The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-12-20
Barbarous Treatment of Prisoners
BY Philippine Insurgents.
DEMAND INDEPENDENCE
FILIPINoS EXPECT LIBERATION
WITHIN SIX YEARS. y
Much Sickness Reported Among the
American Troops at Manila
Raining Constantly and Men suf-
fer From Exposure-Monks Re
sponsible for the Insurrection.

Manila, Nov. Il (via San Francisco,
Dec. 19).-Spanish refugees from the
north, who have just arrived here, say
that after the surrender of the town of
Aparri the insurgents formed parade,
the central feature of which was
Spanish lieutenant, who was carried
along the streets. suspended from a
bamboo pole, to which his hands and
feet were tied, just as hogs are carried
here by coolies. On arrival at the
plaza, the pole was placed upon two
forked sticks, and a squad of rebels
proceeded to terroriZe their helpless
victim by shooting as close to his
head as possible without wounding
him. When the unfortunate man was
unconscious with terror, the procession
moved Oh again.
Another story is told of a Spanish
officer being confined in a cell, with
his hands tied behind his back, and
compelled to eat the portions of food
allotted to him from the floor of the
cell, like dog. Not satisfied with this,
his captors are said to have hooked a
rope to his swollen wrists and, through
a pulley overhead, hauled him off his
feet until he tainted away with agony.
cause he threw some papers, which he
did not wish the rebels to have, into
a cesspool, the natives, upon hearing
of it, dropped him into the hole and
compelled him to recover the papers,
after which he was paraded through
the streets for hours.
The Spanish priests who were cap
tured Jared somewhat better, according
to all reports, for the rebels organized
i,afr bros hor nd fn
head their professions, and, by dint of
kicks and blows, compelled their cap
tives to produce plenty of discord,
which highly amused the natives
The natives Indignantly deny these
allegations, and their newspapers re-
taliate by printing horrible stories of
the atrocities practiced by the Span
iards before the surrender of Manila,
one of them even publishing the af-
fidavits of the victims.
DEMAND INDEPENDENCE.
All sorts of rumors are current here
as to what the Filipino republic is do
ing with reference to the settlement
of the Philippine question, but the Fill
ipino newspapers insist that nothing
but absolute independence will be &C
cepted by the natives.
Senior Palermo, president of the Fill
Pine assembly, is said to. have cabled
long message to Madrid a few days
ago, to the effect that if Spain would
guarantee autonomy and other reform
measures, the whole country would
support Spanish rule in preference to
any other form of foreign interview
ton.
Aguinaldo's official organ, the Repub-
lica Filipino, announces that it's Paris
correspondent, presumably AgonciIlo,
said that the Philippine group has been
ceded to the United States, which will
grant independence to the Filipino5 af-
ter a time, which is to be fixed by pro-
tocol, and which will not be less thar
six years, if the F'ilipinos show that
they have a satisfactory faculty OF
governing themselves"
Aguinaldo has seen fit to rem 0va the
embargo upon Americans, and has is
sued an order granting the right to
travel through the territory at present
held by the re Jolutionary government
to all foreigners, except Spaniards, so
long as they are unarmed. No one.
however, may approach within 200 me-
tres of any forts or intrenchmentS, or
carry a kodak, under penalty of arrest.
Any Spaniard who sets foot on Philip
pine territory, if captured will be
tried by military law
The present unpleasant weather is
having its effect upon the health Of
the American troops, hundreds of whom
are suffering from cramps and chills,
occasioned by the dampness of their
quarters, and exposure. It has rained
almost continuously for four days, and
there is every indication of continu-
ance of wet weather, although the
rainy season is supposed to be over.
1t was currently rumored that at
least 20 per cent of the American army
of occupation is on the sick list, which
would INDICATE an epidemic, but inquiry
at the brigade hospital proved this to
be an eXaggeration, for the total num-
Der of patients there was $50, of whom
only eighteen were smallpox and about
200 fever patients.
An order has been issued, compelling
medical practitioners to report all cases
of smallpox under their notice to the
authorities, in order that they may be
promptly removed to the pesthouse,
owing to the continuance of deaths,
which have occurred in private houses
throughout the city.
BUSINESS AT A sTANDSTILL.
What, with the uncertainty as to the
future disposition of the islands, and
the state of affairs existing outside of
the limits of the city of Manila which
are the bounds of American jurisdic-
ton, business in the Philippines is in
almost as bad a condition today as it
was six months ago. From May 1 I'M
til the surrender of Manila on Aug Is
last the only means of communication
between this city and the other ports
in the Philippines was entirely cut off,
since all coasting steamers were under
the Spanish flag and had to lie up dur
ing the blockade. With the advent of
the American army of occupation, it
was hoped that trade would be re-
sumed almost Immediately; but in
spite of the fact that arrangements
have been made between the American
and Spanish authorities towards that
end, the fact remains that the inter
island trade-which, in time of peace,
amounted annually to over $500, 900, 000-
has dwindled down to less than one
fifth of it's normal volume.
The largest import firms have enor-
nous stocks, but cannot dispose of
them, for the reason that communica-
ton inland is blocked by the insur-
gents, and also because buyers are
holding off, in the belief that the pro-
posed change in the tariff will be to
their advantage. Exporters have moth
ing to export, because the Temp
growing provinces are up in arms
against the Spaniards, and both sugar
and tobacco plantations are idle for the
same cause. A few shipments of hemp
have been made, but the insurgents
collected heavy duties upon it in the
southern provinces, and taxed the YES
sells carrying it tonnage duties in adj
dition thereto Indeed 1t is stated on
reliable authority that the rebels are
imposing burdens on commerce within
the very walls of Manila For instance,
per capita tax is levied upon every
passenger who is foolish enough to ac-
"a II h