRIENDSHIP
The insurgent leader denied having
received a request from Gen. Otis and
Rear Admiral Dewey to withdraw his
troops to a prescribed distance from
Manila and Cavite, and he declined to
profess the effect of such a request
Aguinaldo further asserted that he had
never conferred with the American au-
thorities since the capitulation of Ma
Mia and that he had never authorized
the insurgents to search or disarm
Americans crossing the lines
The correspondent closely questioned
him about last Saturdays incident,
when the Pennsylvania troops proceed
ed to establish new outpost The
Filipinos objected and nearly precipi-
tated hostilities, ordering the .Ameri-
cans to withdraw in twenty minutes
They issued ammunition and intercept
ed the American reinforcements. Final
ly Gen. Hale ordered all the Pennsyl-
vanians to advance, and the rebels
withdrew. The local governor has ex-
planned that the incident was a COM
plete mistake and has repudiated his
subordinate's action.
Aguinaldo declared to this CORE pom
dent that the Filipino who made the
trouble merely pretended to be an Of
f1cer and is entirely unconnected with
the insurgent army Aguinaldo COM
planned that the Spanards were dis
seminating false reports for the pur-
pose of fomenting antagOnism between
the Filipinos and Americans.
The whole interview conveyed the i'm
preston that AguinaIdo desires abso-
lutte independence regards the mission
of the Americans here as accomplished
and expects their withdrawal "tust as
the French general Lafayette withdrew
after aiding the Americans in the war
of independence, war of humanity"
Just now Aguinaldo maintains the
role of extreme friendship.