Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-02-11
8 an independent government.

opposed TO our principles, ana now
ever degrading they were to our digni-
ty as military force. We have only
ourselves to call to account for what
ever loss of life may result from the
present situation in the islands of Lu-
zon and Panay.
"They (the FilipiuoS after the fall
of Manila, proceeded to establish an
octroi and to collect taxes at the mar
kets and various other places. They
held the water works, and only allow
ed the water to be turned on after
much delay and as a special favor,
which might at any time be rescinded.
They controlled the railway and the
Pasig river above the town. The
trains were permitted to run only on
condition that no foreign troops should
be carried, and no navigation was al
lowed on the Pasig except by written
permission of Aguinaldo. They turn
ed the Spanish works from defensive
to offensive positions.
"They made little attempt to con-
ceal the fact that they we're importing
rifles and Maxim guns, and they re-
cruited actively, and drilled with great
diligence in all the suburbs of the town.
In Cavite they continued to starve to
death the Spanish forces within the
lines of our own guard, and insisted
that we had nothing to do with their
prisoners, and went so far as to march
away those whom General Merritt had
ordered to be serve with rations. The
result of all this has been to develop
in the minds of the natives a we'll
grounded notion that the Americans
are afraid of the Filipinos, for on every
occasion when a show of frmness
would have had most salutary effect
we have backed down in very igno-
minious fashion,"
Agoncillo and Lopez returned here
from Paris just at the time of the trou-
BILE at Iloilo. The presidents procla-
nation to the inhabitants of the Phil
|ippines was not approved of by the
agents of Aguinaldo. From Manila
came the news of unrest among the
insurgents. Aguinaldo announced that
he would not liberate the thousands Of
Spanish prisoners he held until Spain
had liberated the Filipinos in Spanish
prisons. Aguinaldo issued a proca-
nation denouncing President McKin-
ley for his instructions to General Otis,
protesting against American intrusion,
and calling upon the Filipinos 10 fight
for their independence. The Indepen.
dencia, the revolutionary organ, pro-
tested against the warlike attitude of
the American government in sending
reinforcements.
An attack on Manila was expected
by our troops in the middle of jan
uary, and they were at all hours in
readiness for any outbreak among the
insurgents. Aguinaldo disappeared
from Manila, going, it was supposed, to
Malolos to confer with his leaders.
General Otis sent the First California
to Iloilo and Admiral Dewey sent the
Concord and Petrol as convoy. The
Filipino junta at Hong Kong issued a
proclamation that the purchase of
steam launches by Admiral Dewey for
river use in the Philippines was an un-
friendly act.
Our forces in the Philippines have
been greatly strengthened since the
battle of Manila was fought. General
Otis has an army of over $4,000 men
under his command, as follows:
Regulars Twenty-third infantry,
Eighteenth infantry; Companies A, C.,
D, E, F, G, I, K, L, Fourteenth in
fantry; Companies G, H, K and L.,
Third artillery Company A, Engineer
battalion.
| Volunteers..F First California infantry,
First Colorado infantry, First Idaho
infantry, Twentieth Kansas infantry,
Thirteenth Minnesota infantry, First
Montana infantry, First Nebraska in
fantry, first Tennessee infantry, First
North Dako ota infantry, Second Oregon
infantry, Tenth Pennsylvania infantry,
First South Dakota infantry, First
Washington infantry, First Wyoming
Infantry; Batteries A and B, Utah
Light artillery; First Troop Nevada
cavalry, First and Eighteenth Com
panies Signal corps, Fifty-frst Iowa
infantry, Batteries A and B, First CAL
ifornia artillery.
"Do not plunge us into cruel and
brutal war % exclaimed Luna's news
paper.
A second proclamation, more violent
than the first, was posted in Manila by
Aguinaldo. Copies of it were torn
down by order of General Otis. A
conference between commissioners ap-
pointed by General Otis was held in
Manila without other result than il
widening of the breach between the
insurgents and our forces.
The Filipino agents in Washington
began at this time, the first week in
January, to seek recognition from the
state department. Agoncillo's secre-
tary, Don Sixto Lopez, left letter at
the department announcing that Agon-
clio was the accredited representative
of the Philippine republic, formed on
June Is, 1898. A second memoran-
dunn was filed on January Is, and on
January "a Agoncilo inquired of the
state department why our army and
navy at Manila were being reinforced.
Two other communications followed
week ago. These all went into the
waste basket. The day after the
inquiry regarding reinforcements was
left at the state department, Agoncillo
sent the dispatch to the Hong Kong
:. Junta advising an immediate attack on