The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-17
MANILA Dec. 12.-The Filipinos are

those of the higher classes among them
are beginning to realize the Dement'S
Of American occupation and the utter
hopelessness of their cause when it is
a case Of savage anger against trained
American yalor. Aguinaldo still has his
toy soldiers marching and drilling out
in the woods. but he is no longer assured
Of that heavy financial support from
the wealthy classes in the city Whlcn
has heretofore been his to command.
He, I think, would willingly submit II
he were able to do SO and if the Ameri-
can Government would reimburse him
for the sacrifice Of the high estate he
now enjoys. But he has two great big
snags to overcome before he may allow
the bark of his destiny to rest quietly
in the placid water of civil life. First,
as he now enjoys almost regal state,
he must overcome his own love of
luxury and Discrimination to do honest
work; secondly, he must devise some
plan whereby he can dismiss his brig
and following without losing his own
life through revenge for the disappoint-
ments that he has brought upon them
by making promises he has been unable
to fulfill-such as the sacking of Ma
Mia, for instance.
The influential Filipinos who reside
in the city and to whom Aguinaldo has
looked for the major part Of his f1nan-
cial backing, have come to the conclu-
sion that the benefits arising from a
stable form of government such as is
offered to them by the United States
are so far in excess of the precarious
{ctn hof hn q
man of the Aguinaldo caliber that they
have started a movement to attempt to
devise some proposition that will bring
the insurgents into the American fold
and under American authority without
the bloodshed which will ensue If the
issue is decided by the bola and the
bayonet. This movement is the first
evidence of sanity that these people
have exhibited since we landed at Ca
vite last July. 1t gives one such an
idea of the possibilities of the Filipino
character that one, at times, entertains
the hope that the future may see the
aborigine of LuZon developed into
something almost human.
While these pacific measures are pro-
crossing in Manila the people of Iloilo
are having a regular monkey-and-par-
rot time. That unfortunate city is in
a state of chaos. The insurgents are
besieging 1t on the outside while the
native population is rioting within the
walls. The Spanish garrison, worn out
by long and constant service, suffering
from wounds and sickness, lacking food
and medicines and utterly without hope
of succor from its own Government,
continue to fight with the desperation
born of the knowledge that a massacre
will follow CAPT -llation. Business is
entirely suspended. The stores are.
closed, residences are barricaded and
soldiers and civilians pray that there
may soon come to their relief those
same American troops which only a
few months ago they 50 affected to
despise. 1t is probable that few days
will see a couple or three regiments
sent down there to put things to rights
One would not know that this was
the same city we entered on August 13.
Then Manila was a perfect cesspool,
filled with the filth and refuse of ages
A fever and plague breeding spot, in
which corruption of every kind, start
ing in the cutters, spread throughout
the whole place, until there were none
so low but that they were infected and
none so high but that the faint of
moral, physical and official disease
could be traced in them.
To-day things are far different. The
streets have been cleaned, swept and
repaired until they present fairly de-
cent appearance; dishonest officials
have given place to those who can be
depended upon the rifle, revolver and
club have done much to discourage
murder, robbery, gambling and general
laWlessnesS.
In connection with these improve
ments l wish to mention the work
done by the Minnesota regiment, the
Municipal Board of Health and the
street cleaning department, all of which
are under the direction of and subject
to the orders of Brigadier General
Hughes, who fills the position of pro-
vost marshal general for the entire
city.
The Minnesota boys, when we first
entered the city, were given the task
of looking after it's policing, and they
have filled the bill to the limit, Incl
dentally filing the Coroners Office at
the same time. The native population
had conceived something nearly akin
to contempt for the American soldier,
not being able to disassociate kindness
and Justice from weakness and coward
Ice. AS soon as the boys got to work
they started in to convince them of
their mistake and have, imagine, sue
ceeded fairly well. To give an idea
of the methods employed 1 will relate
a little occurrence of yesterday morn
ing:
There is large market just at the
foot of the Colquante bridge, WHICH is
the rendezvous of rough gang. There
gambling is carried on, much in tho
same manner as it is in Chinatown at
home-behind closed doors. Yesterday
a Minnesota policeman, a mere boy,
hearing the chink of coin, started in to
investigate, and entering one of the
many shacks came upon a game rum
ming with forced draught. He or
dered the proprietor to close the place
and come with him; but the Filipino
instead of obeying made a grab for the
young fellow. The Filipino died right
then and there. Then the young fell
low turned loose on everything in sight.
A tremendous crowd gathered. Three
members of the California guard hur-
ried to the scene and waded through
the mob with butts and bayonet leav-
ing sore heads and bleeding TANKS to
mark their path. When they reached
the shack they found it filed with
smoke, through which they perceived
Filipino bodies lying where the wound
ed fell, while the Minnesota guard was
discovered sitting on a table and
munching an orange while waiting for
some one to come and clean up the de-
bris.
A few such instances have served in
great measure to teach the anarchy
loving Malay the error Of his ways.