The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-04-18
PURSUING PHILIPPINES
Insurgents Driven to the
Mountains.
QUESTION OF INDEPENDENCE

QUESTION Or INDEPENDENCE
The Commissioners Seeking the Views
Of Phflippfnos-The Latter Generally
Desire Local, But Not National Self.
Government-Heavy ExtortiOn by h
officials Of A.ufnaldo-Our Troops
Desired in Southern Provinces by the
Commercial Classes.
Manila, April 12.-General Wheaton
started at daylight with the Tenth
Pennsylvania and the Second Oregon
rebels from the American right flank,
between the railroad and the foothills.
He met with slight resistance near San
ia Maria, and had n man wounded;
but the enemy bolted when shelled by
the artillery and burned and abandon
ed the town Of Santa Maria, where
l 1000 rebels were supposed to nave been
congregated. During the rest Of the
day the enemy was in full retreat to-
ward the mountains, burning the viii
lagos behind the retreating force. Oc-
casionally a few Of the rebels dropped
to the rear and fired at the advanc-
ing American troops from the jungle,
apparently with the idea that this
would check our advance and cover the
retreat Of the Philippines; but, finding
these tactics Intellectual. these rebels
scrambled after the main bouy
The American guard along the rail-
roa has been materially strengthened
and it is not likely the rebels will sue
coed in getting in the future to as close
quarters as they did Yesterday, even if
they return from the mountains.
$50 p. m.-General Wheaton has tel
egraphed to Major General Otis say
ing: They would not wait to be
killed"
Genera Lawton is securing the vicin-
ity of Santa Cruz. He finds the rebels
have decamped. He has secured a gun
boat, six launches and two c~ascaoes,
comprising the Philippine fleet. These
vessels were stuck in the mud Of the
river.
Major General Otis has sent a dredge
to the spot.
OIllCo ololC IllpOil III
mission is hearing the leading residents
Of various ~nationalities, priests n
Spaniards, numbers Of them appearing
voluntarily, on the subject of the flu
ture of the islands. The questions put
to them all are:
do you believe the Philippines are
capable Of self-government in the
townships? In the provinces? In the
archipelago?.
All Of fhaca r1o hoxyo haar ;rforco
gated, including Philippines who SYM
pathize theoretically with independ-
ence, have replied to the third ques-
ton, with remarkable ~unanimity, in
the negative. Independence, they say,
would result in chaos, endless tribal
wars and European intervention. A few
of them think that provincial Self-gOv-
eminent is practicable, but most of
them favor self-government in the
townships, with a form of American
supervision, protecting the inhabitants
against the populations and extortions
which the experience with the Spanish
regime has led them to consider the
natural perquisites Of officialdom.
The commercial classes urge the
sending of detachments of American
troops, each numbering about 100 men,
to take possession of the towns in the
southern provinces and in the Visayas
islands, now held by small bands Of
Tagalos. They declare the natives find
the TagalO oppression worse than
SPANS oppression and that they will
welcome the Americans. The case Of
the inhabitants Of Gubat, in the prov
ince Of SorsOgon, is cited as a typical
instance. The Spanish taxes amounted
to SIS, 900, but the rebel TagalOs extort
$112,0 900 from the people of Gubat.
Aguinaldo's brother-in-law, the pro-
vincial governor, is said to be despoil-
ing the people numerically.
General Luna, who retired from the
command of the Philippine forces and
who was editing a newspaper at San
Francisco del Monte, his retirement
being due to the fact hat the Philip
pinos rebelled at his rigid discipline,
has been recalled to the command.
This is taken as showing that the rebel
army is only kept together by harsh
measures.
Washington, April 1.-THE following
cablegram has been received at the
war department:
Manila, April II.
"Adjutant General, Washington:
Yesterday in the lake region Law
ton pursued insurgents eastward from
Santa Cruz, dispensing them. Captur-
ed all the larger vessels used in the
lake trade and Spanish gunboats. He
is now endeavoring to pass them from
the river where concealed into the
lake. Wheaton drove enemy ten miles
to eastward Of railway line of commu-
nication with Malolos. Lawton's and
Wheaton's casualties few and slight,
as enemy made nc stand. Notified by
Spain that she will evacuate Mindora
and Polo soon The Relief has arrived;
all we'll. OTIS"
1t is more than likely that the word
Polo" in the above dispatch should
e "Jolo," which is the designation
sometimes given the Sulu group of
islands Spain has had a garrison at
Mindoro and Jolo and it is probable
that she is now ready to remove her
soldiers.
The Ian Street Railway C~onsaIida.