Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1899-05-13
FTIRTNOS' CONGRESS.
A Meeting Held and Strong Desire
for Peace Expressed.
The REBELS ATTACK San FERNANDO.
Gunboats Clearing tho Country Of Rebels
from the Hay Upward-Troops Can
not Come Home by Way of suex
Our Dead Soldiers.


not Come Home by Way of suez
Our Dead Soldiers.
Manila, May 1l.-Reports received
from the insurgent line which, how
ever, have not been confirmed, say that
q meeting of the Filipino congress has
been held ut San lsidro. There was no
quorum present, but, in spite of this
fact, some business was transacted.
The reports add that, although those
who attended were mostly partisans of
Aguinaldo, a strong desire for peace
was expressed.
Mai. Gen. Macarthur will probably
remain ut San Fernando until fresh
troops can be forwarded TO him from
this city to replace some of the volun-
teers who have become exhausted from
the long campaign. Filipino riaemen
to the number Of 5000 are intrenched
ON three sides Of Bacolor. The Ameri-
cans, however, are fully able to hold
the city If Mondays attack was speci-
men of the enemy's fighting ability.
The Filipino Gen. Mascardos' army,
inspired by wine taken from the store
houses of Bacolor and by the generals
oratory on Monday evening, attacked
San Fernando. There was tremendous
yelling and n great expenditure of car
tridges by the rebels, but very little re-
suit. Gen. Mascardo holds the out
skirts of Bacolor, west of the railroad.
In front of his positions are the Kan
sas and Montana regiments, which oc-
cupy trenches that the Filipinos built
in anticipation Of an attack from the
direction of the sea.
During the afternoon of Monday Gen.
Mascardo, with large retinue of Off
GERS, rode along the lines, frequently
stopping to harangue his warriors. At
dusk detachment of rebels rushed to-
ward the outposts of the Montana reg
iment, but they were met by hot fire
from the Montana regiment line. The
insurgents, from trenches nearly three
miles long, responded. After an hours
firing, during which one private soldier
of the Montana regiment was wounded,
the insurgents subsidized, although they
kept up a scattering fire throughout
the night. Prisoners who were
brought into the American lines said
that Gen. Mascardo distributed barrels
OF wine among his soldiers, telling
them that he expected to capture the
city of San Fernando. The trenches
undoubtedly saved the Americans from
heavy loss, the bullets falling thick
about them during the engagement.
Gen. Luna is massing his army east
Of the railway, bringing up troops by
train loads m sight of the American
lines. The country between San Fer
nando and Calumpit is filing up with
natives, who profess great friendship
toward the Americans, but who are
suspected by many of sympathy with
the instruction.
The army ''tinclad" gunboats Laguna
de Bay and Vavedonga, under COM
mand of Capt. Grant, steamed up the
Rio Gran e to Calumpit yesterday,
clearing the entire country Of rebels
from the bay upward. When the
vessels reached Macabebe about n
thousand Of the inhabitants Of the
place assembled upon the banks of the
river cheering the expedition Justify.
Capt. Grant was given an ovation when
he went ashore. Many of the Macabe-
bes expressed themselves as being
anxious to enter the service Of the
American navy for the campaign
against the Tagals.
CANNOT CONE HOME BY WAY OF sUEz.
Washington, May 1.-THE secretary
Of war has received earnest applications
from all the states west of the Missis-
sippi having volunteer troops in the
Philippines asking that these troops be
brought home to the United States by
way Of the Suez canal route instead Of
across the Pacific to San Francisco.
The applications cover every volunteer
organization in the Philippines and are
backed by the personal appeals OF the
representatives Of the various states
now in this city. Although he would
like to accommodate people in this
matter, Secretary Alger has been COM
PEELED to deny every one of these appli-
cations. The reasons given for the ac-
ton of the department are that 1t
would be inexpedient to take the troop
ships from their regular station on the
Pacific; that the Suez route Is much
longer and much more expensive, and
that the route Is regarded rs unsafe,
owing to climatic conditions at this
season of the year, especially for troops
which have undergone the fatigue and
hardships OF long campaign in the
Philippines.
DEAD soLDIEs TO he LEFT FOR AWHILE.
Washington, May 1.-THE secretary
Of war received q cable message from
Gen. Otis at Manila saying that 1t is in
advisable on account Of the sanitary
conditions to send to the United States
the bodies of any more of the troops
who lost their lives in the Philippines
until after the close of the rainy season.