The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-06

herewith, gives so lucid and comprehen-
sive history of the present Instruction
airy movement that the story need not be
here repeated. 1t is enough to say that
the claim of the rebel leader that he was
promised independence by any officer of
the United States in return for his assist
ance, has no foundation in fact, and it Is
categorically denied by the very witnesses
who were called to prove it, The most
the insurgent leader hoped for when he
came back to Manila was the liberation
of the Islands from the Spanish control
which they had been laboring for years
without success to throw off. The prompt
accomplishment of this work by the
american army and navy gave him other
ideas and ambitions, and instdious sug-
gestions from various quarters perverted
the purposes and intentions with which
ne mao taken up arms. No sooner had our
army captured Manila than the Filipino
forces began to assume an attitude of
suspicion and hostility which the utmost
efforts of our officers and troops We're I'M
able to disarm or modify. Their kindness
and forbearance were taken as proof of
cowardice. The aggressions of the Fill
pinos continually increased, until finally,
just before the time set by the senate of
atty, at attack, evidently prepared in
advance, was made all along the Ameri-
can lines, which resulted in a terribly de-
structive and sanguinary repulse of the
insurgents.
PROPOSED MASSACRE FAILED.
Ten days later an order of the insur-
gent government was issued to its ad-
herents who had remained in Manila, of
which Gen. Otis justly observes that 'for
ern times. 1t directs that at o'clock on
the night of the 18th of February the
territorial militia shall come together
In the. streets Of San Pedro armed with
| cr1Tfo ID fr,..
| where convenient; that Filipino families
| only shall be respected but that all other
| individuals, of whatever race they may
| be, shall be eXterminated without any
compassion, after the determination of
I the army of occupation, and adds.
Brothers, we must avenge ourselves on
| the Americans and exterminate them,
| that we may take our revenge for the in
! famies and treacheries which they have
| committed upon us. Have no compass
sion upon them; attack with vigor" A
| copy OF this fell by good fortune into the
| hands of our officers, and they were able
| to take measures to control the rising,
which was actually attempted on the
| night of Feb % week later than was
| originally contemplated. Considera BILE
| numbers of armed insurgents entered the
! city by waterways and swamps, and in
| concert with cOnfederates inside attempt
| ed to destroy Manila by fire. They were
/ kept in check during the night and the
next day driven out of the city with
! heavy loss.
/ REBELLION MUST BE PUT DOWN.
This was the unhappy condition of at
! fairs which confronted our commissioners
! on their, arrival in Manila. They had
| come with the hope and intention of CO.
! operating with Admiral Dewey and Major
| General Otis in establishing peace and
order in the archipelago and the largest
measure of self-goYernment COMPATIBLE
with the true welfare of the people, What
! they actually found can best be set forth
! in their own words:
| "Deplorable as war is, the one in which
| we are now engaged was unavoidable by
us. We were attacked by a bold adj
! Venturous and enthusiastic army No
| alternative was left to us except ignomi-
! NOUS retreat.
| 1T is not to be conceived of that any
American would have sanctioned the sur
! render of Manila to the insurgents Our
! obligations to other nations and TO the
! friendly Filipinos and to ourselves and
! our flag demanded that force should he
met by force. Whatever the future ot
the Phllippines may be, there is no course
open TO us now except the prosecution
| OF the war until the insurgents are re-
! duced to submission. The commission is
OF the opinion that there has been nc
| time since the destruction of the Spanish
! squadron by Admiral Dewey when il
! was possible to withdraw our forces from
! the Islands either with honor to our.
selves or with safety TO the inhabitants u
ARMY DOING ITS WORK WELL.
The course thus clearly indicated has
tbeen unfiinchingly pursued. The rebel.
! lion must be put down Civil government
can not be thoroughly established unfi;
order is restored. With a devotion and
| gallantry worthy of its most brilliant
history, the army, ably and Loyalty as.
| sisted by the navy, has carried on this
unWelcome but most righteous campaign
| with richly deserved success. The noble
seif-sacrihce with which our soldiers and
| sailors whose terms of service had ex.
pired refused to avail themselves of theil
! right to return home as long as They
| were needed at the front forms one Of
the brightest pages in our annals Al.
though their operations have been some.
what interrupted and checked by a rainy
| season of unusual violence and duration
they nave gained ground steadily in every
dlrecton, ana now look forward conf.
IDENTIFY to speedy completion OF their
| task.
CIVIL RULE IN NEGROS.
The unfavorable circumstances connect.
| ed with an active campaign have moi
| been permitted to interfere with the
equally important work of reconstruction
| Again invite your affection to the report
| of the commissioners for the interesting
and encouraging details of the work a /.
ready accomplished in the establishment
of peace and order and the inaugura tior
of self-governing municipal life in MANI
portions of the archipelago. A notable
beginning has been made in the estab.
lishment of a government in the Island
! of Negros which is deserving of specia
! consideration. This was the first island
to accept American sovereignty It's PEG
pie unreservedly proclaimed allegiance tc
| the United States and adopted a consti
! tuition looking tc the establishment of 4
! popular government 1t was impossible
| to guarantee to the people of Negroes thai
the constitution so adopted should be tbs
ultimate form Of government. Such e
| question under the treaty with Spain anC
| in accordance with our own constitution
| and laws, came exclusively within the
Jurisdiction of congress. The government
! actually set up by the inhabitants OF
! Negros eventually proved unsatisfactory
to the natives themselves. A new sys.
TEN was put into force by order of the
| major general commanding the depart.
ment, OF which the following are the
most important elements:
MILITARY AT THE HEAD.
1t was ordered that the government OF
! the Island of Negroes should consist of a
4 military governor appointed by the
| United States military governor of the
Philippines, and civil governor and an