Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-15
PROGRESS IN LUZON.

The advices of the last few days from
ment of General Otis that organized in
surrection in LuZon is at an end and
that all that remains to be accomplished
for the pacitication Of the island is the
dispersion and suppression of the
guerrilla and bandit bands formed from
the disintegrated forces of the insur-
gents. The abiest leaders of the insur-
rection have been killed or are prisoners
and Aguinaldo himself, with a mere
bodyguard, is still on the move, hotly
pursued by our troops. Everything in
dicates the complete collapse of the
insurrection, thus verifying sooner than
was expected the prediction of Dewey
and Funston. How much of task it
will be to put down the guerrilla and
robber bands it is impossible to say.
That they will give much trouble and
annoyance is probable, but it will per-
haps not require more than one-third
of the American forces to suppress
them, the remainder being available for
plete. 1t is to be supposed that as soon
as the natives are convinced that
American rule does not mean oppres-
sion, but instead measures to improve
their condition, they will find means
to protect themselves against guerrillas
and bandits, thus tightening the task of
the military authorities.
At all events there seems to be no
reason to doubt that American SOW
ereignty in Luzon is practically estab-
lished and as there is no serious resist
ance elsewhere in the Philippines this
means sovereignty over the entire archi-
pelago. 1t is possible, of course, that
we may have trouble in some other por-
tions of the islands, but there has been
nothing thus far of a particularly
threatening nature and the moral effect
of the suppression of the insurrection
in Luzon will be great upon the in
habitants of other parts of the Philip
pines who are capable of understanding
it. 1t is only among the savage tribes,
which Spain was never able to conquer
or control, that difficulty in establish
ing our rule may be encountered but
this may prove not to be so serious as
some have apprehended. Undoubtedly
the extension of American authority
over these people will be made very
gradually, so that it may be years be-
fore our rule over some of the islands
is complete
With the ending Of the insurrection in
Luzon commercial intercourse can be re-
established and this will do much TO
pacify the people and create con
fidence in the good intentions of
the United States. President Nc
Klnley has already directed Gen
eral Otis to throw open the ports of
the Philippines to commerce as rapidly
as he can garrison them with troops not
needed for active field operations. When
this is done IT is expected there will
be a great change in the condition of
affairs in the archipelago through the
release to markets of the vast quantities
of valuable products that have been ac-
cumulating in the last two years. 1t is
believed that then the ad-
herents of the insurgent leader, who
have been kept from their pursuits, will |
find in peaceful and profitable occupa-
tion contentment with the new condi- |
tlons. Most of these people have become |
since the war, both by /
reason of the eXactions of the insurgents |
ana the exclusion of their products from |
the markets. SO that there is no doubt |
that they will welcome the restoration |
of commercial intercourse. II is said !
TO be the belief of the Washington |
that 10000 troops can be
spared for garrison duty by the end OF |
the year, but it may be found that SO