Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1899-05-25
END CONSIDERED near
Aguinaldo Will Probably Ac-
Cept the Inevitable.
PEACE COMMISSIONERS ON WAY
Hopelessness of the Struggle Is Apparent,
and 1t Is Likely the Insurgcnt Forces
win Soon Capitulate-The Opposing
Army Discouraged and Disgusted.

WASHINGTON, May 19.-The war
department officials are firmly con-
WINGED that the end of the insurrection
in the Philippines is at hand and that
the representatives of the insur gent
cabinet and of Aguinaldo. who are to
meet General Otis tomorrow, will sue
cumb to the inevitable and surrender.
Their forces, it is said at the depart
ment, are evidently so utterly demon
allied by the persistent advance Of
the Americans that they are ready to
accept peace at the best terms they
can obtain. Driven northward to the
foothills of the mountains as they
have been, their fleeing and scattered
forces, disintegrated and disheartened,
no longer can be made to face our
victorious advance.
Less than a week ago General Luna
was reported just north of San Fer
nando, where General Macarthur S
troops are concentrated and in the
neighborhood of Bacolor, with about
5000 rebels. General Otis reports that
the remnant of this force, about $500
twenty miles north of San Fernando.
1t is probable that the remainder of
this force moved east and joined the
main body of the insurgents.
If this is ruse to gain time, which
none of the officials at the war depart
ment believe, it will avail them
nothing, as the Americans will Utilize
the period during negotiations IN
accommodating the country ahead of
them preparatory to the resumption of
operations the minute the negotiations
fail.
The dispatch of two battalions Of the
Twenty-third infantry yesterday 10
Jolo, the principal town in the Sulu
archipelago, is the fourth military
expedition detached from the main
body of our troops at Manila. The
Sulu archipelago is group Of $50
small islands extending in the form
of crescent like the Aleutian islands,
south of the Philippines. There are
no insurgents as far as known in the
Sulu group. The population of the
islands consists Of aborigines, Chinese
traders and japanese.
There is no absolute information at
the war department concerning the
present strength of the American
forces under Macarthur, Lawton anu
Kobbe, which have been operating
against the insurgents north of Manila.
The number of men, If each organiza-
ton were up to its maximum strength,
would be $500, but it is doubtful If
their strength totals II 900 men. Mac
Arthur's troops, except one regiment,
are volunteers. All of HOBBIES men
are regulars, recently arrived. Three
Of the six regiments under Lawton are
also regulars. There is a radical dit
ference between the regular organiza-
lions. Losses in the former are per-
manent, while the gaps in the ranks
of the regulars are being constantly
filled by new recruits. 1t is estimated
that Macarthur now has about 4,5O0
men for active service, Lawton about
5000 and Kobbe 1900.
MANILA, May 19.-Philippine 1om-
mlssloners to confer with the Ameri
can commissioners regarding surren-
der arrived last night at San Isidro
and are coming to Manila today The
people of Manila are confident hat
the insurrection is ended.