The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-04-29
SUE FOR PEACE
FILIPINOs ASK OTIS FOR 4 CEssA-
TIoN OF HosTILITIEs,
In Order that AguinaIdo's Congress
May Meet and Decide on the Future
Policy of the Insurgents.
CONFERENCE At MANILA
GEN. OTIS REFUSES TO RECOGNIZE
THE FILIPINO GOVERNMENT,
And the Representatives of the Rebel
Chieftain Leave the Palace without
Gaining the Desired Concession.
ANOTHER MEETING TO-DAY
AT WHICH 1T Is HOPED AN ARMIs-
ANGED
AguinaIdo's Move Not Wholly Free
from Suspicion Of Being a Diplo-
matte scheme tn Gain TIM
HOW CALUMPIT WAS TAKEN
GENERAL LUNA NOT THE FIGHTER
HE WAS SAID TO BE.
Ridiculous Rush for Railway Trains
-Bushwhackers Worrying the
American Troops mt Taguig.
MANILA. April 2s.-The F4lIpinos are

MANILA. April 2s.-The Fflipinos are
seeking peace. Colonel Manuelo Argueleses
and Lieut. Jose Bernal. chief of General
Luna's staff, entered General MacArthur's
line to-day bearing flag OF truce. They
then proceeded TO Manila by train to con-
fer with General Otis regarding terms of
surrender. The Filipino advances for peace.
however. have been fruitless SO far. The
two officers told General Otis they were
representatives of General Luna. who has
been requested by Aguinaldo to ask General
Otis for cessation of hostilities in order TO
allow time for the summoning of the Filipino
Congress. which body would decide whether
the people wanted peace. General Otis re-
piled he did not recognize the existence of a
Filipino government. There will be another
conference tomorrow.
The Filipino officers walked down the rail-
road track 10 the Kansas regiments out
post at 9 o'clock this morning. The Kansas
captain in command there escorted them to
General Wheaton's headquarters where they
were provided with horses and sent to the
headquarters OF Macarthur. The latter in
vited the Filipinos to sit down at lunch with
him. He refused however, to speak author
itatively on the subject of their errand, re-
ferring all inquiries to Otis. The Filipinos
were then escorted by Major Maloney, of
MacArthur's staff. to Manila. reaching this
place at p. m. General Otis's aid. Lieu
tenant Sladen. was awaiting their appear
ance at the depot with a carriage in which
they were driven to the palace entrance
The Filipino officers attracted much atten-
ton. They were dressed in uniforms of
checked blue and white cloth and wore straw
hats. They carried no side arms. They were
escorted directly to the office of Otis Mr..
Schurman, president of the Philippine COM
mission. and Hon. Charles DENLY, member
OF the commission. soon joined the party
there The news of the arrival of the off,
GERS under a flag of truce spread through
out the city rapidly and many officers grav-
itated to the corridors of the palace while
crowd OF natives gathered in the SQUARE
opposite the palace. At o'clock the two
Filipino officers escorted by Lieutenant
sladen and Major Maloney. left the palace.
They did not look at all elated as a result
of their talk with General Otis and the men,
,bers OF the Philippine commission.
AGUINALDo,s SCHEME
Aguinaldo is evidently selecting the army
as cloak for his congress. hoping bv sub-
terfuge to overcome General otis's consist
ent policy Of ignoring the Filipino govern
ment. The Filipinos argument is that IL IS
impossible TO arrange an armistice wi.hor,
the sanction of the Congress. General Otis
punctured this assumption by remarking
that IL Aguinaldo could make war without
the Congress he could stop II without refer
ence to that body. One of the conferees
afterward remarked they are shrewder than
white men in diplomacy, as the Malays are
credited with being. While the Insurgents
are undoubtedly tired of war, the leaders
are torn with dissensions.
There is suspicion that 1t was hoped
by means OF a conference TO ascertain what
they could expect. II they saw anything is
to be gained by continuing the war an ar
mistice would afford them an opportunity
for recuperating their demoralized forces. 1t
is an interesting commentary on Aguinlado's
scheme that only sixty of the 800 members
of the Filipino. Congress have taken the
oath Of allegiance which their constitution
requires.
Filipino proclamation replying to the
proclamation OF the American commission
ers has appeared. II is signed by Madini.
for the President. and is dated at Canias-
dro. April Is. 1t is in tpe usual grandilo-
quent style and declares President Mckinley
issued the proclamation In order to force the
American Congress TO ratify the eessIon OF
the islands under the treaty of Paris. This
contract of cession was made with the