The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-08-26

Blanco in egard to opposing the in
surgents in Cuba, replied that he had
ordered the captain general Of Cuba
and the Philippines to act in accord
with the Americans; but If the Ameri-
cans should prove unable to make the
insurgents respect the armiStice, then
the instruction were to repeI by arms
any attack upon the Spaniards.
SPAIN UNEASY.
London, August ga dispatch 10
The from Madrid by way of
France says:
"A very ~unfavorable impression has
been caused in Madrid by kilograms
attributing to President Mckinley the
intention Of instructing the peace COM
miSSioners to insist upon the ceSSion
Of Luzon; that American commerce
should have the same footing as Span
ish in the Philippines. and that Spain
should pledge itself that none OF the
Spanish colonies should be ceded to
European powers. If such are the in
tentions of the United States govern
ment, the negotiations are sure to be
laborious, even if an understanding is
ever arrived at. The Spaniards con-
slider the cession of Luzon, their best
and most important island, to be a
death blow to their prestige and sov
ereignty in those regions, and that this
would be irretrievably weakened and
CTlppIcO Dy the presence OF AneIlCdlS
in the heart of their colonies.
Commercial equality with the Unit
ed States in the archipelagos would
annul the only advantage and cOmpen-
sation which they might have expect
ed to have derived for the cost and
sacrifices which have been necessary
to maintain their rule in the archipel-
ago. The separation of church and
state would be more unpalatable to
most Spaniards, and would create
grave difficulties in their relations
with the vatican and the church, let
alone the powerful religious orders in
Spain, which are always disposed to
side with Don Carlos against the pres
ent dynasty.
Last, but not least, any pledge to
refrain from ceding any part to the
powers would displease many states
men and people of all classes, who are
daily more and more inclined to ad-
vOcate the sale of the Spanish archi-
pelagos to the highest bidder, and es-
p~ecially to continental powers most
likely to be in position to arrest the
growth of American political and COM
mercial influences in the far east.
Nothing could be better calculated
than the p~retensions attributed to
America to develop in Spain the WISH
bly, growing desire to sease all con-
nection with the Philippines and thus
lit oiIltCu oIoICS " :
tS assume the burden of the response
bilities of their government, which
would likely create conflicts with Eu-
rOpean powers and tending, in any
case to entail for the United States
more trouble and sacrifices in men
and money, even than the occupation
and pacificatiOn of Cuba.
" the lower and middle classes
seem to think this, and thus in both d.
rections, Spain would amply make
America pay for the wrongs inflicted"
INTERNATIONAL COMPLICATIONS
The Times Madrid correspondent
| says:
1.-THE recent articles in The Times
recommending the Of the
| Philippines by America are attracting
much attention here. They are regard
ed as confirming current rumors about
a secret agreement between the cabi-
nets at London and Washington for
| joint action in the far east.
I'm any case, it is feared that the
~rapproachment which unquestionably
exists contains the germs of great
international complications. Three
months ago when Spain suddenly
found herself alone, face to face with
a powerful antagonist, such a prospect
would have been hailed with delight
because it was believed that in a gen.
eral imbrogliO she would be sure to
find allies. Now the political situation
is better understood, and fears are eX-
pressed that in a general conflict of
the great powers, whatever the result,
Spain would have to pay"
AFFAIRS IN MANILA.
Manila, August 24.-At a conference
today between the insurgents and the
Americans the former declared en-
phatically that they were willing to
80 49, -
surrender their arms promptly if as
sured that the islands would remain
either an American of a British colony
or under the protectorate Of the Unit
ed States or Great Britain. Otherwise,
the insurgent leaders asserted, they
would not dare disarm. They threat
en- a fresh rebellion within a month
if the American withdraw.
The natives assert that the religious
orders are instigating opposition to
American supremacy. Many Span
iards assert that they are eager to
invest their fortunes in new enter
prises, but that they fear ruin if the
Americans withdraw. A few monopo-
lists, fearing competition, are secretly
intriguing against the new regime.
Newspapers published in both the
English and Spanish languages have
already appeared.
The United States transports Rio
Janeiro and Pennsylvania arrived to-
day, the former bearing two battal-
ions of South Dakota volunteers, re
cruits for the Utah light battery and
a detachment Of the signal corps, anc
the latter the First Montana volunteer:
and 300 recruits for the First Califor.
MIA volunteers.
Madrid, August 24.-The government
had received a dispatch from Genera
Rios, governor of the Viscayas island:
and the successor of General Jau
denies in the governor generalship o.
the Philippines, saying that there hat
been bloody fighting between the Span
iards and the insurgents with an est
mated loss to the latter of 500 men
The Spanish losses were "unimpor
tant." The dispatch says that a num
Der of the insurgent chiefs were cap
tured and shot A sergeant of gen
darmes who attempted to invite
rising against the authorities barrel.
escaped lynching at the hands of tn
p%opulace. He was turned over to tn