The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1899-10-29

CHICAGO Oct. 2S-The Tribune to
day prints a summary of the situation
ir tie Philippine islands from its spec
ial correspondent there, Richard H
Little. The letter, which is dated Ma
Mia, September Il. says;
Here are some figures made sever
months and a half after our campaign
against the Filipinos began. Say it Il
81 miles 10 Angeles, we hold possession
OF the railroad up TO that point. We
can fairly claim possession Of the land
q half-n,ile on each side of the track
We have possession OF the wagon road
and. let us say. haf-mile on each
side from san Fernando through Baco-
lor to Santa Rita, eight miles, with
four miles to Guaga. We have a road
from Mololos to Baliauag, II miles
northeast We can claim II square
miles here.
we have Manila out as far as the
water works, five miles away. That
gives us. say. 25 miles around the city.
Then We have The road and half
mile each side down IS miles to linus
Then we have Calamba and some other
points on the lake that General Law
ton captured before he was ordered
back. These towns are not approached
bv road. but by boat across the La
guna lie Bay. and we only control the
land they stand on Adding up our to-
tai possessions we ind we have III
square miles. The island of Luzon con-
tams i2.OO1 square miles. Outside Of
Luzon. the insurrection seems to be
growing.
The insurgents hold ports in Mlnda-
n,o. the next largest island to Luzon
ir the Philippines, and said to be in
ca.cuiably rich in gold and silver mines
AID iron and copper ores. coal and 9TH
er minerals, beside possessing wonder
full forests Of hard wood. No Ameri-
cans have dared venture there as yet. (
as General Otis has sent no troops to
the island. Englishmen and Germans
are prowling about the island getting
all the concessions they can. Ii is said
that several prospecting parties are at
work.
General Otis reports conflicts between
the "robber bands" and American SOL
diers in Negros and Cebu. The Nine
teenth, the Eighteenth, the Sixth and
one battalion of the Twenty third in
fantry are now in those two islands
fighting the "robber bands" who dig
trenches and occupy towns and make
night attacks after the fashion of the
insurgents in Luzon.
A late report from Cebu is to the ef-
feet that some 1000 robbers were men I
acing our forces and collision was G
imminent. The next campaign is going 9
to be different from the last. We will G
get out of the fiat, open country into p
the mountainous, thickly wooded coun- y
try. If we do not end the war here |;
We will have to carry it into the high, q
rocky mountains of Luzon. a
1t viii be no violation Of a state Sc
,ret to say that the first object Of the Il
next campaign viii be to take the rest c
u the railroad from the hands Of the g
The insurgents ought to be Y
iimly convinced by this time that we Il
want the Manila and Dagupan road. t.
IS we have fought along that line sew Il
T months. They know we want it, ri
nd they also know that we are going W
0 get it, Cor they are already tearing ii,
p the track, burning the ties and bury
lg the rails north Of Angeles. cl
The country east of the railroad, CT
orth Of Angeles to Dagupan, is made NJ
ke 1t is south Of Manila. except higher
nd more broken. West Of the railroad
re high mountains, that will offer the
lsurgents better opportunity to re- u
eat and escape than they have had in
ie low country. With the taking Of
lie railroad, we will have cut off the N
rovlnces Of Zambalese, Paggasinian,
arlac and Pan Panga and Bataan ia
IN lay claim to good deal more pa
'untry than the precise amount of real ba
tate on which our American is now vi,
OH
The walled city" cannot understand ]
by the enemy has so much trouble lar
th the railroad When the officers po,