Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-25
WILL NOT BE RECOGNIZED
State Departments Attitude Toward Agon
clio Unchanged.
A New Line of PpIicy by the Insur-
gents in the PhiIippines-Condi-
tion of Our Troops.

The presentation to the State Department
yesterday of the communication from
AgoncilIo, Aguinaldo's representative, as
he styles himself, has not changed the atti-
tude Of the department toward him, and
there is not the slightest probability that
he will be officially recognized by the Pres
dent or the Secretary Of State 1t is con-
ceded that the document is clevery phras-
ed with the intention to put the United
states government in the wrong in the
estimation of the world. and it is suspect
ed from the half-concealed arrogance of
the demand to be Informed of the purpose
of our government in sending reinforce
ments to the Philippines; that, as has been
indicated in the dispatches from the juntas
abroad, this communication may mark the
adoption of a new line of policy by the in
surgents in the Philippines.
The first open manifestation of this in
case it is decided to resort TO open hos
tilities will probably be the sudden de-
parture of Agoncilio and his staff from
Washington. and. indeed from the limits
OF the United States. This movement would
not be entirely unwelcome to the officials
here. feeling sure, as they do, that Agon-
clio has been a potent force in stirring up
the Filipinos to resistance through the
cable advices he has forwarded from Wash
ington.
No Advices From Gen. Otis.
There was an absence of advices from
Gen. Otis today. which led the officials at
the War Department to the conclusion that
there has been no appreciable change in
the conditions at Manila or 1loilo, and
some satisfaction is felt in even that style
of negative assurance that the impending
trouble at Manila has been at least post
poned.
Inquiry at the War Department into the
reports of the rapid increase in the number
of smallpox cases among the American SOL
diers at Manila elicits the assurance that
the sick reports sent about twice week
by Gen. Otis exhibit the fun extent of the
dread disease. far as the officials them
selves know. The mortality rate is not eX-
cessive. but of course IL is not denied that
the soldiers would he safer at home than
they are at present in Manila suffering
from the inconsistencies which always fol-
lows protracted waiting without action.
Conditions iu the Interior.
most interesting report upon existing
conditions in the interior of the Island of
Luzon has reached the government through
two young naval officers one of them Pay
master Wilcox, who made a trip lafoot and
in boats clear across the island in Its great
est length. They found the obstacles to
progress even on foot almost beyond belief,
and l. required not less than two months
for them to make the trip. They have a
good deal to say incidentally in their report
upon the politicaSE situa tion,~and 1t appears
that the Spanish, before retiring from the
interior, managed to SO thoroughly poison
the minds of the natives against the Amer
leans, by representing them to be slave
masters and monsters of destruction to-
ward all alien ra >es, that it will be only
with the greatest difficulty that confidence
IN our good inte ations can be implanted.