Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-05-21

\ L
GENERAL OTIS PROMPTLY RE-
JECTS THE PROPOSAL = AS
THEIR POWERS ARE LIMITED
IT IS NOT LIKELY THEIR MIS-
SION WILL BE SUCCESSFUL.
MEANTIME THE AMERICAN
ARMY AND GUNBOATS KEEP
THE INSURGENTS MOVING ON.
Washington, d. c., May 20-The fol-
lowing dispatch has been received at
the War Department:
Manila. May 20.
Adjutant General, Washington:
The commissioners of Aguinaldo ar
rived this morning. They wish to
consult the United States commission,
which they will on the I'D instant.
Their power is limited and apparently
no armlstice is a condition precedent
to negotiation. Aguinaldo asks ces-
sation of hostilities 10 ascertain the de-
slres OF the Filipino people.
Manila, May 20.-Gen. Gregorio del
Pillar, commander OF the lnsurgent
forces in front OF Gen. Lawton's dlvis-
ion; Lieut.. Col. Alberto Barrelto,
Judge advocate; Maj. Zealcita, of Agui-
naldo'S stan, anu senior GfaciognZaga,
a former member of the Filipino caDi-
net, the commissioners appointed to
cooperate with Senores F'lorentino
Torres, Pablo Campo and Teodore
Vance, OF Manila. Tor the purpose OF
negotiating terms of peace with the
American commissioners, reached
Manila by special train from Malolas
DIT S:1o O'Clock this morning.
The party was met by Lieut.. Col.
Barry, adjutant general, and conducted
from the train TO the launch captain
and taken to the palace at Galacanan,
and after breakfast were driven
through the city to the Ayuntamiente.
The party was closeted with Gen. Otis
for more than an hour; but the inter-
view was decidedly unsatisfactory, the
commission having nothing definite to
propose and being without power TO
negotiate terms.
The commissioners brought a COM
munication direct from Aguinaldo ask
ing for an armistice pending the de-
cision of the Filipino congress as TO
what policy should be adopted. AS be-
fore, Gen. Otis refused to entertain
the proposition.
The commissioners, after leaving the
city hall, accepted an invitation to
visit the Oregon and other vessels of
the american fleet in the bay; and
they were also granted permission to
10 see their families before returning.
Major General Otis declined TO rec
ognize the rebels to the extent of agree
ing to an armistice, but he has notified
the American commanders TO refrain
temporarily from aggressive action.
Thus he is in a position to resume hos
tilities at any time. This will defeat
any subterfuge to gain time, which
would not be abe case if the general
agreed to an armistice
Col. KoDbe's expedition up the Rio
Grande met with no resistance except
at the outskirts of San Luis, where
several hundred Filipinos were en-
trenched on the banks of the stream.
The rebels retreated beyond Candaba,
and the gunboats steamed ahead all
the way, training their Calling guns
upon the banks and dropping shells
wherever uniforms appeared on the
shore. The gunboats dispersed the in
surgents before San Luis. After they
had passed sharpshooters from the
trees across the river, hundred yards
distant, harrassed the Seventh in
fantry, which was marching in by
fours along the narrow wooded road,
from which the troops were unable to
see the enemy. The members Of one
battalion lay on their faces in the road
for a quarter of an hour trying to
locate the rihemen and return their
fire. Two Americans were wounded.
The road wound close TO the stream
and was thickly settled. 1t was a pic
turesque march Many groups of hun
dreds of natives were clustered under
the trees on the opposite bank, display
ing white shirts, towels, sheets or any
thing white on poles. Some shouted
welcomes to the American soldiers but
most of them maintained a sullen
silence. An old man in a carriage met
the troops two miles outside of town.
He said: Il have lived in England
and | have told the people that the
Americans are like the English. and
that they need not be afraid
Capt. Grant. in command of the
gunboats, landed before the troops ar
rived and met with porto Riean"
welcome. The natives who had as
sembled on the shore crowded about
the Americans with fulsome express
SLAMS of friendship, apparently half
afraid that they would be massaered
Capt. Grant quickly distributed the
men from the gunboat Laguna de Bay
to guard the town, and the natives
sent messenger to tell the people who
had taken refuge in the swamps to re-
turn. Hundreds of the natives there
upon returned timidly, man with an
improvised flag of truce, flying from a
bamboo pole, preceding each party.
A Capuehin priest, one of the few
whom the Filipinos have not imprison-
ed, was found at Candaba He said
it was useless to try TO convince the
natives that the Americans had not
come to Cypress them, as they believed
their leaders, who had strongly i'm
pressed this belief upon them, and who
have told stories of massacres and Fill
ipino victories The walls of the town
were placarded with reports of the
slaughter Of Americans. hundreds of
whom were said 10 have been taken
prisoners.
As soon as Maj Kobbe reached San
Luis the natives raided the insurgents
rice stores. All day a stream OF half
naked people emerged from the store
house, in the manner of ants. rushing