The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-01-27
FOR THE CONFLICT
Philippines to Resist
American Rule
THIRTY THOUSAND MEN

Philippines Put Little Faith I'm Our
Friendly Protestatfons-Thfnk the
Appointment of the commission a
Ruse to Gain Time The London
Junta Uneasy at the Secret News Re.
eeiyed From Washington.
Hong Kong, January 24.-The mem
bers of the Philippine junta here have
issued the following statement:
1.-THE purchase by the American au-
thorities at Hong Kong of a number
Of steam launches for river work in the
Philippine islands is high-handed, un-
necessary and vexatious.
"Domiciliary visits throughout Ma
Mia are exasperating the Philippines.
Their suspicious are aroused by such
actions. The dispatch Of reinforce
ments is incompatible with peace, and
N{be appointment Of a commission is
only a pretext to gain time. The
AAmerican secret police is acting often
Nively toward the Philippines at Hong
Kong, who are British subjects.
THE Philippine congress at Malolos
has unanimously vetoed annexation"
Madrid. January PA dispatch from
Hong Kong tt The Reforma, of this
city says: A letter received from the
Philippine islands under date of jan
uary goth announces that the rupture
between the Philippines and the Amer
leans is an accomplished fact, and that
the lives of the Spaniards in the arch
ipelago are endangered.
The minister of war, General Cor
rea, received a cable dispatch today
from General Rios, the Spanish COM
mander in the Philippines, announcing
that the sick and manned civil and mil
itary prisoners were released by the
Philippines today. Nj general added
that he hoped the remainder of the
prisoners would be liberated shortly.
The Impartial today says "All the
intelligence from the Philippine islands
shows that the Americans recognize
their inability to overcome the insur-
gents in the island of Luzon and the
Vizcayas. The Philippines understand
that the Americans wish to %tyrannize
over them and exploit them as the
Spaniards never did. The Americans
lIIl6IlOcu ~ GAcIClSC IllCll pO"CL
ly at the important ports, but they are
already convinced that such a domina-
ton would not be efficacious. They
would be constantly fighting the ipsur-
gents and the latter would soon put an
end to the Americans, as the Philip
4 pinos have on their side not only bull
let's, but the climate and the enormous
. expenditure the situation will entail on
the Americans. This explains Wash
ington's desire to first get the treaty
of Paris voted and then open negOtia-
lions with the rebel chiefs, in order to
see if Aguinaldo and his colleagues will
consent, at least, to accept an Ameri-
can protectorate with self-government.'
Manila, January 20, via Hong Kong,
January 24.-The Independence today
a supplement, containing a dis
patch, supporting to come from Ma
lolos, the Saat of the rebel government.
1t comments Upon the appointment of
the commission and says: THE Philip
pinos naturally suspect this is a new
attempt to humbug. Both Dewey and
Spencer Pratt promised us lndepend-
ence if the Philippine republic was sta
BILE. The Philippines are disillusiOned
They believe the commission is a ruSe
to gain time until they have ccumu-
lated formidable%Orces, when America,
abusing her strength, will begin a war
to ratify her sovereignty"
The Independence then alleges hat
all the commissioners are p~artiSanS of
colonial expansion and incidentally as
serts that the archbishops also favor
annexation with the sole object of
gaining the sympathies of the winning
side"
The Philippines of Caloocan and Geg-
alenin, mistaking salutes exchanged be-
tween British and German warships on
January 18th, moved 5000 men to the
front in order of battle, covering the
adjacent country, but they did not at
lack the American lines.
Reports from the interior Indicate
that Aguinaldo's authority is o gen.
orally recognized. Every available
male is being recruited, and arms de-
pots are being established at San Ber-
anandino, Union, Trinidad and other
Dlarge towns: The surrounding country
4 is being levied on for supplies and thu
Philippine troops are living Ion the fal
of the land, while the native villagers
are compelled to subsist On rice.
There is some friction between the
Philippine civil and military authori-
ties, but they are united on the queS-
'tion of independence.
1t is ima that there are fully
80, 600 Philippines under arms, n it is
said there are nearly fifty Maxim gun:
at Malolos, some of them having beer
recently acquired. The PHILIPPINE mill
;tary authorities are convinced, they say
that the Americans will be unable t.
work effectively outside of Manila, il
the event of hostilities, hence they fee
confident of the future. Many of tn
Philippine officers complain of allege,
~discourteous treatment upon the par
of Americans at Manila.
London, January 24.-The Philippin,
junta here today received a cable mes
sage from Agoncillo, Aguinaldo's rep
~resentative at Washington, declarin:
that the prospects were improving
though the work was difficult.
The absence of direct news from Ma
Mia and the receipt of secret intelli
gence from Washington, is causing tn
gravest anxiety among the Philippine
here. The arrest of Philippines, b.
Major General Otis and the news tha
numbers of Philippines a fled is re
garded as a most serious occurrence
1t is pointed out by the Philippines tina
this is exactly what happened in 1S9
under General Blanco, when the Phil
ippinos, on the following day, attacke
the Spaniards and the revolution brok
out. The members of the Philippin
junta in this city say they are urgini
the Philippines mot to start hostili
= ties if there is the remotest possibilit