Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-05-19
FILIPINOS WEAKEN.
They Will Send More Peace
ENJOYS to Otis, Today.
Their Forces Scattered and Faith in
AguinaIdo Badly Shattered.
Believed They will Accept Any Terms that MAJ
Be Offered Them.

Washington, May 1S.-General Otis
cables the war department that repre-
sentatives of Aguinaldo are seeking
terms Of peace and that the forces OF
the insurgents are scattering in the
mountains. Following is Gen. Otis
cablegram:
Manila, May IS.
Representatives. insurgents cabinet
and Aguinaldo in mountains l. miles
north Of San IsidrO. which abandoned
18th inst, will send in commission to-
morrow to seek terms Of peace
Majority of force confronting Mac
Arthur at San Fernando has retired TO
Tarlac, tearing up two miles railway;
this force has decreased to about $500
Scouting parties and detachments
moving today in various directions.
kobbe with column at Candava on Rio
Granda. Great majority of inhabi-
tants Of provinces over which troops
have moved anxious for peace, sup
ported by members insurgent cabinet.
Aspect Of affairs at present favorable
to peace.
(Signed) OTIS.
The dispatch Of Gen. Otis was i'm
mediately sent 10 the President at Hot
Springs.
Secretary Alger said that the situa-
ton was most encouraging and that
it was apparent that the Filioinos
realized the strength Of the United
States and saw that resistance would
mean determination for them if they
persisted in defying authority.
Speaking Of the part taken by the
volunteers in the Philippine campaign
the secretary says that instead of
wishing to be home they would not
have missed il as it was an event in
their lives. especially as the hard fight
ing has been crowned with success.
The secretary believes that the com
mission which Aguinaldo is sending to
Gen. Otis Will accept any terms pro-
posed by the United States.
War department officials are firmly
convinced that the end of the insur-
rection in the Philippines it at hand
and that the representatives of the in
surSent cabinet and Aguinaldo. who
are to meet Gen. Otis, tomorrow, will
succumb to the inevitable and surren-
der Their forces, it is said at the de-
parment. evidently are so demoraliZed
by the persistent advance of the Amer
leans that they are ready to accept
peace on the best terms they can OBJ
tain. Driven northward to the foot
hills of mountains as they have been,
their fleeing and scattered forces, dis
migrated and disheartened. no long
er can be made to face our victorious
advances.
was reported just north of San Fer
nando where Gen. MacArthur's troops
are concentrated. and in the neighbour
hood of Bachelor. with about 5000
rebels. Today, Gen. Otis reports that
the remnant of this force, about $500
men. have Withdrawn to Tarlac.
over 30 miles north of San Fernando
1t is probable that the remainder of
this force moved east and Joined the
main body of the insurgents which
abandoned San Isidro yesterday. and
fled northWard to the point from which
Aguinaldo is now sending his COM
missioners to sue for peace.
Is this is a ruse to gain time, which
none Of the officials at the war depart
ment believe, it will avail them moth
ing. as the Americans will utilize the
period during the negotia tons to re-
connoitering the country ahead Of them
preparatory to the resumption of op-
erations the minute the negotiations
fail.
The dispatch of two battalions of the
23rd Infantry, yesterday, to Jolo. the
principal town in the Sulu archipelago
is the fourth military expedition de-
tached from the main body of our
troops at Manila. The Sulu archipel-
ago is group of $50 small islands ex-
tending in the form of a crescent south
of the Philippines. There are no in
sursents, as far as known. in the Suu
group. The population of the islands
consists Of aborigines. Chinese traders
and negroes.
There is no absolute information at
the war department concerning the
present strength of the American
forces under Macarthur, Lawton and
kobbe. which have been operating
against the insurgents north of Manila.
The number of men if each organ
iZation was up to its maximum
strength would be $500, but it is
doubtful if their strength totals II 900
men. MacArthur's troops, excepting
one regiment, are volunteers. Hobbies
men are all regulars. recently arrived
Three of the six regiments under Law
ton also are regulars. There is one
radical difference between the volun-
teer and regular organizations. Loss
es in the former are permanent, while
the gaps in the ranks of the regulars
are being constantly filed by new re-
cruits. 1t is estimated that MacAr-
thur now has about $500 men for ac-
tive service, Lawton about 5000 and
kobbe 1900.