Rocky Ford enterprise., 1898-10-13
PHILIPPINE REBELS.
ARE coNoUERING sPANlARDS.
Making Successful Attacks In the Southern
Isiands-They Arc Anxious to lie An.
nexed to the United States.

Chicago. Oct. 1O.-A cablcgram from
IloilO, Philippine islands, to the Record,
says:
The insurgents of the island of LuZon
have invaded the island Of Panny anu
are moving on !loilo, which It Is ex-
pected they will attack before the
peace conference at Paris shall have
arrived at n decision regarding the fate
of the Philippines.
General Rios acting captain general
Of the Spanish forces in these islands,
is concentrating troops on Panay to re-
sist the rebels. but lie frankly admits
that he regards such resistance ms
hopeless, because of the number anu
enthusiasm of the native forces ana
the lack of spirit manifested by the
Spanish soldiers. To protect lloilo
General Rios has withdrawn the Span
lsh garrisons from Mindnnno anu
Paragnn, leaving those Islands prnc-
tlcally defenseless In his desperation
General Rios Inns cablcd Madrid ndvo-
eating the granting OF autonomy to the
natives of the Philippines. this being
a last resource. the Spanish forces be-
Ing utterly unable to cope with the In
surgcnts. The Madrid government re-
fused to grant autonomy on the rec
ommendatlon of the acting captain gen
eral, whereupon General Rios immcdi-
ately resigned his office. and now n
new governor for the islands Is coming
from Spain.
The insurgents from LuZon are land
Ing In large numbers on the west coast
of Panay and are moving In force
from the west to the east coast to at
tack llollo. Spanish troops are being
hurried out of lloilio to intercept the
insurgent advance. The Spaninrds,
however. have already been badly
coast OF Panay. and they expect no bet
ter fortune In future engagements.
The defcnscs of the city are very
weak, the garrison consisting OF less
than a thousand soldiers, n majority
of whom are natives and thoroughly
unreliable. since they have no love for
Spain.
The proposition which seems to find
favor In the United States. that Ameri-
ca retain only the island of Luzon.
leaving Spain to rule all the other ISL
nnds OF the Philippines. IL regarded
with the greatest possible dlsfavor In
this city. not only by the large com
mcrcial firms. which believe that
America is responsible for the future
welfare OF the Islands and should hold
themselves. The Filipinos OF Panay nre
acting Independently OF Aguinaldo and
his provisional government and they
are heartily In favor OF American an
nexation. So also are the spanish bus.
mess men. for existing conditions have
convinced them that II Is impossible
for Spain ever to regain control OF the
southern Islands of the Philippines. If
America should rcllnqulsh the south
crn Philippines the result IL sure to he
a prolonged rebellion by the natives
against Spain. leading ultimately to
the overthrow OF Spanish rule.
The commercial possibilities Of the
southern Philippines are fully equal tc
those OF LuzOn. the islands of Negros
and Panay being the greatest sugar
producers OF the entire group. The
island of Mindnnno IL the largest OF the
Philippines. and the possibilities there
Of growth In important Industries are
very great.
4 large number of priests are dis
posing of their property and leaving
lioilo In citizens clothes. the threats
OF the insurgents and their impending
attack on the city rendering 1t very I'M
safe for them to remain.
Three small Spanish gunbonts nrc
cruising among the southern Philip
pines and have driven most OF the IN
surgcnts back TO Manila for safety. A
report wns started recently that the
guntoat FL Cnno had fired on nnd sunk
the insurgcnt vessel Fflipanas, which
figured In the Irene incident In Subig
bay. but this report Is untrue.
1t IL positively known here thnt n
large steamer IL on Its way to the Phil
ippincs from Spain bringing ammu1!'
tion and supplies for .he Spanish
troops.