The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-05-09
A WEEK IN THE PHILIPPINES

The conference between Gen. OSis
and Representatives of Gen. Lima, Of
the FIEipinos, referred to in last weeks
Progressive Farmer. was fruitless.
Col. Arguelles, who is a lawyer,
splendidly illustrated the Malay subj
Lefty at words. While he declared
with apparent frankness that the
Filipino leaders wanted a chance to
give up the struggle gracefully, through
the Congress instead of surrende ring
ignominiously, he asked for a fort
nights armistice so that the Congress
might be summoned. He underworld
to commit the Americans to greater
concessions and wanted terms guaran
teed by treaty. He was told that recog-
milton 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. Col. Arguelles
argued that Spain had given similar
guarantees and broken them and he
laid much stress on the Spaniards'
honor. He persistently declared that
the FIlipinos must be permitted to re
tire with honor.
Lieut.. Gilmore, whose capture we
announced two weeks ago, is safe, as
the following dispatch shows:
MANILA, May 8,
"Adjutant General, Washington:
List of prisoners in the hands of
the insurgents just received shows
Lieut. Gilmore and seven enlisted men
(navy) lost from Yorktown, and six en-
listed men army, three of the six
Wrongtully arrested in January before
hostilities commenced, all reported to
be doing we'll. Besides the above,
men in hands Of insurgents, South and
Captain Rockefeller, still unaccounted
for. (Signed) "OTIs"
On May Pad, Maj. Manuel Arguelles
and Lieut.. jose B9rnal, Of the staff of
Ian. Antonio Lima, returned to Manila
again to renew and press the request
Of Gan. Luna for a cessation of hostili
ties. The proposals which they had to
submit differed but slightly from those
which they bought from the Filipino
commander in the first place. They
desired a little time in which to sum
mon Congress, and expressed them
selves as being confident that the Con
gress will decree peace, because the
people desire it. They represent that
Aguinaldo is without power to sur
render the arms, and that Congress
must!,decide that question. Incidentally
the Filipino ENJOYS asserted that
Aguinaldo had not yet made a fair test
of his strength against the American
forces, because only one third of his
army had been assembled together.
This conference, as the other, ter
minated without any definite results.
LATER The Filipino ENJOYS finally
admitted that they cams direct from
Aguinaldo, and not from Luna, only,
as they first announced. During the
latter part of the week our forces cap.
tured three towns, Filipino strong
holds, after stubborn resistance . The
Americans have, it is said. captured
Is, 900 of the insurgent soldiers whom
they now hold as prisoners.
Gen. L9wton reports capture Of $50,
900 bushels of rice and 265 tons sugar
at Balusg. The value Of the subsist
enc9 captured at Malolos is 81, 500. 600.
There are 2 600 Spanish prisoners in
the hands of the Filipinos at San Mi.
guel. They are served with 5 cents
worth of rice daily, and are compelled
to work hard on the rebel defences.
It is believed in administration Cir
cles that as o o as Aguinaldo is con
WINGED of the sincerity Of the Ameri
can government, he will agree to sur
render. He will be required, however,
to lay down his arms. This will be the
principal condition, and until an agree
ment on this point is reached the nego
tiations will not make any progress
toward a conclusion.
On Saturday 65h, Gan. Lawton cap.
tured Baling, driving 2, 600 rebels from
their trenches there.
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