The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-02-07
AWFUL SLAUGHTER
OF THE FlLlPlN0S
concluded from Page u

at the weakest part VI Nh' Ni'I'-'
lines. If this opinion is well founded
it would seem To be possible that the
navy view Is correct and that The Fill
rinos have now begun action at thelr
strongest point, namely, between Ma
ma and Malolos, the insurgent calh-
tai, Is miles distant from Manila
When the news came this morning
that another despatch had been re-
cetved from General Otis it was await
ed with the greatest interest 1t
turned out, however, to be the usual
periodical sickness and casualty re-
port The interesting part about 1t is
the disclosure of the death rate among
the American troops from small pox of
one man per day for the past zine
days.
No INTERFERENCE.
Secretary Algcr was at the White
House this afternoon with the presi.
dent when the dispatch was received
from General Otis giving a list of cas-
ualtics at The engagements yesterday
and Saturday night Mr.. Alger said
that. contrary t. the statements made
u som, of the newspapers this morn
nE. h' had not sent General Otis a
Nrh Of instruction us to what he
"H.uE lo. Tie is on the ground" said
rb. secretary. and 1t would he folly
Or us here to undertake to direct his
movements. Many battles have been
iJ-J hv such unwise interference, and
"" shall leave the matter to his and
Admiral DeWey's judgment. We have
confidence in their discretion"
Their has been a renewed activity in
l.,
yr tn outbreak in the Philippines, 1t
was SlId in the commiesary general :
office today that the troops in the Phil
ippinrs have supplies already on hand
or about cn route to last them till about
the first Of June. The aim of the de-
lurmcnt is To keep the supplies about
,hrc" months ahead at all distant sta
tiuus, So that there is nothing in the
present situation to disturb the regular
routine
7, is matter Of some regret to the
war deDartmcnt that there is no COM
munication latween Manila and IlOilu
hE cable Naval officers who are i'm
close touch with tha situation say that
the dispatch of the Boston to relieve
the Baltimore is not an indication that
all is quiet at Manila. but that the ad.
uiral probably would want the Balti-
more at the point of activity because
of her superior shelling ability. The
run from Manila to 1loilo is $50 miles
S. that it viii talS almost week for
the vessels to exchange stations.
STRICT NEUTRALITY.
In Diplomatic quarters the view pre-
walls that all foreign governments will
maintain strict neutrality i'm case of an
insurrectiou in the Philippines, but
that no informal proclamations of neu-
trality will be issued, as these would
he an indirect recognition of the Fill
pnos as belligerents.
This is the opinion among British
German and French Diplomatic offic.
ials and it is i'm accordance with gen.
rral custom
The several foreign offices had not W
10 noon today communicated with their
representative in Washington and ii is
hardly expected that there will be need
for action through these officials unless
III" foreign colonies at Manila are il
danger. The position of the foreign
powers Is looked upon as analogous L
that of the United states during Spain
trouble with The Cuban insurgents. 4
the time the United States preserved
neutrality without a formal law reCOg
niaing the TWO contestants as bclliger'
onts, and at the same time all the re
sources Of the government were useC
to prevent the fitting out of tilibuster
ing expeditions and the shipping o
arms e. the insurgents. This is locke,
upon in diplomatic quarters as the cor
rect procedure and the opinion is gen
oral that It win be the line of action
of foreign governments toward the up
rising i'm the Philippines. The proXim
ity of the archiuelago to various larg
shipping uOTtS will require CargOes L
be closely scrutini2ed.
\ diplomatic official stated today tha
the Warshipa of Great Britain, Ger
many ana France, now in Asiatic wat
"rs, as we'll as the consuls Of tho
countries would undoubtedly be cha rg
cd with the duty of seeing that flibus
t"ring cargoes and expeditions wer
not fitted out at the nearby ports.
CASE WITHOUT PARALLEL.
The status of the uprising is looke
upon as very anomalous and almos
without parallel, owing to the dnub
as to who exercises sovereignty. On
eminent diplomat stated that the Unit
I'd States has "a ue facto police author
ity over Manila. but the de jure all
thurity would be incomplete until tn
rnace treaty was ratified This, il
aid, brought in question whether tn
uprising was in the nature of an II,
direction, which is against the so ID
nrCign authority.
I'm another diplomatic quarter N
r"int was made that skirmish, eve
with the killing of men, did not constI
'ute an nsurrectiOn. The latter. it
said involves the elements of premed
it1ted action to resist the constitute
authorities, while the reports as to I'll
Manila outbreak was taken to indlcat
hat this was "A clash between ti
advance lines Of our forces and II
insurgents, rather than the formal i,
termination If Aguinaldo and his f.
lowers to begin a forciDle resistanC
tr the American forces.
The reports that the Insurgents ha
occurred arms from German firms wit
The cognizauce of German officials,
very emphatically repudiated by tho
diplomatic officials most vonVersal
Nth the matter. 1t is said that If ar
such information was held by this go,
"rnment 1t would doubtless be the bas
for protest to Germany and n reque
for an explanation But no such pr
test has been made, ana the repor
cause much annoyance to those vi
maintain that Germany has scrup
!pusly maintained her good faith to Il
tnited States and win continue TO
SO.
BEWILDERED JUNTA.
The Filiplno junta here Is in sta
80 bcwilderment today SenOr Ago