Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-05-18
FILIPIyOS CONGRESS.
4 Meeting Held and Strong Desire
for Peace Expressed.
The REBELS ATTACK san FERNANDO.
Gunb0ats Clearing the Country Of Rebels
from the Bay Upward Troops Cam
not Come Home by Way of Suez
dur Dead Soldiers.

| ''''' wv iiipui S'bl lliit nIltl, HOW
ever, have not been confirmed, say that
a meeting of the Filipino congress has
been held at San lsidro. There was nc
quorum present, but, in spite of this
fact, some business was transacted.
The reports add that, although those
who attended were mostly partsans OF
Aguinaldo, strong desire for peace
was expressed.
| Maj. Gen. Macarthur will probably
remain at San Fernando until fresh
troops can be forwarded to him from
this city to replace some of the volun-
teers who have become exhausted from
the long campaign. Filipino rihemen
TO the number Of 5000 are intrenched
on three sides Of Bacolor The Ameri-
cans, however, are fully able to hold
the city if Mondays attack was speci-
men Of the cnemy's fighting ability.
The Filipino Gen, Mascardos' army,
inspired by wine taken from the store
houses of Bacolor and by the generals
oratorY on Monday evening, attacked
San Fernando. There was tremendous
| yelling and great expenditure of car
tridees by the rebels but very little re-
suit. Cen Mascardo holds the out
skirts Of Bacolor, west Of the railroad.
In front of his positions are the Kan
sas and Montana regiments, which oc-
cupy trenches that the l'ilipinos built
in anticipation Of an attack from the
direction of the sea,
During the afternoon of Monday Gen.
Mascardo, with large retnue of Off
GERS, rode along the lines, frequently
stopping TO harangue his warriors. At
dusk detachment Of rebels rushed to-
ward the outposts of the Montana reg
lment, but they were met by hot fire
from the Montana regiment line. The
Insurgents, from trenches nearly three
miles long, responded, After an hours
firing, during which one private soldier
OF the Montana regiment was wounded,
the insurgents subsidized, although they |
kept up scattering fire throughout
the night. Prisoners who were
brought into the American lines said
that Gen. Mascardo distributed barrels
of wine among his soldiers, telling
them that he expected to capture the
city of San Fernando, The trenches
undoubtedly saved the Americans from
heavy loss, the bullets falling thick
about them during the engagement.
ten. Luna is massing his army east
of the railway, bringing up troops by
train loads in sight of the American
lines The country between San Fer.
nando and Calumpit is filling up with
natives, who profess great friendship
toward the Americans but who are
suspected by many of sympathy with
the instruction.
The army ''tinclad" gunboats Laguna
de Bay and Vavedonga, under COM
mand of Capt. Grant, steamed up the
Rio Grande to Calumpit yesterday,
the entire country of rebels
from the bay upward. When the
vessels reached Macabebe about "A
thousand Of the inhabitants of the
place assembled upon the banks Of the
river cheering the expedition Justify.
Capt. Grant was given an ovation when
he went ashore. Many of the Macabe-
bes expressed themselves as being
anxious to enter the service of the
American navy for the campaign
against the Tagals
CANNOT CONE HOME BY WAY OF suEz.
Washington May 1.-THE secretary
1t war has received earnest applications
rom all the states west of the Missis-
'ippi having volunteer troops in the
asking that these troops be
brought home to the United States by
way OF the Suez canal route instead of
leross the Pacific to San Francisco.
The applications cover every volunteer
organization in the Philippines and are
lacked by the personal appeals of the
OF the various states
low in this city. Although he would
ike to accommodate people in this
natter, Secretary Algcr has been COM
'elled to deny every one of these appli-
ations, The reasons given for the ac-
ion of the department are that it
would be ineSpedient to take the troop
hips from their regular station on the
'aciiic; that the Sucz route is much
ongcr and much more expensive, and
hat the route is regarded as unsafe,
wing to climatic conditions at this !
eason of the year, especially for troops
'hich have undergone the fatigue and
ardships of long campaign in the /
!
'rAp soIDIEs 10 BE LEFT FOR AWHILE. ,
Washington, May 1.-THE secretary [
I war received a cable message from I
len, Otis at Manila saying that it is in
dvisable on account of the sanitary
to send to the United States -,
he bodies of any more of the troops ,
Tho lost their lives in the Philippines !
ntil after the close of the rainy season. d,
Harrisburg, Pa, May lS.-The eques. !
rlan statue of Maj Gen. John +. Hart !
anft in Capitol park was unveiled
his afternoon in the presence of many
eople. The exercises were followed
y parade, in which the survivors of
L., ulai.l Ii..i.-,.... II IL N..Il. - |