New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-13
DRIVING REBELS INLAND.
GENERAL WHEATON CLEARING THE
AMERICAN RIGHT FLANK.
.r1Llp1yos RETREAT TO THE MoUNTAINs-IAw-
TON CAPTURES A FLEET-THE COM

TON CAPTURES FLEET-THE COM
MISSIONS WORK
Manila. April Il, 6:10 p. m.--General Wheaton
.,arted at daylight with the 10th Pennsylvania
and I'd oregon regiments and two guns to
sr1ve the rebels from the American right flank,
between the railroad and the foothills He met
with slight resistance near Santa Maria and
had one man wounded. But the enemy bolted
vhen shelled by the artillery. and burned and
abandoned the town OF Santa Maria where
thousand rebels were reported TO have been
concentrated During the rest of the day the
enemy was in full retreat toward the noun
tains burning the villages behind the retreat
ing forces. Occasionally few Of the rebels
dropped TO the rear and fired at the advancing
American troops from the jungle. apparently
with the idea that this would check the advance
and cover the retreat Of the Filipinos. but,
ending these tactics Intellectual, these rebels
scrambled after the main body.
The American guard along the railroad has
been materially strengthened. and it is not like
~ the rebels will succeed in getting In the
future to "a close quarters as they did yester-
day, even If they return from the mountains
General Wheaton has telegraphed TO Major
General Otis. saying:
.eThey would not wait TO be killed"
General Lawton is securing the vicinity Of
Santa Cruz He finds the rebels have fed. He
has secured a gunboat six launches and two
cascoes comprising the Filipino fleet. These
vessels were stuck IN the mud of the river.
Maior-General Otis has sent a dredge TO the
spot.
The United States Philippine Commission Is
hearing the leading residents of various ma
,ionalities. priests and Spaniards. numbers Of
them appearing voluntarily. on the subject of
the future Of the islands. The questions put TO
all are these:
DO YOU believe the Filipinos are capable or
self-government in the townships?
Do you believe the Fflipinos are capable or
sef-eOvernment in the provinces?
Do YOU believe the Fflipinos are capable OF
self gov eminent in the archipelago!
All NJ those who have been interrogated. in
cluding Fipinos who sympathize theoretically
with independence have replied TO the third
question with remarkable unanimity in the
negative. independence. they say. would re-
suit in chaos, endless tribal wars and European
intervention A few Of them think that pro-
vincal self government is practicable but most
OF them favor self-government In the town.
shjps with a form of American supervision
protecting the inhabitants against the pecula-
tions and extortions which their experience with
the Spanish regime has led me 10 consider the
natural perquisites Of offcialdom
The commercial Glasses uIst inc SeHuiH6 VI
attachments OF American troops, each number
ing about one hundred men, to take possession
o. the towns in the southern provinces and IN
the Visayas Islands, now held by small bands
Of Tagalos They declare the natives find the
, Tagalog oppression worse than Spanish oppres-
sion. and that they will welcome the Americans
The case Of the inhabitants Of Gubat. in the
Province of Sorsogon. is cited as typical in
stance The Spanish taxes amounted TO $4,000.
but the rebel Tagalos extort $1,000 from the
people Of Gubat.
Agunaldo's brothcr-in-law, the Provincial
Governor. is said TO be despoiling the people un-
Inercifuly.
General Luna who retired from the command
of the Filipino forces, and who editing
newspaper at San Francisco del Monte his retire
rnent being due TO the fact that the Filipinos
rebeIIed at his rigid discipline, has been recalled
10 the command. This is taken as showing
that the rebel army is only kept together by
harsh measures