The times., 1899-08-24
FORCE AGAINST REBELS
Nothing Bat Unconditional Sur
render for Aguinaldo.
Secretary Root Returns From Piatts-
burE, Where Ii Was Decided That
Peace Can Only Come in the Phil
ippines at the Cost of Batt,c-No
Reserve Army TO BE Held Here.

Secretary Root arrived in the city last
the President at Lake Champlain. Mem
| bers Of the Cabinet were with the Presi-
dent al the time and the meeting assumed
the aspect of a Cabinet session In fact.
the Secretary, upon his return, compared
the gathering of Administration offic ais
at the summer hotel to a regular semi
weekly council at the White House. Sec
| retary Root declined to state the result
OF the Plattsburg conferences
The statement may be made, however,
upon the authority of the Secretary. that
nothing has been heard in Administration
circles which gives any hope that peace
can be restored in the Philippines except
at the cost of battle. There has been no
intimation that Aguinaldo contemplates
making oyeTtures of peace. While the
Secretary did not say that such proposals
would be rejected, it was learned from
other sources that the Administration pur-
poses compelling Aguinaldo to lay down
his arms, and will pursue such course in
his case as may be deemed advisable after
he has bsen subdued. In other words, the
rebels must surrender Internationally.
As evidence that it is the purpose OF the
/ Administration to adopt the most force
! full measures to overwhelm the Filipinos,
! il may be stated that the twenty regiments,
ten of which have been organized, the 9th
ers ordered raised, will be sent to Manila
as fast as transports can carry them across
the water which separates this country
from the theatre of military operations.
The transportation department has pre-
pared schedule OF trips which will land
the last of the last ten regiments in Manila
not later than December 25.
Tha 81
the newspapers tc the effect that some of
the regiments are 10 be held in the United
States as reserve force is erroneous In
fact. Secretary Root last night corrected the
statement, saying:
/ have noticed in some OF the papers
that the statement is made that a reserve
force is to be held in this country. That
is. incorrect. Every mothers son of them
will eat Christmas dinner in Manila. That
means that every one of the new regiments
VIII -baye been landed in Manila upon that
day."
The Secretary said this with much en-
! phasis, indicating a firm determination
Secretary Root last night more than ever
impressed the fact that he has thrown all
the energy and ability he possesses into
the work of bringing results in the Philip
pines.
The Secretary wss pressed for some
statement with reference TO what decis-
ion was reached regarding who will be
placed In command of this big army but
all attempts to draw from him what was
decided upon at PIattsburg were futile.
he adroitly refrained from making reply
to any question which would give the least
enlightenment upon the subject He was
asked if IL is true that Merritt is to super
sede Otis, but gave no reply that could be
construed into confirmation or denial
In TACT, he evaded all questions touching
upon the head of the Philippine army. and
1T could not be learned from him to what
extent this matter had been considered at
the conference al Lake Champiain
The Secretary sought to rob the Platts-
burg conferences Of the significance v hich
has been attached to them, saying that
nothing would be missed If he did not tell
what occurred up North. The Secretary
gouchsafed no information concerning any
change OF policy that may be contemplated
in Cuba or Porto Rico and was likewise
not disposed to disclose anything pertain
ing to the status OF the Carter case Mr.
Root brought with him proclamation
framed by the President which is to be
issued in Cuba, announcing to the Cubans
that census of the population of thu
island is to be taken. and stating the pur-
pose of it. The proclamation names the
men who have been appointed to conduct
the work
Asked concerning the situation in Porto
Rico among the storm sufferers, he said il
was bad, but denied the statement made in
some afternoon papers that the contribu-
tions to the relief fund were not what had
been hoped for .'The response TO the ap-
peal for aid for the sufferers has been most
gratifying" he said He explained that
there was on deposit in the Bank of North
America. of New York the sum of S32 600.
and that there were other sums available
elsewhere. The relief work viii be con-
tinued as long as any of the victims of the
West Indian cyclone are in need. This
much was assured by Secretary Root.
There was little said OF tariff matters SO
far as relate TO Porto Rico. The Secretary
admitted that the natives found difficulty
IN selling their products, but appeared con-
fdent that present events indicated a solu-
ton of this problem in the immediate
future. II was suggested to him that pos
sibly ii might devolve upon Congress to
definitely decide questions of tariff for
Porto Rico. TO which the Secretary nodded
approval, although intimating that some
measures could be adopted in the interest
Of the Porto Ricans in the interim