Abilene weekly reflector., 1899-04-20
FILIPINO CAMPAIGN.
Gen. Lawton's Com mand Captures
Pagsajan and Lumbar.
FILIPINOS BEFORE OUR COMMISSION.
4 Number OF Natives Questioned on the
Future Of the Ialands-Junta Com
ments on the Proclamation
I Enemy Burn the Villages.

Enemy Burn the Villages.
New York, April ia dispatch tt
the New York Herald from Manila
says: Lawton's command captured
the villages Of Pagsajan and Lumbar
yesterday, with some resistance at the
latter place. The mouth Of the river,
commanded by Lumbar, was effec.
tually blocked against the entrance OF
the gunboats. Shells from the Laguna
de Bay drove most of the insurgents
in fight up the mountain side A
small force remained in an old
church side, offering resistance until
1t was rushed by the troops About
30 were captured and several killed.
There was one casualty among the
Americans, that being an arm wound.
The river mouth was to be dredged
to-day and the distractions removed.
Santa Cruz and Pagsajan are now
guarded by the men of the Fourth
cavalry, Part of the Fourteenth in
fantry with Gen. Lawton are In Lum.
ban. More troops are needed out here.
The fighting has only just begun,
While it is probable that there is an
end to the big engagements in the
Philippines between the Americans
and the Filipinos, the war is not at an
end by any means. 1t is the universal
opinion among army men here that 1t
will require the presence of $4,000
American troops to occupy the terri
tory that has been taken and to keep
open communication among the is
lands.
Gen. Lawton's advance promises to
meet with a harassing resistance.
Trenches are built by the enemy from
town to town. On all sides the rebels
are In nightly communication by
means Of signal fires They avoid be-
ing caught in trap and are quick to
harass the flank. Since the 18th the
enemy's losses have not been more
than double ours. Our kindness to
the rebel prisoners does not allay the
dogged enmity. Only small portion
of the population Of the north have
returned to their homes. Only the
diseased and aged remained in Santa
Cruz
Aguinaldo is reported to be in San
Fernando and still in absolute charge
OF the defenses Of the new capital and
Of Calumpit.
FILlplN0s BEFORE COMMISSION.
Manila, April l3 The United
States Philippine commission is hear.
ing the leading residents of various
nationalities, priests and Spaniards,
numbers of them appearing volun-
tarily on the subject Of the future of
the islands The questions put to all
are, "Do you believe the Filipinos are
capable Of seli.government in the
townships 500 you believe the
Fllipinos are capable of self-govern-
ment in the provlnces?" "Do you
believe the Fllipinos are capable of
in the archlpelago~
All OF those who have been interro.
gated, including Flipinos who sym.
pathi2e theoretically with independ-
ence, have replied TO the third Qhcstion
with remarkable unanimity in the neg
alive, Independence, they say, would
result in chaos, endless tribal wars
and European Intervention. A few of
them think that provincial self-gov.
is practicable, but most OF
them favor selI.government in the
townships with form of American
supervision protecting the inhablt'
ants against the peculations and ex-
Iortions which their experience with
the Spanish regime has led them to
the natural perquisites Of
The commercial classes urge the
sending Of detachments of American
troops, each numbering about 100 men,
10 take possession of the towns in the
southern provinces and in the Vlsayas
Islands, now held by small bands Of
ragalos, They declare the natives
find the Tagalos' oppression worse
than Spanish oppression and that they
will welcome the Americans
JuNTA COMMENTS ON PROCLAMATION,
Hong Kong, April l3. The Filipino
junta here regards the proclamation
Of the United States Philippine com
mission as being Objectionable and has
issued a grandiloquent statement to
the effect that it is a tissue of gener-
alities, hristles with pharisaism and !
can't vaguely promises much and
grants nothing to the Filipinos, who
are tired Of promises aud surfeited by |
Spanish promises similar to the Amer.
lean" Continuing, the statement
reads:
Washington, April IA. 1t is becom.
Ing evident to officials OF the admins
tration that the insurrection In the
Philippines is apt to drag along for
considerable time. Dispatches received
from Gen. Otis show that the natives
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