Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-05-01
To Push His Operations in the
Islands.
POSSIBILITIES OF PEACE
Are Gratifying to a Majority Of the
ARM Who Would Like to
Return to America

MdIlIld, S'AO ~ A'
is the general expectation among Ameri-
cans that the Filipino emissaries will re-
turn with revised proposals from General
Antonio Luna, Major General Otis is not
letting this prospect interfere with his
preparations for pushing the war. He has
ordered Major General Lawton to return
to Patai. a few miles north of Norzagary,
and not to advance aggressively While the
negotiations are pending. General Mac
Arthur is apparently acting on the same
policy. but he is repairing bridges ana
strengthening the lines Of his force, which
is stretched out with q four-mile front to
within a quarter of a mile of the enemy.
The possibilities of peace are gratifying
to a great majority Of the army, who nave
regarded the wan as an unpleasant DUTY
that must be performed according TO
American traditions. Manila is cheer
full over the prospects of a return to
normal life, though there are skeptics
who remark that a truce would enable
the insurgents. to rest until the rainy
sason, uron which they have been de-
pending as important aid. The prisoners
report that there are $4,000 insurgents
north Of San Fernando. This is not i'm
possible, considering the thickly popu-
lated region which the Americans have
cleared. 1t seems also that smallpox is
spreading among them.
The so-called Filipino ongre will
meet at San Fernando tomorrow. When
Dean Worcester of the United states
Philippine commission. who accompanied
the Filipino emissaries from Calumplt,
said to Col. Manuel Arguelles that the
Americans We're under no obligations to
refrain from fighting, the Filipino officer
said: Would you fight while we are dis
cussing terms of peace?'
MIR. Worcester responded with the
suggestion that ar armistice would give
the Filipino leaders time to escape.
My God! Where would We escape TOP
the Filipino exclaimed, referring in this to
the menacing hostile tribes behind the
Filipino lines.
Col. Arguelles told the correspondent
of the Associated Press that he was
much disappointed in the results of his
mission. He said also that Aguinaldo eX-
pected Calumpit to be the cemetery of the
American army.
Lieut.. Col. Wallace of the First Mon
tana regiment. Major Adams and Major
Shields. who slept on Friday night in
General IAlna's camp, where they went to
inform the Filipinos that their ENJOYS
NcUIu IL III oIClS - tA& - AHPA'S
commander cordial, the Filipino troops
removing their hats as the Americans
passed. while the Filipinos complained to
them that the Americans used explosive
bullets, which is not the fact. The Ameri-
can officer retorted that the copper shells,
used by the Filipinos are worse thai ex-
plosive bullets. General Luna said he re-
GREETED being obliged to kill Americans
but that that was his business. General
Wheaton entertained Colonel Arguelles
and Lieut.. Jose Bernarl and provided
them with horses to return to their camp.
In the course Of the conference yester-
day Jacob E. Schurmann, president of the
American Philippine commission, told Ar
guelles that if the insurgents would lay
down their arms he and his collea CUES of
the commission would consult them re-
gardinG the plan Of the government to
be submitted to President Mckinley. He
said he could MOI promise that all their
suggestions would be adopted, but he
could assure them that there would be d.
presumption in favor of their suggestions,
adding that the commissioners would be
especially desirious of satisfying the legi-
innate aspirations of the Filipinps. When
Col. Arguelles protested that u~ncondition-
al surrender would be humiliating, Mr..
Schurmann replied: There would be no
humiliation liz Gen. Otis treating our
brother Filipinos as Gen. Grant treated
our Americans at Appomattox.
Mr.. Schurmann said today to the COR
respondent of the Associated Press: II
believe Col. Argue!ies is personally sim
cere and honest, though a no near
of ascertaining the sentiments n aims
of the authorities behind him. The Fill
ipino people, like other Asfatfc peoples,
nave no trust in mere words without force
behind them. but with force, / consider a
cOnciliatory spirit of the utmost import
ance. l believe when peace has been es-
tablished governing the Philippines will
not be a difficult matter. provided we
show them firmness, justice and kindli-
ness. At the present time they distruSt
and dislike us, but these sentiments, which
are, perhaps, not unnatural. will soon be
dispelled by the effects of the good gov
eminent we have promised them to estab-
fish here. 1T will be the foremost duty OF
American officials to understand and
sympathizt with the Filipinps them
selves"
Yesterday, before Gen. Otis had issued
the order directing Gen. Lawton to re-
turn to Angata, the troops of his COM
mand encountered the rebels in a circle
of Mills outside of San Rafael, about five
miles northwest of Angata, dislodging
them after am hours fighting. The
Americans had three wounded. A thous-
n armed F%ilirinos fell back as the
Americans advanced. The villagers met
Cen. LaWton, offering him provisions.
They dare not flee into t he mountain
country on the east because of the robber
tribes there, and on the west are the
troops of Gen. Macarthur.
Messrs. Carrick and Holmes, Ameri-
cans who had been running a sugar mill
at Calumpit, and whose fate had caused
some anxiety, lave sent word to Manila
that they are safe with Mr.. Higgins, man
ager of the acknowledgement railroad, at
Beyonbang,