The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-05-12
CAN1PR0M|SEREBELS MUCH
Congress Must Have Free Hand in
the Philippine Question.
PRESIDENTS INSTRUCTIONS,

Washington Believes tho Insurgents Are
Prolonging assistance Only to Got
More Liberal Decentralization and
Funston Led Kansans Thur,Lay.
WASHINGTON, May s.-The officials
ot the state and war departments are
looking for a speedy collapse OF the
lnsurrection in the Philippines Not
only is this expectation based upon
he private adviccs that have come
from the Philippine commission as to
the negotiations that have been going
On between that body and the in
surgent representatives, but also upon
the successful development Of Mac
Arthur's and Lawton's campaigns.
SO far as the commissions reports
ere concerned they indicate hat the
insurgents have at last recognized the
inevitable breakdown of their strug-
Gle and are simply striving, by pro-
tracting their resistance, to secure the
most liberal terms possible in the
erection of the government in the
philippines. They have not in any
diplomatic ems acknowledged the
sovereignty Of the United States, but
have recognized the physical domina-
lion Of our military forces, and while
they have talked more or less Of indie
p~endence, even at the last moment,
without doubt they will accept read
!ly any proposition looking to a pro-
t%cctorate.
The Presidents instructions, how
ever, arc clear Oh this point. and the
commission understands that it is to
sake no action in a way of making
promises that will deprive Congress Of
4 free hand in disposing of the future
Of the Philippines.
1t is believed that an animating
purpose in the Filipino presentation
is to make sure that whatever form of
government is adopted will afford
lucrative and influential places for the
many ambitious Philippine leaders.
The administration sees nothing in
this aspiration i~rreconcilable with
a firm government over the
islands by the United States.
the opportunity for the Filipinos
being found in a liberal provision for
municipal and even provincial native
government in the islands. United
StStes officials properly distributed
throughout the islands in supervisory
capacities, will be charged to inter
[ere as little as possible with local af-
fairs. A few garrisons of troops at
strategic points, supported by u naval
contingent, may prove to be all that
IS necessary for the effective mainten-
ance of the United States sovereignty
over the islands, while meeting the
native aspirations for home rule. The
Philippine commission has been in
structed on these points.
Aside from the encouragement con-
veyed by the progress Of the peace
negotiations tho officials find a bright
promise in the rapid development OF
the military campaign. The press re-
ports this morning announcing that
Lawton is meeting slight resistance in
his movement northward, that the in
surgcuts are fleeing before him, and
more important still, they are casting
away their arms, are facts tending to
indicate the approach of the end. The
throwing away of The arms is claimed
by the naval officers to be the result
of the navy's efforts to cut off the
supply of incoming ammunition to
the insurgents. Without ammunition
there would be no inducement to carry
along their weapons. The army Off
GERS here say that it is either lack of
ammunition or a breaking down of
their courage that has led the Flip
mos to abandon their rifles.
Moving northward from Balinag,
where he is reported this morning,
Lawton is apparently co%nverging with
his forces upon Mount Arayat, dis
tant about sixteen miles, the point at
the bend of the Rio Grande, where
Otis predicted the insurgents would
make their last stand. With MacAr-
thur moving northward from San Fer
nando, the W. columns should meet
before this last insurgent stronghold
within about four days, if they meet
with no more than the ordinary oppo-
%sition, SO that even if diplomacy fails
there is hope of the collapse of the
rebellion from purely military reasons
within q week or ten DAYS,