Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-11-09
CLOSING IN ON REBELS
Americans in Philippines Beginning
to Get the Filipinos in Close
Quarters.
Big Battle Expected at Bambam
Who're the Enemy is Strongly
Entrenched.
Election Results Relied on to Give
the Rebels Severe Set.
back.

the forces of Aguinaldo, which is now
beginning, will take place at Bamban,
on the Rio Paruao, little distance
from Mabalacat. 1t is known that
strong intrenchments have been built
on the north bank of this deep river
and the bridge has been broken down.
The town is on the railroad and in di-
rect line of Gen. MacArthurs advance
thur now occupies, having reached that
city yesterday.
The troops now occupying Mabalacat
are the Ninth, Twelfth and Thirty
ninth infantry. two troops of cavalry
and two platoons of artillery. The
Seventeenth infantry is stationed east
|of Mabalacat on the road to MagalaEg.
Gen. Macarthur is resting his troops
preparatory to an advance on the insur-
gents strong position at Bamban.
The insurgents have shown consider
able aggressiveness of late. A force of
800 yesterday attacked Gen. Young ear
'Cabanatuan, but they We're repulsed
three times, having renewed the attack
twice after the first one. Gen. Young
then advanced his troops TO occupy
Talavera, east of Tarlac.
Everything now seems in readiness
for carrying out the plan of driving the
insurgents out of the valley from the
gulf of Lingayen south to the present
line of the American forces. The situa-
ton here is now more hopeful than it
has been since the capture of the
Rio Grande bridge last April. All per-
sons here join in the hope that peace is
not far away.
In Manila predictions are freely made
that the organized army of the insnrg-
ents will be entirely disintegrated by
the general movement now beginning
and that Gems. Macarthur Lawton and
| Wheaton. by their operations on three
sides of the richest valley now held by
Aguinaldo, Will scatter the insurgents
to the hills as fugitives, without sup
plies and without hope for further or
gained resistance to the Americans.
The prime object of the present move
lment is to surround the insurgent
forces and by decisive fighting 10 de-.
stroy or capture them. Gems. Lawton
I and Wheaton, with their two lines
across the north end of the valley.
barring the mountain passes, will hold
bag while Gen. Macarthur Will drive
the insurgents into it from the south.
Ii the insurgents refuse to risk de-
cisive battle and pursue Fabian tactics
mo doubt they VIII escape to the noun
tain footpaths and by dividing into
small bands can easily evade the forces
|of Gems. Lawton and Wheaton.
there are two main avenues of es-
cape, one being along the great coast
road of the province of 1tocos ,Norte and
the other through two mountain passes.
/ Gems. Wheaton and Lawton will bar
these avenues, so that escape must be-
by less passable roads. over which the
heavy supplies of the Insurgents cannot
be taken. The policy of the Insurgents
of becoming amigos whenever they
4 get in tight place makes it improb-
| able that big capture of armed rebels
Will result from the expedition How
ever, the movement at least should eff
4 feet the capture of the insurgents sup
plies and the entire line of railway. as
4 We'll as of the fertile valley through
4 which it runs. This loss Will be a heavy
blow to the insurgents and will greatly
| weaken their cause
The number of armed men now under
the command of Agunaldo is no,
\ Known. At last reports Aguinaldo was
| at Tarlac, although the insurgent hos
pital and Aguinaldo's persona! effects
had been removed to Aritao and Bay
4 anlbang, some miles to the north in the
i province of Nueva Viscaya 1t is re-
ported that many foreigners, among
i them not only Spaniards Englishmer
! and Germans, but also deserters from
i The American army, are among the in
4 surgent officers.
The theory exists in Manila that tbs
4 present activity of the insurgents, as
shown by their attacks on the Ameri-
cans at Cabanatuan and elsewhere, is
4 due to the approaching session of con-
/ gress, where they hope for favorable
4 legislation in opposition TO the admin
istration policy Desperate fighting is
/ considered probable until it shall BIZ
shown that such legislation is out OF
4 the question in Washington. Pedro
Paterno, brother Of the president of tht
] Filipino congress and friendly with the
Americans, tells me that, in his opinion
/ the passage Of resolution by this
/ American congress to the effect that
no legislation regarding the Philippines
i shall be considered until the Insured
ton here shall have been overcome, vii
do more than anything else to dis
hearten the insurgents. The latter re-
ceive newspapers, letters and other doc
uments constantly from the United
States, which give them hope of indie
pendence. They look forward eagerly
to the convening of the new congress in
/ Washington. from which they expect
action favorable to the insurgent cause
Illustrative Of this sentiment it may
be mentioned that in a recent issue Of
the Indepencia, the lnsurgent newspa-
per, Bryan, Aguinaldo and Rizal are
spoken of as the three greatest cham.
pions of liberty in history, all of whom
are said to be fighting for freedom. FIJI
ipinos residing in Manila who are parti-
sans of Aguinaldo have made and are
sending to the Paris exposition life
sized busts of Aguinaldo and Rial
The arrival of a large American force
in Luzon and the fear of long and un.
interrupted aggressive campaign
against them, together with immediate
unfayorable action by the American
congress are the three elements which
in combination may totally disrupt Ag
uinaldo's cohesive organization and re
duce the isurreetion to a diminishing
guerrilla warfare. Senior Palermo think!
that the entire islands should be occu
pied as soon as possible and should bt
thoroughly garrisoned so as to keey
down rehaIlinr e1,ar1rv, l,arc. ,,xl ~ x.;,,.