The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1899-05-19
TO CONTINUE THE WAR.
Filipino Congress Decides to Keep Up
the Fighting.

Filipino Congress Decides to Keep Up
the Fighting.
London, May 16.-The Filipino junta
here has received the following mes
sage from Aguinaldo, cabled from
Hongkong under date Of May II:
"The Filipino government, in accord
ance with the general feeling of the
country, has decided to continue the
war at all costs until independence is
secured. The Filipinos energetically
refuse the American peace overtures,
based on restricted autonomy, coupled
with promises of subsequent self-gov-
eminent. The Filipinos demand a
strict fulfilment of the articles Of the
American constitution and treaties
contracted by the American represen-
tatives when imploring a Filipino al
lance in combating the Spaniards.
"All the Filipino generals support
Aguinaldo. Gen. Luna's reported over
lures for peace are untrue. Our army
is near Manila, simultaneously attack
ing the whole American line. The heat
and rains are causing many casualties
49, NiN @AihNi iNtih al AL blC nOo'
pitfalls are crowded with sick and
wounded. Four hundred of the Gin
cinnati regiment have been imprisoned
by Gen. Otis for insubordination in re-
fusing to fight. The regular troops
quartered in Manila and other towns
are quiet. The volunteers are abused
and are always at the front, with
scanty rations. The discomfort be-
tween the Americans and Europeans is
general.
Have Hopes In Conference.
Washington, May ia satisfactory
conclusion is expected by administra-
ton officials from the conferences
which will be held by the American
Philippine commission with the COM
mission which Aguinaldo proposes to
send to Manila. In a dispatch to the
war department Gen. Otis announced
that Aguinaldo had sent a messenger
to him expressing wish to send the
commission to arrange terms of
peace" The administration officials
express the opinion that this commits
sion will submit to President Schur-
man and his associates the answer of
Aguinaldo to the propositions made by
the American commission to Col. Ar
guelles, Aguinaldo's emissary, regard
ing the character of government which
would be given to the Filipinos, and
which Arguelles declared was salts
factory.
1t is probably apparent to the Fill
ipinos that there is nothing to be
gained by conducting negotiations for
the purpose of obtaining a temporary
cessation of hostilities. Gen. Otis will
not grant an armistice, and he has
shown that he does not propose to stop
fighting, no matter how many peace
emissaries Aguinaldo may send to Ma
Mia, unless they agree to uncondition-
ally surrender. In his dispatch Gen.
Otis shows, despite the fact that Agui-
naldo states his purpose to send a
commission to arrange peace, he is
making preparations to continue mil
itary operations.
1t is evident to the officials from this
dispatch that Gen. Otis has found it
necessary to change his plans. He has
been making preparations to attack
Bacolor, where 5000 insurgents are be-
lieved to be encamped, and it is pre-
sumed that the movements reported
today still have that point as the OBJ
jective. Gen. Lawton is making ex-
cellent progress in his northward
march, and the dispatch of Major
Kobbe with 1900 men up the Rio
Grande, supported by gunboats and
cascoes, is for the purpose of enabling
Gen. Lawton to cross the Rio Grande
without molestation by the enemy.
The plan apparently contemplates
the rapid swinging of Lawton to the
west, Gen. Macarthur to remain at San
Fernando, between the insurgents at
Bacolor and those at Mexico, and
Kobbe to take a station so as to pre-
vent them from crossing the Rio
Grande. Macarthur Is also needed at
his present point to protect communi-
cation with Manila.