Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-04-20


has returned from his campaign be-
yond Laguna de Bay, says that in his
opinion it would be necessary for the
United States to send 100000 troops to
the Philippine islands if the natives
continued hostile. He said that it was
essential to garrison all the cities cap
tured or that are to be captured in the
future operations if the instruction
was to be put down.
Maj Gen. LawtOn returned to Manila
with his expedition by order of Gen.
Otis, after evacuating the towns of
Paete, Longos, Lumbar, Pa Gasajan
and Santa Cruz, from which the rebels
had been driven. Gen. Lawton's
troops are needed in the movement
north Of Manila, and Laguna de Bay
will be left to the insurgents until the
rainy season, when tue water will be
higher, thus enabling the army gun
boats to gets into the rivers. The
launches captured from the insurgents
are to be returned to their former own
ers in Manila.
The insurgents are busy building
earthWOrks on the hilltops overlook
ing Paete. They were working in
plain view of the American troops.
The withdrawal of the Americans I'M
der these conditions unquestionably
will be construed by the insurgents as
a confession on the part of the Amer
leans of their inability to hold the
a In Of
this opinion there will be a great re-
vival of confidence among the in
surgents and they will be more will
ing to continue the fighting. Had the
towns been held the Filipinos I'm
doubtedly soon would have lost hope
and laid down their arms
Gen. Otis regards the situation here
cheerfully. "The insurgents are NOV
ing eastward" he said, "and will soon
be in the mountains. There they will
become merely bands of robbers and
will fight among themselves. They
have no united army anywhere, yet
they will be troublesome, and we need
a strong force to deal with the robber
groups. We shall not stop our oper-
ations because of the rainy season.
The rebels are counting upon a cessa-
ton of hostilities on our part, but we
intend to keep right on. We shall
wedge the army between them and
the north, as well as cutting the island
in two here by our forces So long as
we keep the volunteer forces fighting,
they are content to remain here. They
enjoy the situation while there is
action. The problem the government
is now facing is that of destroying the
powerful bands of robbers that are
scattered in all directions. We have
smashed the insurgent government,
but | believe that it will be a long
time before we pacify the whole of
Luzon''
Want to Come Home.
st. Paul, April 1S.-Gov. Lind yester-
day sent message to the legislature
urging some action looking towards
the speedy return from Manila of the
18th Minnesota volunteers He states
that all appeals to that end addressed
to the president and to the war depart
ment have been ignored save in a few
Individual cases that were influenced
by partisanship. He asserts that the
volunteers are being held contrary to
law and that he has been notified by
Col. Ames that the regiment desires
to return home.
Famous Indian Fighters.
San Francisco, April 1S.-rhe 21st
U. S. infantry, famous as Indian fight ,
ers of earlier days, and later very
active participants in the Cuban cam
paign, arrived yesterday and will de-
part at once for the Philippines on the
transport Hancock. Batteries L and
NJ, OF the 9Th U. S. artillery, also ar
lived and four more batteries are ex-
)ected to arrive in few hours. The
'th has been ordered to the Philip
pines and will probably sail on the
transport Warren today.
Philippines Are Healthy.
Washington, April 1S.-Consul Will
Jams of Manila has made a report in
which he refutes the statements re-
,arding the health and climate of the
philippines. During the last year he
avs he heard of no temperature in the
stands below 81 degrees and none
bove IS in the sun. The city of Ma ;
lila is swept by sea breezes and has
n abundance of water supply. The
cath rate is small and with proper s
are one may be entirely healthy.