The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1899-01-05
I'm command Of American forces at
IlOilO1

Iloilo.l
landed and taken possession of the city.
This force, which is under the command
of General Marcus p. Miller, consists
Of the Eighteenth regular infantry,
Battery G Of the Sixth regular artillery
and the Fifty-first Iowa volunteers. 1t
was carried on three transports and
conveyed by the cruiser Baltimore and
the gunbOat Callao. General Miller Is
regarded by the war department OFF,
cials as a very capable officer.
The general instructions which have
been given to General Otis regarding
his intercourse with the insurgents are
to deal kindly with them, but to be very
firm when called upon to make a de-
cision. 1t is hoped by the administra-
ton that General Miller has already
succeeded in getting possession of Iloilo
without serious trouble, and it is be-
lieved that If he has done SO the back
bone of insurgent opposition to the au-
thority of the United States will be bro
ken. especially in view of the fact that
Aguinaldo's old cabinet has refused to
serve him any longer and that there
have been many defections from the
ranks of his followers on the island of
Luzon.
Officials Of the war department would
feel much easier if General Otis had a
larger force at his disposal in the Phil
ippines. Six regiments Of regular in
fantry, each regiment recruited up to
its full war strength Of 1872 men. are
under orders for the Philippines, but
none has yet started. It had been hop
ed that there would be no necessity OF
20 fccr xr,ffh he
insurgents until after the arrival OF
these regiments. General Rios has
however, disarranged the plans Of the
administration in this matter by sur
rendering Iloilo just before the arrival
of the American troops.
There are circumstances in connection
| with his action that tend to justify the
belief in some quarters that 1t was the
| result Of orders from Madrid, given fol
| the express purpose Of giving trouble
| to the American commander in the
Philippines.
| Had he delayed his surrender only 6
few days he could have turned the city
| over to the American troops sent by
General Otis to occupy the city. Thi:
| dispa tch, received from General Otis
| dated Manila, Dec. q, shows that he be
lieves the Spanish commander actet
under orders from Madrid:
Sent Colonel Potter on fast vessel t.
Iloilo on the oath to communicate will
Spanish general, Rios; latter evacuated
| evening Of oath and Potter 80 hours
late insurgents took possession of cit!
on Goth, and Potter found Aguinaldo'
flag flying. Cannot now report probable
| results; will not hear from there TO
four days, as no cable communications
Spanish forces have evacuated all sta
tions in southern islands, except Fam
boanga, Mindanao, by orders, as the,
say, from Madrid"
President Mckinley appreciates tha
the antiexpansionists will make capita
out Of the present situation at Iloilo an
that If General Miller has difficulty II
Inducing the insurgents to turn the cit
over to the United States the inciden
will be used as an illustration Of the diff
flculties which the opponents Of retain
ing the islands contend will be continu
ally encountered. It is possible that tn
Spanish foresaw this and hoped t
arouse antagonism to the ratification Q
the treaty when they ordered Genera
| Rios to evacuate Iloilo after an Ameri
can force had been dispatched by Gen
eral Otis to take the city.
The secretary of war announces tha
Major General Henry w. Lawton ha
been relieved Of the command Of tn
Fourth army corps, with headquarteI
| at Huntsville, Ala, and ordered to Ms
nila Immediately to relieve General OF
| of the command Of the military force
in the Philippines.
! General Otis will be made militar
| governor of the Philippines, with 81
| )reme authority in the administratio
of island affairs. His position will
like that Of General Brooke in Cuba.
General Lawton will be second
command and will have direct chars
Of the troops. To him largely will l
delegated the duty of preserving orde
His appointment Is interpreted by arm
men to mean that the administratio
expects trouble in extending milital
Jurisdiction.
General Lawton is regarded as one
the ablest executive officers in the arm
WHAT EVERYBODY Koows,
!; Or ought to know, is that healt
! and even life itself depends upo
e the condition of the blood. Fee
d ing, as it does, all the organs
the body, it must be rich al
pure in order to give prop
nourishment. Hoods Sarsap
rilla makes the blood pure, rit
and nourishing, and in this WI
" strengthens the nerves, creates ;
J. appetite, tones the stomach al
IF builds up the health. Hoot
Sarsaparilla wards off colds, pne
monia and fevers, which are pr
valent at this time.