Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1899-05-19
MESSAGE FR()NACJ|NA[DO
The Filipino Junta at London Re.
ceives Cablegram from the
Insurgent Chief.
A DECISION TO CONTINUE THE WAR.
Washington Officials, However, Expect q
Satisfactory Conclusion from the Com
mission to Be Sent 20 Manila-To Relieve
a Spanish Garrison-Ran into a Nest OF
Insurgents.


mission to Be Sent 20 Manila-To Relieve
a Spanish Garrison-Ran into a Nest OF
Insurgents.
London, May 16.-The Filipino junta
here has received the following message
from Aguinaldo, cabled from Hong
Kong, under date of May II:
The Filipino government, in accordance with
| the general feeling OF the country. has decided
| to continue the war at all costs until independ-
ence is secured The FilipinoS energetically
refuse the American peace overtureS,
based on restricted autonomy, coupled with
promises OF subsequent self government
The Ff1ipinos demand strict fulfillment
| OF the articles OF the American constitution
and treaties contracted by the American
Representatives when imploring Filipino ALI
/ ance in combating the SpaniardS. All the Fill
| pino generals support Aguinaldo. Gen. Luna's
reported oVertureS for peace are untrue Our
| army is Manila simultaneously attacking
the whole American line. The heat and rains
are causing many casualties in the American
army. All their hospitals are crowded with sick
and wounded Four hundred of the Cincinnati
| regiment have been imprisoned by Gen. Otis for
| INSTRUMENTATION in refusing to fight The regu-
lar troops quartered in Manila and other towns
are quiet The volunteers abused and are
always at the front with scanty rations. The
| discomfort between the Americans and Euro
peanS is general.
Washington Is Hopeful.
Washington, May 16.-A satisfactory
conclusion is expected by the admins
tration from the conference which will
be held by the American Philippine
commission with the commission which
AguinaldO proposes to send to Manila.
In his dispatch to the war department
yesterday Gen. Otis announced that
Aguinaldo had sent a messenger to
him expressing a wish to send the COM
| mig cir 30
The administration officials express
the opinion that this commission will
submit to President Schurman and his
associates the answer of Aguinaldo to
the proposition made by the American
commission to Arguenes, Aguinaldo's
emissary, regarding the character of
government which would be given to
the Filipinos and which Arguenes de-
elared was satisfactory.
In his dispatch Gen. Otis shows, de-
spite the fact that Aguinaldo states his
purpose to send commission to ar
range peace, that he is making pre-
lparations to continue military opera
tiOnS. 1t is evident to the officials
from this dispatch that Gen. Otis has
found it necessary to change his plans.
He has been making preparations to
Iattack BacOlor, where g, 600 insurgents
are believed to be encamped, and it is
presumed that the movements reported
to-day still have that point as the OBJ
jective.
Gen. Lawton is making excellent
progress in his northward march. and
the dispatch of Maj. Kobbe with 900
men up the Rio Grande, supported by
Igunboats and cascoes, is for the pur-
lpose of enabling Gen. Lawton to cross
the Rio Grande without molestation by
the enemy. The plan apparently con
templates the rapid swinging of Law
ton to the west, Gen. Macarthur to
Iremain at San Fernando, between the
insurgents at Bacolor and those at
Mexico, and Kobbe is to take station
SO as to prevent them from crossing the
Rio Grande. Macarthur is also needed
at his present point to protect com
munication with Manila.
To Relieve a Spanish Garrison.
| Washington, May 16.-1t is expected
at the war department that Gen. Otis
will take steps at once to replace the
tSpanish garrison at Zamboanga with
United States troops. The indications
are that a comparatively small force
will suffice, provided that it is sup
ported by one or two gun boats. Fam
/
lance, being the capital of the island OF
Mindanao, the second largest IN the
Philippine group and good seaport.
1t was to this point that the Spanish
forces retreated from Iloilo when that
town was evacuated without notice to
the American forces. The town is
easily defensible with small artillery
force.
Ran Into a Nest of Insurgents.
| Manila, May 16.-The ''tinclad'' gun
boats Laguna de Bay and Cavadongs
and a launch under Capt. Grant ran
into nest of insurgents concealed il
the bushes on both sides of the Rio
Grande river. three miles above Calum
pit, yesterday afternoon and were re
ceived with heavy volleys at short
range. A sergeant in the Utah battery
was killed and one private was wound
ed. Opening with their rapid fire
guns the Americans killed 20 of the ma
tives and wounded several others
They filed the jungle with a hail o
shot for half an hour, until the enemy
fed.