Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-04-19
A FIGHT TO A FINISH.
New York Correspondent Says Fill
ipino Leader Threatens to
Continue Ten Years.

pino Leader Threatens to
Continue Ten Years.
Manila, March IL via San Francisco,
Cal, April 13).-James Creelman sends
the following to the New York journal:
From tumultuous Malolos, crowded with
insurgent soldiers, Aguinaldo sends word
to his friends in the towns and bamboo
thickets that he can keep up the war
against the United States for ten years
ii necessary. Meanwhile the insurgent
army is still stretched around the land
side of the city i'll Il great seml-clrcle,
each flank resting on the shore OF Manila
bay, and our tired, dusty regiments lie
in the trenches night and day, eXchang-
ing random shots with the enemy and oc-
caSlOnaly engaging i'll q sharp, spirited
SkirmiSh After each engagement we
hear the same old, familiar story--the
enemy carried their dead and wounded
off the field.
Gen. Lawton got here yesterday with
100 soldiers. Everybody in the army
and navy supposed that the general. who
Stormed Ell Caney and won the real hon
orS of the battle of Santiago, would be
put in full command of the army in the
field here. After Gen. LaWton had Wis
tied the palace Gen. Otis announced that
that OF Encouragement reporting for
duty.
There is No Corruption.
All sorts Of wild rumors about corrup-
ton in the customs department and about
excuses by our troops are flying about
in the English press of Asia. l have in
vestigated these matters, with the as
sistance of experienced and impartial
men, and find the stories absolutely false
Wh1tpvpr fnn1tc (1nn Otis bor h.
has certainly proved himself to be honest
and painstaking and capable OF prevent
ing malfeasanCe or corruption on the
part of subordinates.
The men are well clothed and we'll quar-
tered. The beef fed TO the soldiers on
the firing line from the refrigerator ships
IS as good as one can find in the average
New Iork restaurants.
Admiral Dewey told me yesterday that
our whole strength should be put forth
at once to clear the island of Luzon from
the rebellious Tagalo power The people
of the United States need have 40 fear
Of the rest. | have talked with most Of
the representative men here-men of all
grades of life-and they assure me that
when the terrors of Tagalo warrior regi-
he has been ended the whole people of
the Philippine archipelago will Loyalty ac-
cept the government we offer them, if it
is Il just, kindly and reasonable govern
ment.
The correspondents are all puzzled by
censorship, compared TO which Wey-
ler's system in Havana was perfect free
dom. The censorship does not deal alone
with military matters; it suppresses near
ly everything but such facts as Gen.
Otis wishes the American people TO know.
Gen Otis being a warm admirer of the
Spanish archbishop of Manila. has pri-
vate conference with him almost every
day, and it is generally believed that the
general is strongly Influenced by the ven
cradle prelate. who denounced America
so vehemently and relentlessly before
Dewey destroyed the Spanish fleet. In
fact. the general admits that he practical
ly doubled the forces on our outpoStS one
day on a suggestion from the archbishop.
Here is the archbishOp's statement con
corning the outlook for the United States
in the Philippines:
Cannot Govern Theun elves.
The native races are not competent
to govern the islands or share in the
government to any extent. All the ma
tives of the Philippines are a peaceful,
industrious people, except the Tagalos.
These people have inherited the war
like tendencies of their remote ancestors,
the Arabs who controlled the coasts of
the islands when the Spanish occupied
the Philippines. This race controlled
Luzon and left their blood to the ma
tive races: hence the war-like tendencies
of the Tagalos, who are principally from
CruZon.
1.-The only way ever successfully to gov
ern the Tagalos is to establish q strong
military government on the islands and
form native companies out of Tagaloa
differed By American officials. They
will then be loyal if paid well and treat
ed kindly. 1t is their nature to fight
and they are not particular for whom
they fight. Those of the natives who
were in the Spanish army proved good
and loyal soldiers. When the Tagalo
race IS subdued and brought under the
strong arm of a military government you
will have no difficulty with the rest OF
the island.
''As to the untainted aboriginal races,
there is little hope of their ever being
anything but Indians, but they are
peaceful and industrious ana can be good
citizens if governed indulgently and in a
kindly manner.
Il have been misrepresented to Amer
leans and | do not understand why the
American papers have libeled me so.
am ready to turn over my palace and po-
sition to the American apostolic delegate
when he comes. and shall return to
Spain"
Dangers of Rainy Season.
I saw Maj.-Gen. Anderson, in com
mand of the second army division today,
in his field headquarters. The general
said:
L have enough force and am ready to
advance. We have but two months be-
fore the rainy season starts in, and the
moment it starts to rain we must stop all
operations and wait until along in Octo-
Der or November before we can resume
action. At best this country is a poor
place for campaigning. 1t is all cut up
in ridges and rice fields, together with a
great deal of marshy land, by reason of
the numerous streams. The question of
getting supplies to our army here largely
influences its movements. With the Fill
pinos it is different: they can get along
with a little rice, which they can carry
! along with them
When asked about the Filipino as SOL
der or fighter the general said he re-
sembled very much our American In
dian, though he thought the Indian the
Drawer of the two races. The native Fill
| ipinos are persistent. They are not east
| ly discouraged and when cornered they
| will fight to the death of the last man