The evening times., 1899-03-24
FRIDAY, MARCH "a, 1899.
The FiIipinos DeIuded.

With the Filpinos il is fight or die.
The insurgent governor of the province OF
Cavite. who has made his way into the
American lines, confirms what all inte!li-
gent observers. Filipino business men at
Manila and also prisoners have affirmed,
that Aguinaldo maintains mis- authority en-
tirely through the fears of his soldiers. He
says the insurgent army is weary OF the
struggle and but for the threats of death
and the delusiye promises of victory they
would lay down their arms and submit 10
American rule They have lost all enthu
siasm for independence since they have
learned by sad experience the sort of gov
..rnment Aguinaldo and his lieutenants
would impose on them. The decapitation
OF General Lagarda has impressed them
with q sense Of the promptness with which
death would follow any attempt to stop the
war There is still a doubt in the minds
of many of the insurgent soldiers as to
whether General Otis can succeed in crush
ing Aguinaldo. Every engagement has
been misrepresented TO them. They are
told that they have been ordered to retreat
merely TO draw the Americans on for a
Settlbl EllSdEElututs AuSH N1ti VIII Ut
smashed and forced 10 evacuate the Phil
fppines; and that this will be followed by
the death OF every traitor to the native
cause. They are ignorant and eredulous.
II is expected. however that the coming
defeat of Agunaldo at Malolos. where he
has gathered the main part of his army
and strongly entrenched his position, will
dissipate the delusion of the natives and
virtually end the war The forces TO be
engaged will be nearly equal-perhaps
with a greater number of the enemy but
with the advantage of betters arms and alb
soIute confidence on the side of the Ameri-
cans. The driving of the Filipinos from
this, their strongest position. will open the
eyes OF the most ignorant of the insur-
gents 10 the hopelessness of the struggle.
II is believed they viii desert by regiments
and seek protection from the vengeance of
their leaders within the American lines.
The governor Of Cavite tells painful stories
OF the tyranny Of the Tagal leaders who
have reduced the people 10 slavery. So
there is every cause to expect the CRATE
ful recognition of American authority
when the opportunity comes.
The latest dispatches from Manila report
that General Otis is concentrating his
f0rces-which include the troops recently
arrived from this country who are fresh
and eager for the fray-near Caloocan, and
that a general forward movement may be
ordered at any moment. The army will
be aided by the gunboats that did such ef-
fective work in the southern section of Lu-
zon. a great victory is a foregone con-
clusion, and nobody who is on the spot
seems to doubt that it will virtually end
the strife. II is no longer believed that
the Filipino insurgents can maintain them
selves in the mountains. If they are una,
bic TO hold position on the plains, where
they are now gathered in force. il becomes
a simple question of surrender or starva-
iion. There is no room TO doubt which
they will prefer Even if the projected
movement should be delayed or should be
only partly successful, the arrival of fur
ther re-enforcements would insure its f.
nal complete success and the subjugation
of the rebels. That there will be any for
midable number of Fiiipinos in arms
against American sovereignty in a few
weeks is very doubtful unless the rainy
season compels General Otis to suspend
operations. At this moment the outlook
FOR an early peace is bright