Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-19
SIGNS OF COMING TROUBLE
Significant Letter Written in December by
Member of First Nebraska.
MANY CAUSES OF FRICTION At MANILA
Natives Unwilling to Listen to Any
thing but Indcpendcnce-Trad
Relations Disturbed by the
New Regime.

WASHlNGION, FEB. lS.-(SpeCial)- Con
gresham Mercer is in receipt of the follow
ing letter from Germain e. Towl of South
Omaha, who is with the First Nebraska in
the Philippines. The letter is thought here
to reflect the statement of Agoncilo, now in
Canada, that the American troops were the
aggressors in the recent battle OF Manila:
MANILA, Philippine Islands, Dec 81 1898
Hon. ID. II. Mercer, NJ. c., Washington,
ID. C.-Friend Mercer: Congratulations and
equal success in the future. We read mere
OF your winning race with unbounded salts
faction. Undoubtedly much of your work
for the coming year will more or less COM
prehend the Philippine situation.
We of the First Nebraska occupy the most
extreme outpost of the American forces at
Santa Mesa, some six miles southeast of
Manila, along the river Pasig. Just at pres
ent we do not know whether to regard the
Insurgents as friends or probable foes. Hav-
ing made many friends and acquaintauces
among the natives, | have been able to find
out pretty well their attitude toward the
Americans. BY many our coming out of
Manila was considered an offensive move,
and they regarded us with sullen distrust
forthwith. Confidence has returned to our
neighbois, however, and the native soldiers
in the vicinity seem anxious to be on
friendly terms with us. You can never be
sure If them, though. Stabbing a foe, or
even an offending friend, in the back they
consider not deed of treachery, but an act
of commendable finesse. The generality of
them have no respect for promises, or the
property of others When once they are
aroused they are as stubborn as water-bulls.
They have a terrible way of fighting and
might cause us no end of trouble II we
have the misfortune to come to an open
rupture. They like to creep upon their foes,
stab them with their long knives, and get
away in the dark. Cnce started they might
carry ou guerrilla warfare, heavily eXpen-
siVe TO u.s. for many years.
Generals Have No He'd of Roses.
Our generals here bear an unenviable
burden of responsibility. Their policy to-
ward the natives may establish confidence
and friendly relations, or plunge US into an
lhSlCrlous and ludtcrouS warfare. You have
already heard the complaint of the natives
that they have been utterly ignored. Some
OF their rabidly republican leaders are al
ready using that as a lash to whip their
followers into line, with what success
have no means of knowing.
The natives are beginning to ask us II
there is any truth in the rumor that the
United States viii soou ask them to lay
down their arms. They do not seem to com
prehend the propositiCu l asked one of my
insurgent friends the other day, what he and
his followers would do in the event of such
request. He shrugged his shoulders sig
nfcantly and tersely replied, when we are
dead the United States is welcome to our
arms
l asked him again how annexation would
suit his people. In his excellent English he
said, "It is independence we want; we will
have annexation to no power under the sun;
we prefer to fight if it comes TO that
Sounding him further l discovered that his
only idea of the solution of the problem was
Independence under the protection of the
United States. | tried to explain the alb
surdity and incongruity of his proposition,
but he held to it stubborny. 1t seems to be
the general sentiment of the people
a well-to- do Spaniard asked me what |
thought the policy of the United States
would be toward the Filipinos. l told him
torial. Then you will have to fight the
fat-noses,' he replied "They are loco on
the subject of independence and won't listen
TO anything else"
Cause of Dissatisfaction.
American stock is away below par with
the natives When we first came into the
city they stood on the street corners to yell
amigo as we passed. Now the guards
shove them off the sidewalks and no one
ever hears them say again, Americana
mucho buero." When entered the city
the natives tried to receive us as guests;
today our commanders are taking every pre-
caution against what their actions plainly
say--ap attack
To the casual observer several reasons for
the change Of sentiment toward us are ap-
parent. The Indifferent attitude of our COM
mander9; the enforced inaction of our gov
eIHluSuI NuulOIlutdJely Impossible 10 eN-
plain to the mass of the people,; friction
with American soldiers; American duties,
taxes and licenses, and disordered CONNER
cial affairs incident to stste of war.
The leaders of the insurgents rave over
what they call the personal sights rendered
them and their cause in the attitude of our
commanders; they tell their people that our
government is doing nothing to aid them
the situation grows more complicated the
longer the inaction; the common people daily
nl Il iinr de all
ways to the cost of the former. The people
complain that often the soldiers catch in
nocent parties, that the guilty escape and
that our military courts and procedure are
even harsher than those of the Spanish.
Drunken soldiers often tell the natives by
signs that the Americans are going to begin
war against them. Some complain of being
insulted by the guards. Others are losers
by allowing the soldiers unlimited credit. j
was in Spanish refreshment bocth one
evening when a party Of military police of
the district entered, drank, smashed the
table stole the spoons and silver plated
plates, and then left, simply telling the irate
proprietor to charge Ii up or course such
acts are punished when the offenders happen
to be clught, but that does not mitigate the
grievances OF the wounded parties. In re-
gard to taxation the natives are beginning to
express themselves complainiugly. They say
we tax them as heavily as the Spanish did
and that they do not get an equal volume of
trade in return. The merchants who get the
greater part of American money expended
here are Americans and English, especially
the few who sell goods of the home country.
The Chinese and native small merchants
think they have just cause for complaint
Their business Is suffering, many are leav-
ing the city and moving into the provinces
where they spread their discontent as they
go. Those of their friends who remain In the
city hang on by the skin of their teeth ask
ing when they are gCing to get Independence.
They seem TO think that the magical state of
freedom will completely bridge their yawn-
ing desideratum
Ex-Ohice Holders Dissatisfied.
Among the inhabitants of Manila there is
another large disaffected class the so-caled
office holders of the Castillan rule. They
are natives who held iGnumerable clerkshps
and other petty offices before the overthrow
of the government, Hoping to hold their
positions under the Americans they had no
objections TO find with the change until they
discovered the American soldiers were in
large part filling the positions which they
had considered peculiarly their own, and for
them there was 40 longer any chance, I'm
willing to adapt themselves to harder and
more menial labor, these young fellows. for
the most Part well educated have thrown
their support IN the movement for Philippine
independence, and many of them have gone
TO the provinces. What they will do there 10
food for conjecture.
In the same way artisans, workmen, gate
keepers and engineers, who found sufficient
work under the old government in its con-