Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-05-08
CONFIDENT. OF PEACE.
According to the Presidents Be.
lief It Is Due in Very Few
Hours Now.
INsURGENT COLLAPSE Is EXPECTED

Our Troops Preparing to Push the Cam
paign and Keep the Rebels Moving
Without Any Let-Up-San Fernando
Was an Easy Capture-Occupied by the
Hospital Corps First-Goy. Thomas, of
Colorado, Preparing to Take a War
Question into the Courts.
Washington. May s. - President Nc
Kinley told his friends Saturday that
he believed that the Filipino insurrec-
ton would collapse within the next
forty-eight hours. This conclusion was
based upon highly satisfactory cable
grams received from Schurman, presi-
dent of the Philippine commission.
Manila, May 6. $50 p. m. Colonel
Manuel Arguelles. chief of staff for
General Luna, who. with Major Jose
Bergal. Is here as a special envoy from
Aguinaldo TO plead for an armistice.
said frankly today that the Filipinos
were whipped. Colonel Arguelles comes
from General Luna. who is the COM
mauding general of the insurgent army.
I'VE know that we are whipped" he
said. Il do not mind admitting that
AgUinaldo is discouraged. More than
this. the troops are determined to sur
render and they have not been back
ward in submitting their position to the
leaders,"
Our Next Aggressive Movement
Manila, May Z, $40 p m.-To clear the
Filipinos out of Bacolor, about five
miles southwest of San Fernando, will
be the next task Of the Americans. The
rebel general, Mascardo, has d force of
5000 men there, well-armed and pos
sessed of plenty of ammunition. His
troops have never met American SOL
diers and they think, according to re-
ports carried to San Fernando, that
they can whip the whole lot Bacolor
is well intrenched and thousands of ma
tiees are working like beavers, digging
trenches, and carrying the dirt in
baskets. The rebels have an outpost
about a mile beyond San Fernando, with
q trench that holds between 200 and 800
men. From that point several volleys
were fired last night upon the camp of
the Twentieth Kansas regiment.
How San Fernando Was Captured.
Neither Major General Macarthur or
Major General Lawton moved today, al
though each reconnoitered the country
in his own vicinity for some miles from
headquarters, developing the presence
of small forces of the enemy. The en-
trance of the Americans into San Fer
nando was virtually unopposed. The
Filipinos, who expected the invaders
to approach from the sea. had that side
Oh the TOWN. SlTOHBly guarded. out Inere
was only ole line of trenches beyond
San Tomas. Two battalions of the
Fifty-first Iowa regiment, which swan
the river north of the city, were smart
ly peppered at while in the water, but
the rebels disappeared as soon as the
Americans reached the shore. In ,the
meantime the hospital squad had
walked across the bridge into the city,
supposing the Americans were there.
They encountered no natives.
Warmly Welcomed Our Soldiers.
The few Spaniards and Filipinos who
were left welcomed the Americans and
opened their houses to them, General
Macarthur accepting entertainment at
the hands of Senor HiZon, a sugar mag
nate. If the inhabitants of the San Fer
nando region are to be believed there is
little sympathy with the insurrection
in that quarter. The army is really
enjoying life at San Fernando. which is
the most picturesque and wealthy town
the Americans have entered since the
occupation of Manila. 1t is largely built
of stone. the river is close a hand, and
high hills almost surround il. The
American troops are much exhausted
by the campaign, except the Iowa
troops. which are comparatively fresh.
Senator Albert Beveridge. of Indiana. is
here. studying the Philippine question.