The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-05-21
IN EFFORT TO GAIN TIME
FiIipinos So Deceptive He Dis
credits Their Motives.
LUNA MAY CONTINUE THE WAR
J.. spite of Aguinaldo's Peace Qvertures
Insurgents Had Nerve to Send
aDemand to Americans to
Evacuate Iloilo

Manila, May 20.-General Gregorio del
Pillar, commander of the insurgent forces
in front of General Lawton's division;
Lieutenant Colonel Alberto Barretto. judge
advocate; Major Zealcita, of Aguinaldo's
staff, and Senior Graciognzaga, former
member of the Filipino cabinet, the COM
missioners appointed to cooperate with
Seniors Florintino Torres, Pablo Campo and
Teodore Yanco, of Manila, for the purpose
of negotiating terms of peace with the
American commissioners, reached Manila
by special train from Malolos at 8:15 this
morning.
The party was met by Lieutenant Colonel
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 Ayuntamient
The party was closeted with General Otis
for more than an hour, but the interview
was decidedly unsatisfactory. the commits
sions having nothing definite to propose and
being unempowered to negotiate terms.
The commissioners brought commune
cation direct from Aguina.tlo, asking for
an armistice pending the decision of the
t1llplnO cOuBTeSS DIS " Whdt PoiASy ohSeAS
be adopted.
Majo*-General Otis has declined to
recognize the rebels to the extent of
agreeing to an armistice, but he has no.
titled the American commanders to re-
frain temporarily from aggressive ac-
ton. Thus he is in position to re-
sumo hostilities at any time. This will
defeat any subterfuges to gain time
which would not be the case If the
70 arf1,iS
The Filipinos are so deceptive that
the people hesitate to credit with good
faith their latest overtures. But more
attention is now paid to them than was
paid to their previous advances. The
Filipino commission is acting under in
structions from Aguinado and the con-
gress, but 1t is possible that If peace is
arranged General Luna and Pho Del
Pillar and their followers will continue
q guerilla warfare.
At noiIo attack on the Americans
was recently expected. The Filipino
leaders boasted that they had 1000 rifle
men and 10000 BoIo men, and had the
impudence to send an ultimatum to the
American commander ordering him to
leave the island. As a result, many of
the natives left the town and for several
days the outposts were doubled. In ad-
dition the Yorktown and the Iris an
chored in positions commanding the
mouth of the lara river, where the at
tack was expected to take place but 1t
failed to materialize
Cable communication between Iloilo
and Bacalor, which has been inter.
rupted, has been resumed.
AS before General Otis refused to enter
tain the proposition. The commissioners
after leaving the city hall, accepted an in
vitation to visit the Oregon and the other
vessels of the American feet In the bay
and they were also granted permission to
see their families before returning.
The Filipinos will consult the United
States commissioners on the 22d.
Up the Rio Grande
Colonel Kobbes expedition up the Rio
Grande river met with no resistance ex-
cept at the outskirts of San Luis, where
several hundred Fflipinos were entrenched
on the banks of the stream. The rebels re-
treated beyond Candaba, and the gunboats
steamed ahead. all the way training their
Gatiing guns upon the banks and-dropping
shells wherever insurgents appeared on the