The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1899-05-04
PLEASES THEM
War Department Officials Craft
fed With the Reply of Gen.
eral Otis:
Not Possible for This Country to
Recognize the Filipino
Congress.
Believed Promises of Peace ard
Freedom Will Outweigh
Aguinaldo.
If Fighting Is Prolonged Many
Will Desert---The Dispatch
From Otis. =

WASHINGTON, May 1.-The war de-
partment officials are very much graft
fed with the tone of the reply of Gen
eral Otis to the Filipino delegation. 1t
is considered as COMFORTING with the
dignity of the United States. 1t would
not be possible for the United States to
recognize the existence of the Filipino
congress or Filipino government. 1t
is believed that when General Otis
reply is communicated to the Filipino
commanders that they will ask another
conference with the expectation of ar
ranging favorable terms of peace. 1t is
said at the war department that it is
not likely that any further concessions
than that of general amnesty will be
made. Peace and freedom, it is be-
lieved, will appeal more strongly to the
Filipino army than any argument Ag-
uinaldo and his officers may make.
Meanwhile it is the belief of the Off
Gals of the war department that if the
Filipino officials unduly protract the
negotiations, wholesale assertions Of
their men will occur. General Law
ton is expected to continue his move
ment toward joining forces with Mac
Arthur according to the original pro-
gram, as soon as his soldiers have re-
covered from the strain of their forced
march through the jungle, and this
junction probably will be effected
by Tuesday. If by that day the
insurgents have not laid down their
arms, the American forces at the front
will be strong enough to resume the
campaign with great vigor, and to press
forward along the line Of the railroad
northward even as far as San Fernan-
do, the latest capital Of the insurgents.
Everybody is praising the volunteers,
a marked change in the sentiment ex-
pressed few days ago when it was un-
derstood that the same men We're plead
ing to be brought home. Colonel Fun
ston came in for the most commenda-
ton, even the regular officers taking
note with admiration of the fact that
his achievements were all strictly
within the line of plans laid down for
him by his superior officer, General
Wheaton.
VI Medals for All Volunteers.
General Corbin said that every vol
unteer who participated in the fighting
in the Philippines since peace was de-
clared should have a medal of honor.
By the terms of their enlistments they
were entitled to withdraw from the
service, but they had remained volun-
tarily, performing more than was re-
quired of them, which was more than
the ordinary duty of soldier. It is ex-
pected that there will be further nego-
tiations with the insurgent representa-
tives at once. While the hope is ex-
pressed that our commission will not
hold out terms so severe as to lead to
renewal of the fighting or the with
drawal of the insurgents to another
stronghold further north, it is realized
that General Otis must exercise care to
make sure they do not, in bad faith,
take advantage of the opportunity af-
forded by suspension of hostilities to
secure whatever of benefit to themselves
may come from the rapidly approaching
rainy season.