New Iberia enterprise. (New Iberia, La.) 1885-1902, 1899-05-13
How the Filipino War Developed.

| A portion of an interview with Gen. &.
McC Reeve, who has recently returned to
| Minnesota from duty in Manila. AS pub
lished in the st. Paul Globe of April 26:
"When our troops first landed in the
Philippines very few, if any, of the natives
dreamed of or cared for actual indepenr
dence. Aguinaldo himself thought only
of erecting government under American
protection. He personally told me that
he did not think the Filipinos knew
enough about conducting international re-
lations and enough about finance and
grand administration to set up n nation of
their own, but that as far as the other
functions of government he thought they
could get along very well. | regard Agui-
naldo as very able man. | am not of
the same opinion as those who hold that
he is puppet in tho hands of abler men.
But MS soon as we occupied Manila there
began to develop among the insurgents a
war or Independence party. The chief leader
was Antonio Luna, editor Of the Filipino
paper, Independencia, who was Mt first
very favorably disposed toward us. But
the fact that they were not considered in
the treaty of Paris but were disposed Of
for $40, 900, 900, caused some Of the lead
ers to entertain grave doubts rs to the
straightforwardness of our intentions.
They argued that, in view Of the fact that
they practically controlled the whole Of the
islands with the exception of the city Of
Manila, the sale of the title for $40, ,000,-
900 indicated that the Americans inten-
ded to exploit them.
Besides this whole lot Of patriotic SEN
timent and independent enthusiasm had
been worked Of where IL had not existed
before. SO things went from bad to worse,
our government failing to enunciate pol
icy, and the independents continually put
ting before the natives their definite policy
of absolute independence. One Of the
stories that received universal acceptance
was that ever since the Americans had
liberated their negro slaves they had beon
looking around for others and they thought
they had found them at last In the Philip
pines. It was rather surprising, with the
natives in such frame Of mind, that the
fighting did not begin sooner. You know
how it came and what have been the
events since. do not need to dwell on
that. But l can tell you one piece of
news that is not generally known in the
United States.
On Sunday, February 5, the day after
the fighting began, Gen Torres, of the in
surgents came through the lines under n
a flag Of truce and had personal inter
view with Con. Otis in which, speaking for
AEuinaldo, he declared that the fighting
had been begun accidentally and was not
authorized by Aguinaldo, that Aguinaldo
wished to have it stopped, ana that to
bring about conclusion Of hostilities he
proposed the establishment of neutral
zone between tho two armies OF any width
that would be agreeable to Gen. Otis, so
that during the peace negotiations there
might be no further danger Of conflicts
between the two armies. To these repre-
sentations of Gen. Torres, Gen. Otis stern
ly replied that the fighting, having once
begun, it must 60 on to the grim end. Aud
1t has been going on ever since. The lit
tie brown fellows whom we oil expected
to disperse in short order are fighting well,
though they cannot bring themselves to
stand for hand-to-hand combats.
They are fighting SO well because they
have now what they never had in their
wars against the Spaniards "a good organ
ization. Luna has converted this Filipino
mob into an army of fairly good soldiers,
who can live on next to nothing, who arc
at home in the climate, and who would for
the larger part rather fight than eat