Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-01-04

Il Els WILL BE A O l d L d.
MORB SPANISH DUPLICITY.
Madrid, January 3.-General Rios
cabled from Manila confirming the re-
port that all the Spanish at Balabac,
an island of the Philippine group, sit
uated 80 miles south of Palawan, have
been assassinated, with the exception
of the women, whose release is being
asked for.
Washington, January 3.-Gen. Otis,
commanding at Manila, has cabled the
War Department that in his opinion
Gen. Miller has the situation we'll in
hand at Iloilo and that he fully under
stands the purpose of the President not
to crowd the insurgents unduly. 1t is
highly desirable that a hostile collision
between the American forces and the
insurgents be avoided at all hazards at
least pending the ratification of the
peace treaty, and as Gen. Miller under
stands now this purpose on the part
of the President he will be guided by
it and may be relied upon to resort to
force only under absolutely compulsion.
The officials here are now fully salts
fed that the trouble at Iloilo may be
traced directly back to the Spanish
Colonel who was the senior Spanish
officer in the Philippine group, and di-
rectly in command of the ViSayaS
group including the principal island of
Panay and the city and garrison of
Iloilo. Gen. Otis reports show that
though besieged with his 500 soldiers
in Iloilo by a superior force, the posi-
ton of the Spanish was thoroughly
tenable. They had repulsed every at
tack of the insurgents and had inflicted
great loss upon the latter and alto
gether there was no reason why they
should not have held out indefinitely.
This was particularly the case in view
of the knowledge on the part of the
Spaniards that by the terms of the
treaty the United States government
had undertaken to carry them back to
Spain, involving of~course their release
from the seige at the earliest practical
moment. 1t is significant that Rios de-
layed the evacuation of Iloilo until he
became informed that the Americans
were coming and there is curiosity here
to learn how that important informa
ton reached Iloilo in advance of the
movement of the American transports
and in the absence of cable connec-
tons. Undoubtedly it was conveyed
by a vessel and there may be a ques-
ton raised as to the legitimacy of the
transmission of news of intentions of
American troops in advance in this
fashion.
One feature of Gen. Otis report that
has escaped mention so far is his no.
tice of the approaching meeting OF the
so-called Filipino parliament, which is
to gather, presumably at Malalos, about
twenty miles from Manila, on the is
land of Luzon, Thursday next. A good
deal of interest is attached to this
meeting as Gen. Otis reports that by
the attendance the strength of Agui-
naldo's party can be gagged That
this is waning rapidly is not doubted,
and Gen. Otis feels that when the at
tempt is made to convene the parlia-
ment it will be found that Aguinaldo
has lost control of the majority and
cannot command even a working coal
ition. Such a state of affairs would
tend to make easier the task of the
military authorizes of the United States
of establishing peacefully a temporary
form of government for the Philippines
that will command the support of the
people and receive the approval OF the
civilized world.
The Spanish gunboat Ell CanO is still
at Iloilo but as her status is not defin-
ed. she has not been molested. 1t is
understood that she is destined to go
TO Zamboangan, town of the Philip
pine islands on the southwest eXtrem-
ity of the island of Mindanao.
The American troops are restless
The rebels are drilling on the beach
evening and morning and in full view
of the American expedition which is
still afoat
The California volunteers embarked
on four transports to-day. Their des-
tination is unknown.
The natives here are quiescent but
watchful
The American expedition at Iloilo,
consists of signal detachment, bat
terry G, of the sixth artillery, the 10th
regulars and the 51st Iowa regiment.
1t is commanded by Gen. Miller, vet
Gran fighter, and arrived off Iloilo on
December %, on board the transports
Pennsylvania, Arizona and Newport.
The expedition was conveyed by the
United States cruiser Baltimore and
an auxiliary gunboat.
To DDEACII At DT VAInITTII