Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1899-05-04
PEACE PROSPECTS PLEASING.
All Parties in the Philippines Anx-
ious for the. End of the War
New Proposals EXPECTED.

with revised proposals from 1Sh. -Ah-
tcnio Luna, Maj.-Gen. Otis is not let
ting this prospect interfere with his
preparations for pushing the war. sat
urday he ordered Maj.-Gen. Lawton to
return to Angat, few miles north
west of NorZagaray, and not TO at
vance aggressively while the negotia-
items are pending. Gen. Macarthur Is
apparently acting on the same poll
cy, but he is repairing bridges and
strengthening the lines of his force,
which is stretched out with four-nule
trent and within a quarter of mile OF
the enemy.
Gratifying Possibility.
The possibilities of peace are graft
fying to a great majority of the army,
who have regarded the war as an un-
pleasant duty that must be performed
according to American traditions.
Manila is cheerful over the prospect
of return to normal life, though there
are skeptics who remark that a truce
would enable the insurgents to rest
until the rainy season, upon which
they have been depending as an inn
portant aid.
The prisoners report that there are
$4,000 refugees north of San Fernando
This is not impossible, considering the
thickly-settled populated region which
the Americans have cleared. 1t seems
also that smallpox is spreading among
them.
The so-called Filipino congress will
meet at San Fernando tomorrow.
The Filipino Dilemma.
When Dean c. Worcester, of the Unit.
CT States Philippines commission. who
accompanied the Filipino emissaries
from Calumpit. said to Col. Manuel
der no obligations to refrain from
fighting. the Filipino officer replied:
Would you fight while we are dis
cussing terms of peace"
Mr.. Worcester responded with the
suggestion that an armistice would
give the Filipino leaders time to es-
cape.
My God. where would we escape
top the Filipino exclaimed, referring
in this to the menacing hostile tribes
behind the Filipino lines.
Disappointed All Around.
Col Arguelles told the press CORE
spondent that he was much disap.
pointed in the results of his mission.
He said, also, that Aguinaido expected
Calumpit to be the cemetery of the
American army.
In the Filipino Camp.
Lieut.. Col Wallace, of the First Mon.
tana regiment, Maj. Adams and Maj.
Shields, who slept on Friday night in
Gen. Luna's camp, where they went
to inform the Filipinos that their en-
voys would return in safety, found the
Filipino commander cordial, the Fill
pine troops removing their hats as the
Americans passed. The Filipinos COM
planned to them that the Americans
used explosive bullets, which is not The
fact. The American officers retorted
that copper shells used by the Filipinos
are worse than explosive bullets Gen.
Luna said he regretted being obliged
to kill. Americans, but that was his
business.
Gen. Wheaton entertained Col. Ar
guelles and Lieut.. Jose Bernal, and
provided them with horses to return to
their camp.
Inducements TO surrender.
In the course of the conference Sat.
urday, Jacob C. Schurman, chairman
of the United States Philippines COM
mission, told Col. Arguelles that if the
insurgents would now lay down their
arms he and his colleagues of the COM
mission would consult them regarding
the plan of government to be submit
tee to President Mckinley. He said he
could not promise that all their sug
gestions would be adopted, but lie
could assure them that there would
be a presumption in favor of their sug-
gestions, adding that the commission
ers would be especially DESTROYS of sat
isfying the legitimate aspirations OF
the Filipinos.
No Humiliation Necessary.
When Col. Arguelles protested that
unconditional surrender would be hui
utilization, Mr.. Schurman replied:
There would be no humiliation in
Gen. Otis treating our brother Fill
pinos as Gen. Grant treated our broth
er Americans at Appomattox.'
Mr.. Schurman said to-day to the
press correspondent:
x
" sincere and honest, though l have
no means of ascertaining the senti-
ments and aims of the authorities be-
hind him. The Filipino people, like
othe- Asiatics, have no trust in mere
words, without force behind them, Dut,
with force, / consider a conciliatory
spirit of the utmost Importance.
How the FiIipinOs Must be Governed.
81 believe that when peace has been
estab lished, governing the Philippines
viii. not be difficult matter, provided
we show them firmness, justice and
At the present time they
distrust and dislike us, but these senti-
ments, which are perhaps not unI,at-
ural, will soon be dispelled by the eff
fects of the good government we have
promised to establish here. 1t will be
the foremost duty of American officials
to understand and sympathize with the
Filipinos themselves"
Fell Back Before the Americans.
Saturday, before Gen Otis had is
sued the order directing Gen. Lawton
to return to Angat, the troops of his
command encountered the rebels IN a
circle of hills outside San Rafael, about
five miles northwest of Angat, dislodg-
ing them after an hours fighting. The
Americans had three wounded. A
thousand armed Filipinos fell back as
the Americans advanced.
The villagers met Gen. Lawton, of.
fering him provisions. They dare not
fee into the mountain country at
least, because of the robber tribes
there.
Safe with Friends.