The evening times., 1899-03-18
AguinaIdo's Downfall Near.

As predicted when General Otis organic
ed his dying brigade, the end of Aguinal-
dos war is a matter Of q short time only
A dispatch from the American commander
expresses the opinion that the vigorous
prosecution Of the war has revealed TO the
FiliDinos the unexpected quality of Ameri-
can fighting. They had been used to the
spasmOdic and blundering methods of the
Spaniards. who followed a victory with
retreat, and who did not go beyond their
main lines TO seek for foes. They have
now learned that General Otis means to
give them no rest, and is not content with
merely repelling attacks on his own posi-
tion.
1t is this more than the considerable
losses they have suffered that impresses
Aguinaldos followers. They are able to
see that unless they succumb they will be
annihilat6d. They know that re-enforce-
ments are on their way to General Otis,
while their own strength cannot be ma
terially augmented. At the most, it is ex-
pected that a defeat at Malolos will finish
the rebels. 1t is here they are concentrat-
ing for the chief battle of the war, and if
lion will be virtually over They are cut off
by General Wheatons rapid movements
from retreat to the eastern mountains, and
can go only toward our lines at Manila
1t is possible, and even probable, that the
force in this section will surrender without
a fight and this would take the pluck out
of the other body
General Otis must have definite informa-
tion on which to base his opinion that the
of his army is near. There is no longer
any hope on the part of the rebels that the
natives of the other islands can be induced
TO join them and the recent expressions of
the Berlin government will prevent any
assistance from foreign agents at Hong
kong. The campaign in the Philippines
since the first attack on our forces by the
Filipinos has been mastery, considering
the number under General Otis and the
long line he has had to hold in order to
control the water supply. The reputation
OF the Americans as fighters has been
steadily advanced and the country can be
proud both of regulars and volunteers.
4 Flaw I'm the kindergarten.
The kindergarten has received unlimit-
ed praise from various quarters since it
made its appearance in this country. and
in most communities it has proved a mar
velous blessing. Instead of tots of four
and five years bending over their desks
and running their eyes by five or six hours
Of application TO books, we have happy
crowds of little ones learning to count,
to draw. to read and to write by very
much the same methods as a sensible
mother would use in teaching them at
home if she had the time. But there is an
article by a public school teacher, in a
recent number of the Atlantic which
voices the opinion that the kindergarten
is not in all cases good preparation for
the public schools.
The author is evidently woman of COM
mon sense and judgment, and the article
is full Of good reasoning. vivid descrip-
tion, and not little humor. She describes
quite yividly the advent of the primary
class which has been trained in the kim
dergarten. 1t appears that the children
were rather homesick at first because they
were not called dear" or darling" when
ever they were asked to do anything and
there were other methods of kindergarten
instruction which they missed. But it
does not appear that the absence of these
endearing terms is a serious fault in the
language of the primary teacher. Chill