The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-04-30
Tho KEEN AND SUBTLE
MANILA is DIVIDED BETWEEN
TWO OPINIONS.
ARE THE ENEMY SPARRING FOR TIME +?
Or Do They Really Desire Peace? They Admit
Defeat, Yet Are Unwilling to Accept Amer
ican Terms. Luna May Now
Make New Proposals.

Make New Proposals.
Manila. April 20, p. m.-The con
ference today between General Otis and
Colonel Manuel Argueleses and Lieuten-
eral Luna under a flag of truce yester-
day to ask for a cessation of hostilities,
was fruitless. 1t is understood that the
Filipino commissioners were given the
terms upon which the Americans will
consent to negotiate. The Filipinos ad-
nit that they have been defeated. and ii
is expected that they will return with
fresh proposals from General Luna.
6:2O p. m.-The enyoys from General
sLuna We're very Hospitality treated by
General Otis, who provided them with Il
house and with guard and permitted
them to visit friends here. Returning
TO the palace this morning the envoys
saw an Illustration of American re-
sources. A long train OF wagons and
pack mules was just starting with pro-
visions for General Lawton, who has
reached Marunco.
The conference at the palace lasted
three hours, Mr.. Jacob G. Schurna,n.
of the United States Philippine commits
sion, attending, and Admiral Dewey
dropping in for an hour.
The discussion was mostly between
lGeneral Otis and Colonel .Argueleges.
Mho had been selected for the mission
by General Luna because he had known
General Otis. say.
| Colonel Argucleses had served in the
Filipino committee which met the Amer
bcan authorities before the war in an
lendeavor to smooth over the impending
ltroubles.
Mr.. Schurman emerged from the pal
ace between the two shock haired, saw
age-looking natives, and drove unattend-
ed to the office of the United States
Philippine Commission, where they talk
ed informally for about an hour Ma
Mia is divided between two opinions. the
majority believing that the Filipinos
desire peace, while others think they
are sparring for time in which to rehabil
itate their demoraliZed army.
The latter opinion gained color from
the fact that reinforcemenrs have been
sent to the south, opposite the American
lines.
Colonel Argueleses. who Is a lawyer,
splendidly illustrated the Malay subtlety
ut words. While he declared with ap-
parent frankness that the Filipino
leaders wanted a chance to give Ip the
struggle gracefully, through the Con-
gress instead of silrFendering ignOmi-
nously, he asked for fortnight's armis-
tice so that the Congress might be
summoned on May 1st. He endeavored
to commit the Americans to greater
concessions and wanted terms guaran-
teed by treaty. He was told that recog-
nition Of the Filipino Government was
impossible, and he was given to under
stand that a written guarantee of am
nesty for all insurgents was the utmost
that could be given. Colonel Argue
leses argued that Spain had given simi-
Jar guarantees and broken them and he
laid much stress on the Spaniards' hon
or He persistently declared that the
Filipinos must he permitted to retire
with honor.
I'm conversation with Mr.. Schurman.
Colonel Argueleses revived the question
of independence and was referred to the
statement in the commissions procla-
nation that the Filipinos would be given
an increasing measure of self-govern-
ment as soon as they proved themselves
worthy of it. Mr.. Schurman warned
Argueleses that the longer the war was
waged and the more were killed, the
stronger would he the anilnosities him
dering an amicable cooperation between
the two peoples for the prosperity of
the islands.
The insurgents have an inslrrection
Oh their own hands. the Macabebees.
traditional foes of the TagaIs are rising
III the north, while the burden of thous-
aDds of hungry and discontented people
who fled before the American army and
who are camping behind the Filipino
lines, multiples the troubles of the Fill
pino Government, the headquarters of
which are now at San Isidro. They were
removed northward when Caumpt fell.
JUNTA CHARGES BAD FAITH.
London, April 29.-Members of the
Filipino .Dunta here made the statement
to the Associated Press correspondent
today that the peace negotiations be-
tween the United States authorities at
Manila and General Luna were unoffi
cial in character. General Luna. the
JuDta asserts, does not represent Agui-
naldo's government. 1t is further assert
ed by the Junta that secret negotiations
between Dean G. Worcester. of the
United States Philippine Commission
and a representative of Aguinaldo have