The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1899-05-04
Wilmington Star.)

(WlAmln8tOn Star.)
We were told a short while ago
that when our troops captured Ma
lolos and the Filinino army scattered
and fled Northward. this was prac-
tically an end to the war. On the
heels of this capture the Philippine
commission, which seems to have
been awaiting what it considered the
opportune time, issued its proclama-
tion telling the Filipino fighters how
hopeless their contest with the United
States was, how it was foredoomed to
failure and how much better it
would be for them and all those dry
spots in those seas to accept the
inevitable, drop their weapons and 90
peacefully and quietly like we'll be-
haved people to their homes. 1t told
Of some if not all the good things
that would come to the islands under
the paternal care Of this country, but
prefaced the whole layout with the
positive declaration that the suprem-
acy of the United States must be es-
tablished throughout the Archipelago
This proclamation was translated
and published in several languages
spoken in the islands SO that no one
who can read would have decent ex-
cuse for not reading it. We were
assured that they were reading it,
very anxious to get copies of it, and
that it was making such favorable
impression upon them that the Fill
pino armies were disbanding and that
before long Aguinaldo wouldn't have
a respectable Corporal's guard to stay
by him.
But the fighting goes on all the
same and not a day passes that
parties of Filipinos do not attack our
soldiers, and the racket at night goes
! on pretty much as it used to around
Manila before the Filipinos were per-
suaded by our fellows with guns to
move further back. And following
right along on all this comes an
associated press dispatch which
quotes one of "the foremost American
Generals" as saying: 1--WE will see a
hundred thousand soldiers in the
Philippines before the Americans con-
troll the islands," and, the dispatch
adds, "a majority of the army are of
hiszopinion."
We have about $1,000 soldiers in
the island of Luzon now, the United
States flag has been flying over Ma
Mia for nine months, and since the
outbreak of hostilities with the ma
tives we have simply succeeded in
killing some of them and capturing
some towns, important only in so far
as they may become bases of future
operations. All this has cost a great
deal of money, more lives than were
lost in Cuba, while we have Cuba to
show for the lives lost there, but sub
stantially nothing in the Philippines.
We have captured towns, but no
armies. They simply move out of our
way when we make it too uncomfort-
able for them, and get ready to give
us another brush at the first OPP
portunity.
With all the encouraging reports
that have been received lately, there
is the stubborn fact that the Filipinos
are paying no attention to the procla'
nation issued by the commission
but are keeping a keen eye on the
movements of our armies, and man
age to keep close enough to our lines
to worry our soldiers and pick off a
few Of them occasionally. Some o
the organs are beginning to perceive
this and acknowledge that, in the
language of Gen. Otis, when he ad
vised against bringing the familie!
of officers to Manila, .'this war is nj
picnic" The St. Louis Globe Demo
crat, a vigorous supporter of the ad
ministration and of the expansion
policy, discourses thus:
1.-The Filipinos are standing thei
ground somewhat better than was ex
pected. This is, on the whole, for
tunate for the United States. BY
making a fight they will stand an ex
cellent chance of being killed OIL
captured and that is the only way il
which they can be dealt with in
telligently and satisfactorily. Il
would be better if the Americans hao
10000 or 5000 more men on hand il
the Philippines. This would insure
quicker and more thorough work il
stamping out the rebellion
Our esteemed contemporary evi
. IDENTIFY does not attach much impor
tance to the capture of towns, for i
had come to the conclusion that tn
only way the Filipinos can be dealt
with ''intelligently and satisfacto
rily'' is to '.kill or capture them, il
which brutal conclusion it. in ou
opinion, hits the nail on the head.
But isn't that bigger job thar
10000 or $4,000 more men on han'
/ could do? With the 81, 900 or NOR
men we now have there we have no
succeeded in capturing any army
Y although we have killed a good man
+ Filipinos; but as fast as we kill ther
l others pick up their guns and TAX
e their places. They have more me
: than guns, and their armies are nc
e captured, and cannot be with tn
e present force or even 10000 or II, 90
: more men, because they have tn
h., country behind them to fall back
y too closely pressed, country wher
e everybody sympathizes with them.
o Conquering a country as densel
c populated as the Philippines are is n
t easy task with moderate size
d army. even if the lay of the countr
e and the climate presented fewer oil
l. stacles to the rapid movement I
y armies. Speaking Of the density {
Il population, the following from tt
,f Washington correspondent Of ii
e same paper from which We quo
IF will give some idea of what job
1t will be to kill or capture enough
Of them to bring the rest into submit
al sion:
,e Americans can hardly realize he
of densely some of the new possessio
ne are peopled. Malolos is less tn
fropa Maa;la 4