The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1898-12-29
COMPLICATED
Situation in the Philippines
Takes Another Serious
Turn.
noilO Evacuated by Spaniards
and Insurgent Forces Take
Possession.
The Detachment Sent by Gen
eral Otis Arrived Too
Late.
Issue Between Americans and
Insurgents May Now Be
Precipitated


good deal of anxiety In official circles
here over recent events at Iloilo. Two
official dispatches have been received
by the state and war departments, but
it is impossible to gather from them an
accurate knowledge as to the condition
there. 1t is impossible to learn whether
the insurgents or the American forces
have taken the place. United States
Consul Pratt at Singapore has cabled
the state department:
'.Iloilo taken gath. Spanish fed tc
Borneo."
Deeper Doubt Than Ever.
This threw the officials into deeper
doubt than before. The American ex-
petition which left Manila to go to Ilo-
lilo, 1000 troops and the warships Balti-
more and Callao, scarcely had time,
it is said, ~. have reached Iloilo by
the oath. So the inference is that the
insurgents are in possession. Color is
lent to this belief by the fact reported
in one telegram that the Spaniards had
retreated to strongly fortified town or
the island of Mindanao. This does not
agree with Consul Pratt's statement tina!
they fled to Borneo, the north coast OF
which is British possession, but it is be-
ieved that the consul is in error on this
point, which might easily be the case III
view of the distance from his post to
Iloilo. The fact that the Spaniards
have retreated at all is also construed
as an indication that the town was
abandoned to the insurgents, for it is
believed that Colonel Rios, the Spanish
commander, would have cheerfully sur
rendered to the American force, with a
view to securing the safety Of his men
and their ultimate return to Spain by
the American government, according tc
the terms of the treaty
Their Fears Confirmed.
Just before noon a dispatch came from
General Otis that confirmed the fears OF
the war department as to what had
taken place at Iloilo. It appears that
the American forces had arrived too
late ON the scene, and that the insur-
gents had added to the difficulty of the
problems already presented by hosting
their flag over the city which they have
been besieging for months. The news
was contained in the following message
from General Otis:
Manila, Dec. 81. Adjutant General,
Washington. -Sent Colonel Potter on
fast vessel to noilo on oath to communi-
cate with Spanish general, Rios. The
latter evacuated evening of oath and
Potter 80 hours late; insurgents took
possession of city on Goth and Potter
found Aguinaldo's flag flying. Cannot
now report probable results: will not
hear from there for four days, as no
cable communication. Spanish forces
have evacuated all stations in Southern
islands, except Zamboanga, Mindanao,
by orders, as they say, from Madrid.
,..OTIS."
The evacuation by the Spaniards of
all the Philippine ports reported by
General Otis, although doubtless in
spired by desire to secure their safety
by concentration, undoubtly has done
much to complicate the problem al
ready presented to the war department,
of extending the military jurisdiction
of the United States over the islands.
1t will now be necessary to expedite the
execution of the original plans, and it
may be fully expected that within a
week important events will have hap
pened in the Philippines. 1t is pre-
sumed that General Otis will demand
the surrender of Iloilo into his hands,
and this demand may at once raise the
issue between the insurgents and our
own government, of possession of the
islands. The province of Iloilo is set
down in the official directories as hav-
ing population of 472, 900, and it is the
second seaport in Importance in the
Philippine group. It is located on
river navigable for vessels of Is feet
draught, so that very few of our gun
coats would be available to assist the
troops. in case it should be necessary to
take forcible possession of the city.