The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-03-24
AN UNCENcoRED REPORT.
Situation at Manila as Soon by News
paper Man.

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paper Man.
Hone KONG, March 2O.-The follow
ing viewto of the situation is from
correspondent present at Manila and
has evidently not been subjected to
censorship:
The most remarkable feature of the
situ,tion is the inability OF the Amer
leans and residents to estimate the
numbers, resources and plans of the
Filipinos, Prominent generals think
(! two or three disastrous battles will
break their spirit and make them sue
for terms. A majority of the English
and other residents are of the opinion
that the determination of the Taga.o .os
is the guarantee of peace, that they
can easily be whipped il they give
BATTLE but that they will dodge
meeting with the Americans in force.
Some people think thev will risk
battle at Malabon and Parnaque,
where they are strongly entrenched,
and thatif they are defeated they will
resume bushwhacking as long as any
of them are left.
j Unit d States Consul Williams says:
II don't expect to live to see the end
of the war
The rebels shift about so much that
it is impossible to estimate their num-
bers
The correspondent questioned sew
eral generals as to the number of the
rebels and the replies ranged from
90 900 to 100000 The estimltes Of the
quantity of arms possessed by the
rebe.s are equally uncertain. The
best stauthorities say $4,000. Larges ec-
tions of the armed natives are ignor-
ant of the use Of their weapons.
The country beyond the American
lines is rice fields, cane and brush.
The rebels are familiar with every
inch of it and it affords fine hiding
places The residents say the Tagalos
are unanimously rebels, and they pre-
dict the Americans will be resisted at
Mindoru and Mindanao, and that they
Will be obliged to subdue them.
] The extent of the support which the
other Luzon tribes are giving Aguin
aldo is a mystery. 1t is known that
several regiments were under arms
but the m .jority OF than ara supposed
to b.jealous Of the Tagalos, who ar.
reported to BE- treatin the Other
tribes in the fashion of the Spaniards
dominating the islanl ana holding al
the offices.
The Oriental character is so decep
i've that the residents Of Manila ar
ignorant as to wleth.r their own ser
. wants sympathize with the rebels OF
not.
1t is shown thtt a rebel organic,
ton exists in the city, and the cvi
dence is growing that there was
: widespread pot to assassinate tn
Americans, tn. signal being the com
mencement of hostilities. TIE ser
y wants were instructed to kill tn cir en-
ployers, but they were terrorizel b.
the vengeance dealt out to offender
and they weakened. Every Tagal
:. would have cut his employers throa
e if he dared, or at least this is a cur
> rent saying.
:. The faithlessness of the natives
illustrated by the action of the con
J, missio1ers who came here to Offer tn
allegiance of the island Of Negros.
> is now known that they were i
friendly commun. cation with Aguir
s. aldo while here.
e. Nearly every house here displays
l. foreign flag for protection. whether
IS is entitled to it or not. AL flags e.
ID cept the Sp ,nish flag are seen Fro
r. the native huts hang white towels {
l. shirts. The natives work ng in til
e. eds plant white flag O, a bamoo
le as protection against being mistake
p- for active rebels. Every hut betwce
,e the city and the American line is
90 heap of ashes.
in About 800 new saloons have bee
opened here since the American occ
patton, with the result that mar
drunken sold .ers are to be seen II
streets. The officers, however. S;
o.. the conduct of the soldiers is bett
than those OF any other nation uud
similar circumstances.