The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-03-29
War In the Philippines May Last
For Years.
FILIPNOS ARE FIGHTERS
WELL ARMED AND RECKLESS
OF CONSEQUENCES.
Topography of the Country Extreme
ly Favorable to the Insurgents
Will Not Stop Fighting Even
Though Dispersed - Magnificent
Record of Our Volunteers.

Chicago, March 2S.-G. P. H Farrell,
captain and assistant surgeon of the
First California volunteers, is in Chi
cago His regiment was the first to
reach Manila last June, and the cap
tain was in the island of Luzon con-
tinuously until the last week of jan
uary, two months ago. He had I'M
usual opportunities to study the con-
ditions in the island, as he was Sc
lected last October TO make a tour of
investigation extending from Manila to
Dagupan. He speaks Spanish fluently,
and for that reason was chosen to
carry on many of the negotiations with
Aguinaldo. He has traversed the coun-
try where the American troops are
now fighting, and in speaking of that
locality he said:
1.-THE railway line extends up the
middle of the valley along which our
troops have been advancing. The
country in which recent operations have
taken place is very fat and is simply
a succession of rice fields. Between
this valley and the sea is low range
of hills. and on the other hand is the
coast range of mountains, perhaps
5000 or 5000 feet high. The rice fields
are quite small and are separated by
bikes so that they can be flooded. 1t
is an excellent country for defensive
operations. LIE udllh6S Cdu uSe lne
bikes for trenches, retreating from one
10 another, and then, in abandoning a
position. they can flood the fields and
thus hinder the advance Of our men
7 have not seen it mentioned in the
dispatches, but have no doubt many
of these fields have been flooded"
What do you believe viii be the eff
feet Of the present campaign
There will be several pitched bat
ties. and then Aguinaldo's army will
- be dispersed, but the American army
in the Philippines will have to contend
with guerrilla warfare for several
years to come. The natives will not
submit, even if the main body of the
army is demolished and scattered. Still,
do not think the prospect is one that
should be alarming or distressing. Our
army will have an experience in the
Philippines which will be exceedingly
valuable and make it all the more eff
fective in the future"
How did you happen to make trip
through the island?''
1T was found advisable to ascertain
what the natives in the interior We're
doing, and what seemed to be their at
titude toward the Americans. The
American officers in uniform who had
attempted to traverse this part OF the
country had been arrested and sent
back. so / Travelled as a civilian. That
was late in October. AS l am of Eng
lish birth. I allowed the natives TO be-
lieve that 1 was an Englishman- In
addition to that, I spoke Spanish, and
found little difficulty in getting along,
although l was continually stopped and
questioned. At every town the soldiers
demanded Of me a pass from Asuinal-
do. The fact that his name was men
toned everywhere, showing that he
was regarded as their leader, gave ane
81 !, in tine island
l went the entire length of the railway
line to Dagupan on the entire coast
and everywhere l found the natives
ar9ming themselves and drilling con-
stantly The one topic of conversation
was the coming fight with the Amerl-
cans. They seemed to regard 1t as IN
eVitable, and were not disposed TO avoid
it. Even the little boys were march
ing up the streets and being drilled.
and l never saw more military enthu-
slasm in any country. OF course, the
drilling was very awkward and the
discipline was poor, but the soluieTs
were intensely in earnest, and enthu-
siastic everywhere, and the fact that
the new arms were being shipped in
and distributed showed that some we'll
defined policy of preparation was be-
ing put into effect
How did the natives get these i'm
proved aTms?'
They were shipped in during all last
summer and autumn. AS soon as
Aguinaldo established his government,
he began to levy taxes in every village
and demand tribute from the wealthy
residents in and around Manila and
great deal of this money was immedi-
ately expended for arms and ammuni-
ton At Malolos I saw MaXims and
Gatlines. There are enough Spanish
artillerymen among the insurgents 10
handle these guns in an effective man.
ner. 1t is evident also that the natives
have competent engineers with them,
Tor their trenches have been we'll con-
structed and Sc arranged that soldiers
can retreat from one to another with
out putting themselves in range.
You met AgGinaldo often?"
For q time ! met him two or three
times a day. He impressed me as
very shrewd leader He was exceeding
~ suspicious Of the Americans and
found the greatest difficulty in getting
any information ont of him. At every
interview he had one Of his native Off
GERS with him