The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-10-31

ldAlAAc ~"
congress has selected a commission of
native priests to proceed to Rom and
explain to the Pope the abuses and in
equities of the friars and ask for cor
recting intervention
A~guinaldo, in a recent speech at Tar
lac, characterized the friars as intri-
guers and abusers of honor, law and
morality and declared they comprised
Spain's downfall in the Philippines. He
added: I'VE could have no considera-
ton for the friars whose inequities and
abuses are doubtless unknown at the
vatican, where only the friars own mis-
leading reports are received. III thlS
commission has not yet left Manila, the
fact is due to the Vaccination ana IN
itrigue Of Bishop NoZaleda, of Manila,
who is most effcaciously aiding our
enemies"
The Thirty-fOurth infantry proceeded
TO San Isidro this morning, Colonel
Kennon commanding.
OUR TREATY WITH THE SULUS.
Washington, October 26.-The war
department officials refuse 10 make
public any of the provisions of the ar
rangement made by General Bates with
the Sultan of Sulu, the southern most
group of the Philippines, but state that
the main features have been touched
upon in the cabled press reports from
Manila The document arrived in
Washington six weeks ago. a cable
officer says that General Bates has Sc
cured for the United States the valua-
BILE services of the whole royal family
Of Sulu for the compensation of a
good clerk, and provided for the imme-
diate mitigation of the conditions of the
slaves and their ultimate emancipation.
Not being in actual possession of the
Sulu group (and Spain has never been
able to obtain more fhan a nominal
suzerainty over IT'D the ability of he
United States military commander to
effect these things, beside preserving
peace and opening the islands to trade,
is regarded as commendable. lit is fur
ther said that this arrangement is not
permanet and does not prevent different
treatment of the islands in the future,
and still further, it has not been so far
approved by the president and may
be rejected if it is deemed proper to
do so.
The arrangement is regarded as a
purely military one fully within the
powers of the American commanding
officer to draw up, and so it will not
be submitted to the senate as would be
a treaty but merely transmitted as a
matter of information.
A PACIFIC CABLE TO MANILA.
In official and diplomatic circles at
tentiOn is being directed to the question
of a Pacific cable linking this country
with the Philippines and points beyond,
and it is understood THAT this govern
ment and those foreign governments
which would be affected by the cable
are now actively considering the sub
ject.
The officials here are assembling
1a4, a-J ;-r an H1D 49, ~ off =
the expectation that the matter will be
brought to the early attention Of con-
gress. In a general way the project is
for a cable of four links, viz: From
San Francisco to Hawaii 2,120 miles;
from Hawaii to Wake island 2,O44
miles; from Wake island to Guam
1928 miles: from Guam to Manila 1850
miles. These landing points are all
within the control of the United States,
our flag having been raised on Wake
island not long ago. This would con-
meet all the American possession in the
Pacific by a line crossing no foreign
territory. Beside this, the plan per-
mits of an expansion SO as to secure
two outlets to Asia and the far east.
The first of these would be from Ma
Mia to the Island of FOrmOsa, the Jap
anese island from which point the Jap
anese have built q line to the japanese
coast and the mainland of Asia. The
second would be from Hawaii south
to Fanning's island, at which point the
newly projected British cable from
Vancouver to New Zealand crosses.
The foregoing projects nave moth
ing ito do with any private enterprises,
but would be a government enterprise.
1t is considered hat the government
would not only be free from the pres
emf high charges and from the super
vision of the foreign companies now
handling the business, but that the line
being opened to the public and COM
mercial uses ait a reasonable rate,
would afford facilities for the expand.
ing trade of the Pacific, and at the
same time yield a considerable return
to h government.
Foreign governments which would be
affected by this project-notably Rus
STA, Japan and Great Britain--are be.
ginning to show some concern over it
and it is understood that the govern
ment had been sounded of late from
several foreign quarters to see what its
plans are.