Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-05-04


tween his commissioners and Gen
Otis Friday was fruitless and another
meeting will be held today. The
Filipino commissioners are Col. Man
ueI Arguelese and Lieut.. Jose Bernal,
chief of Gen. Luna's staff, who came to
Gen. MacArthur's lines under a flag of
truce and told Gen. Otis that they
were representatives of Gen. Luna,
who had been requested by Aguinaldo
to ask Gen. Otis for a cessation of hos
tilities in order to allow time for the
summoning of, the Filipino congress,
which body would decide whether the
people wanted peace Gen. Otis re-
piled that he did not recognize the ex-
istence of Filipino government.
The Filipino officers walked down
| the railroad track to the Kansas regi-
ment's outpost at 9 o'clock Friday
morning. The Kansas captain in COM
mand there escorted them to Gen.
Wheaton's headquarters, where they
were provided with horses and sent to
the headquarters of Gen. Macarthur.
The latter invited the Filipinos to sit
down at lunch with him, and con-
versed with them for some time He
refused, however, to speak authorita-
lively on the subject of their errand, re-
ferring all inquiries to Gen. Otis. The
Filipinos were then escorted by Maj.
Malloney Of Gen. MacArthur's staff to
Manila, reaching this place at
3 o'clock p. N. Gen. Otis aide, Lieut.
Sladen, was awaiting their arrival at
the depot with a carriage, in which
they were driven to the palace en-
trance. The Filipino officers attracted
much attention. They were dressed
in uniforms Of checked blue and white
ried no side arms. They were escorted
directly. to the Office of Gen. Otis.
Jacob G: Schurman, president of the
Philippine commission, ana Charles
DENLY, a member Of the commission,
soon Joined the party there. The news
of the arrival of Filipino officers under
flag Of truce spread through the city
rapidly and many officers gravitated to
the corridors of the palace, while
crowd Of natives gathered in the square
opposite the palace. At 5 o'clock the
two Filipino officers, escorted by Lieut..
Sladen and Maj. Malloney, left the
palace. They did not look at all elated
| as result Of their talk with Gen. Otis
and the members of the Philippine
commission.
Aguinaldo is evidently selecting the
army as a cloak for his congress, hop
ing by this subterfuge to overcome
Otis consistent policy of ignoring the
Filipino government The Filipinos'
argument is that it is impossible to
arrange an armistice without the sane
ton Of their congress. Otis punctured
this assumption by remarking that if
Aguinaldo could make war without
the consent of his congress,
he could stop it without ref
erence to that body. While the in
surgents are undoubtedly tired, their
war leaders are torn by dissentions.
There is a suspicion that it is hoped
| that by means of conference they
might ascertain what they could eX-
| pect. If they see anything to be gained
| by continuing the war, an armistice
would afford them an opportunity for
| recuperating their demoralized forces.
1t is an interesting commentary upon
! Aguinaldo's scheme that only so Of
the 300 members of the Filipino con-
| gTess have taken the oath of allegiance
! to their constitution.
A Filipino proclamation replying to
the proclamation OF the American
commissioners has been issued. 1t is
! signed by Madini, for the president,
and dated Caniasdro, April Is. 1t is
in the usual grandiose style, and de-
! clares Mckinley issued his proclama-
ton to force the American congress to
ratify the cession of the islands under
| the treaty of Paris. This is con-
tract of cession made with the Span
| iards after Spanish domination had
been ended by the valor OF our troops
the proclamation asserts. The procla-
nation complains that the Filipinos
were not represented at Paris during
the negotiations on the treaty, and
that they were without assurances of
the fulfllment of the American prom
Uses. It dilates upon the alleged An
| glo-Saxon hatred of the blacks, and
asserts the whites desire to enslave
them. Deploring the lack of foreign
aid in prosecuting the war, it con-
cludes: We stand alone. but we will
fight to the death. Coming genera
tons will pray over our graves. she'd
ding tears of gratitude for their free
DOM
Cablegram from Otis.
Washington, April 29.-Gen. Otis
telegraphed the war department yes
!, terday that the commanding general Of
the insurgents has received from the
insurgent government directions te
suspend hostilities pending negotia-
tons for the termination of the war