Arizona republican., 1899-12-24
TO BE TREATED AS OUTLAWS
Filipinos Who Have Become Brigands
 and Murderers.

WaSnlngton, Dec. 23.-A situation has developed in the Philippines which will probably necessitate new policy with respect to the treatment of the in surgents. It is regarded as almost cer- tain that a course will have to be fol- lowed which may prove very painful to the Aguinaldists in this country
 The rebellion, as such, has been wiped out. All pretense of maintain ing any form of civil government or of military organization has been aban- doned by the Filipinos under the pres sure of American military operations. By proclamation of their chief, Ag- uinaldo, the army has been disbanded and split up into bands of guerrillas, brigands and outlaw looters.
 As long as Aguinaldo made any pre- tense of conducting war under the rec ognized rules of civilization and ever since this has become but a fimsy pre- tense, this government has extended to this half-savage soldiery all the rec ognition of an honorable military foe. This is still done, but if the policy more recently adopted by the Filipinos is persisted in it will probably become necessary to treat all Filipinos found under arms as outlaws.
 All the rules of civilized warfare, it is alleged, are being violated by Aguinaldo's followers, apparently with his official public sanction. There is no rule of war and no justification for this governments continuing the rec ognftion of the military character of Aguinaldo's band, except that which is found in the generosity of this govern ment and the natural reluctance to adopt drastic measures. Forbearance, it is said, however, cannot continue much longer if the Filipinos persist in outlawry. An example, it is said, will have to be made of some of the grosser offenders very shortly.
 The situation as described is this; The so-called Filipino army has been broken up into guerrilla bands which do not give battle, but lie in wait to murder by stealth whenever the op- portunity is offered. Throughout the civilized world such bands are regarded as outlaws, subject to execution when captured with arms. A considerable portion of these guerrilla bands, it is said, have sunk to the still lower de- gree of brigands and robbers. When hunted they become suddenly trans formed into amigos" and when they can find cover in the brush they be-
 come assassins.
 They no longer make any pretense of giving battle, but simply lie in wait to kill or plunder. Their operations in this direction are not confined to the
 isolated American soldier shot from ambush, but are directed against the ! non-combatants natives who are | known to be friendly toward the Amer jeans. The object is to establish a reign of terror wherever there are no 1 troops and to convince this govern ment that it will be impossible to en- force law and protect life and prop erty except immediately under the eye ! of our soldiers.
 The recent murder of non-cOmbatant
 natives who professed friendship to- ward the Americans was intended to ] impress all natives with the purpose oi
 the outlaw bands to put the mark of death upon all natives who recognize
 the authority of the United States.
 This procedure, the abandonment ot the military status and all pretense oi ! government, military or civil, except such as is common to brigandage
 places Aguinaldo and his bands out
 side the pale of civilized warfare.
 While reluctant to adopt drastic
 measures, it is recognized by war de,