The times., 1898-07-31
THE PHILIPPINE SITUATION
Serious News From Manila Sup
pressed by the Government.
.AGUINALDo is DEFIANT
1t Is Reported That the Malay
Leader VIII Oppose Our Occupn-
tion-Gen. Merritt Thinks All
Troops Assigned May BE Needed
A Grave Condition,

The intelligence received yesterday
from Admiral Dewey and Gen. Merritt
confirm the fears previously enter
tained by the President and his ad-
visers that the Philippine situation
would eventually develop serious COM
piications.
The War and Navy Departments each
came into possession of advices from
Cavite early yesterday morning, which
were laid before the special meeting of
the cabinet for consideration. For rea-
sons of policy it was decided to censor
the more serious contents of the dis
patches, and only the brief lines quoted
below were given out for publication.
Following is the message posted by
the Navy Department:
"Cavite, July &c. 1898.
Secretary of Navy, Washington. d. c.:
Merritt arrived yesterday in the
Newport. The remainder of the expe-
dtion is expected within the next few
days. DEWEY"
This much of Gen. Merritt's message
was given out by the War Departms mt: /:
"Cayite, July 25, via Hong Kong,
July 80.
"Adjt Gen. Z. S. A, Washington:
Arrived about II. Health of COM
mand good Remainder of feet four
days in rear. All troops assigned me
viii probably be needed
MERRITT"
a,.t,s
It is learned that Admiral Dewey made
a frank statement of conditions, which
are unsatisfactory to say the least.
Aguinaldo, the insurgent leader. is un-
derstood to have assumed an attitude
of open defiance. threatening resistance
TO any attempt on the part of the Am r
lean forces to occupy Manila or any
considerable part of the islands Such
move has been expected for some
time, but there was no way of antici-
pating it, and the fact rema' ms that to
subdue the insurgents by force will
necessitate an immense expenditure of
energy and money.
As,hnaido's army is well armed. pow
erful and made up of savage fighters
Resistance by them promises to be
vastly more serious than that which
was expected of the Spaniards. Gen.
Merritt now has. an army under his
command numbering a trifie over II 900
men, and the rebels are numerically
stronger. The American commander
says, "all troops assigned to me will
probably be needed and what more,
he said in the same strain is not
known, owine TO the fact that his mes
sage was not given out in full.
Thereabinetiwas yet deep in the s.
cussion~of peace terms, and particularly
of the Philippine issue when these ad-
yiees+ from Admiral Dewey and Gen
Merritt were laid before il. What influ-
ence the news exercised over final
disposition of the Far Eastern problem
is not known, but it probably had
something to do with the alleged deter
mination of the Cabinet TO submit the
Philippine question to a joint commits
sion.
But even should Spain accept our
terms Of peace, the situation at Manila
will still be serious. since the troops are
not to be withdrawn from the islands
pending the action of the commission.
which would have to be ratified by
Congress and the Spanish Cortes. and
meanwhile there may be rupture be-
tween the American forces and the in
surgents.
AS far as can be learned, no prepara-
tions are being made to dispatch
another Philippine expedition, but more
troops will probably be sent to the
islands unless peace negotiations with
Spain develop into an agreement of
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