The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-11-03
FILIPIN0S FLEEING
BEFORE THE RAPID MOVEMENTS OF
OUR TROOPS.
PEACE PREVAILS IN NEGROS.
The Brigands Dispersed - Municipal
Elections Farmers Returning to
Captured-No Spanish Islands North
ofLuzon The Philippine Commission
to Make a Report on Certain Features
at Request of the President.

Manila, November 1-General Hughes,
commanding in the Visayan district,
has sent in an encouraging report. He
says the island Of NeSros is now more
peaceful and orderly than for twenty
years. The planters are pursuing their
business, undisturbed by the bands of
brigands who had long levied tribute
on them. The Americans have scatter
ed the brigands and propose to pursue
them until they are effectually sup
pressed.
General Young's column entered Ca
banatuan, north of San Isidro, yester-
day morning.
Colonel Parker, with two troops of
the Fourth cavalry, took possession
of the deserted town of Aliaga. Cap
tain Batson captured a telegraph ope-
rator and his escort, finding a tele-
gram to Aguinaldo from an insurgent
colonel, reporting that General Law
ton was killed in a recent fight and
that his body had been sent to Manila.
The operator added that 600 insurgents
were approaching Aliaga from Tarlac.
Batson placed his scouts in ambush
awaiting them.
Colonel Hays, with four troops of the
Fourth cavalry, charged the towns of
Talavera and Cobal, dispensing $50 in
| surgents and pursuing them for three
miles without any loss. They captur-
ed two brass cannon and a quantity of
ammunition, including many HotchkiSS
! shells. Captain BatSon took a store
| house and quantities of rice, sugar,
corn and forty bull carts.
The British steamer Lebuan, from
! Hong Kong, 500 tons, with a prize crew
| from the United States gunboat Cas-
| tine on board, has arrived here. She
| was captured while running the block
ade of Zamboanga. She had unloaded
her cargo of merchandise.
All signs show that General YoungS
rapid advance is demoralizing the in
| SurgentS northward. Prisoners report
them to be fleeing to the hills. There
are many deserters and sick men and
| the former are taking their arms to
| the Americans. The cavalry's rapid
movements are puzzle to the insur-
gents, who think that the Americans,
| in striking so many places, must have
| overwhelming forces.
AguinaldO is personally conducting
the campaign. He is asking the people
| foa' rice and is trying to replenish the
army with recruits, but without sue
| cess.
Washington, November General
| lows:
Manila, November l. 1899.
Hughes reports Negros in better
state of lawful submission than for
twenty years, planters no longer in
| danger; quiet election, over 5000 votes
| cast, no frauds attempted; Inaugural
! ton of military civil government, 9Th
! instant. Hughes commences active op-
erations against Tagalos in Panay as
soon as condition of rails and trails
| permit"
| The positive statement is made here
| by authority that Spain does not re-
| tain possession of a single island in
| the Philippine archipelago. This is
! called forth by the declaration in the
| Spanish cortes yesterday of the Count
! d dAlmenas, that through ignorance the
! American peace commissioners had al
! lowed three islands at the northern ex-
tremity Of the archipelago to remain
! under Spanish control through their
definition in the treaty of the boundary
of the group. There is stated to be no
| doubt as to the Suffciency of the treaty
| clause to cede the entire archipelago.
| If there has been a failure on this
point, that fact will not rebound to
| Spain's benefit, for it is held officially
that the islands north of the Philippine
| archipelago belong to Japan.
PRELIMINARY REPORT OF COM
MISSION.
| i. The members of the Philippine COM
mission will make a preliminary report
| to the president before the end of this
week, and it is understood the report
will be Immediately given to the pub
! lie. This report will be prepared at the
request of the president as a result of
| a conference between the president and
| the commission at the White house.
| The president personally summoned
| the commissioners and an hour was
| spent in consultation, during which he
explained the points he desired cover
| ed in the preliminary report. 1t may
be weeks, possibly months, before the
| complete report is ready. Professor
| Schurman, who is president of the
| commission, said after the members
| left the White house that the report
| to be made this week would cover GER
| tain phases Of the situation which the
president desired cleared up at this
time.
| When asked if the report would touch
upon the so-called Sulu treaty (the ar
rangement made between General
I Bates and the sultan of Sulu), Profess
| sor Schurman replied in the negative.
| THAT was purely a military arrange
ment," said he, with which the COM
mission had nothing to do
| Secretary Hay. and Secretary Root
were present at the conference. The
significant feature of this mornings con
| ference was the revelation that the
| commission is absolutely unanimous in
| it's view respecting the proper line Of
| treatment Of the islands.
| A member of the cabinet, speaking Of
| the verbal report, said: In advance
of the completion of the report, it is
not deemed proper to make any state
ment relative to the nature Of the COM
missions disclosures to the president
this morning, beyond the general one
that they tend. to confirm the admins
| tration at every point in the course Of
| treatment it has outlined for the is
lands, and to remove the least doubt
as to the attitude that the government
should assume upon the question Of the
retention Of the archipelago