The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1899-04-13
THE REBELS
EVACUATED
oregon and Pennsylvania
Troops Drove Them From
Santa Maria.
THEY BURNED THE TOWN
Then Fled Toward the Mountains
Destroying villages as
They Retreated.
FILIPINO FLEET" CAPTURED
Flotills Made Up Of GunbOst. Six
Launches and Two caseoes Work J
Of the Commission.
FILIPINO FLEET" CAPTURED

MANILA. April l2-s.iO q. m.-General
Wheaton started az daylight with the
Tenth Pennsylvania and the Second ore
gon regiments and two guns to drive
the rebels from the American right Hank
between the railroad and the footnii
He met with srght reslg'ancc near San o
MARIA. and one man was wounded but
the enemy bolted when shelled by the
artillery and burned and abandoned the
town OF Santa Maria where 100 rebels
were reported to have been concentrated.
During the rest Of the day the enemy
was In full retreat toward the noun.
tains burning villages behind the retreat
INK force. Occasionally a few rebels
dropped 20 the rear. and fred at The ad-
yanciug American troop. from the jungle.
apparently with the idea thai this would
check our advance and cover the retreat
OF the FilipInos Finding these tactics
Intellectual. these rebels scrambled after
the main body
The American guard along the railroad
has been materially strengthened. and Z,
Is not lkcly the rebels viii succeed In
getting In the future to as close quarters
as they did yesterday even II they re-
turn from the mountains.
General Wheaton has telegraphed to
General otls. saying; They woulo not
wait 10 be- Killed" General Lawton IS
securing the vicinity OF Santa Cruz, He
finds the rebels have decamped. He has
secured a gunboat six launches and TWO
cascoes, comprising the Filipino feet.
The vessels were stuck In the mud OF
the river. Major General Otis has sent
a dredge TO the spot
The United States Philippine commits
sion Is hearing the leading residents OF
various natlonalities. priests and Spani-
ards. numbers OF them appearing volun-
tarlly, on the subject OF the future OF the
islands. The question put 10 all are
DO you believe the Filipinos are cap
able OF self-Sovernment in the town
ships
40 you believe the Fillpinos are cap
able seif-government In the provincesT''
30 you believe the Filiplnos are cap
able of seif-government in the archipela-
go?"
All Of those who have been interrogated,
Including Fnpinos who sympathlze theo-
rctically with Independence, have re-
piled to the third question with remark
able unanlmlty in the negative. Inde-
pcndence they say would resul, In cha $
endless tribal wars and European inter-
vcntion 4 few OF Them think that pro
vlncial selC-eov,rnment Is practiCa. hut
most of them favor self government In
the townships with form Of Ameri-
ran supervision protecting the inhahi-
tauts against pcculatons and extoruons,
which their experience with the Spanish
regime has led them to consider the nat
ural requisites Of oflicialdom.
The commercial classes urge the send
Ing Of dctachments OF 100 men 10 take
possession Of the towns In the southern
provinces and IN the Visayas Islands,
now held ny small bands OF Tagalos,
They declare that the natives find Tagalo
oppression worse than Spanish oppres-
slon, and that they will welcome the
Americans. The case Of the Inhabitants
OF Guab, In the province Of Sorogon, Is
cited as typical instance, The Spanish
taxes amounted to $4,000, but the rebel
Tagalos extort $4,000 from the people
NJ Cubat
Agulnaldos brother-in-law, the provln-
rlal governor. is said to be despolling the
people numerically,
General Luna, who retired from COM
mand OF the Filipinos' forces, and who
was editing a newspaper at San Fran
cisco del Monte, his retirement being
due to the fact that the Fuchlnos rebelled
at his rigid discipline. has been recalled
to his command, This is taken as snow
Ing that the rebel army is only kept TO-
gether by harsh measures,