The record-union., 1899-04-13
Filipino Rebels Flee at the Sight Of
American Troops.
Burn and Abandon Their To Wns and Refrea
to the Mountains.
General Wheaton Clears the Conn
try Between the Railroad and
the Foothills Near Santa Maria,
Few Shells From the Arti1-
1ery Causing the Rebels to Bolt
The Enemy Decamp From the
Vicinity of Santa Cruz.

Vicinity of Santa Cruz.
MANILA, April u, $50 p. m.-Gen-
eral Wheaton started at daylight with
the Tenth Pennsylvania and the Sec
ond Oregon regiments and two guns to
drive the rebels from the American
right flank between the railroad and
the foothills He met with slight re-
sistance near Santa Maria, and had
one man wounded. But the enemy
bolted when shelled by the artillery, and
burned and abandoned the town of
Santa Maria, where a thousand rebels
were reported to have been concentrat-
ed.
During the rest of the day the enemy
was in full retreat toward the noun
tains. burning the villages behind the
retreating force. Occasionally a few
of the rebels dropped to the rear and
fired at the advancing American troops
from the jungle, apparently with the
idea that this would check our advance
and cover the retreat of the Filipinos.
But, finding these tactics ineffectual,
these rebels scrambled after the main
body. The American guard along the
railroad has been materially strength
ened and it is not likely the rebels will
succeed in getting the Americans in
as close quarters as they did yesterday
even if they return from. the noun
tains.
WOULD NOT WAIT TO BE KILLED.
General Wheaton has telegraphed to
Major General Otis saying:
"They would not wait to be killed.
General Lawton is securing the vicin-
ity of Santa Cruz. He finds the rebels
have decamped. He has secured a
gunboat, six launches and two canoes,
comprising the Filipino fleet. The yes
sells 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 nationalities priests and Span
iards, numbers of them appearing vol
unfairly on the subject of the future
of the islands. The questions put to
all are:
do you believe the Filipnos are cap
able of self government in the town
ships?"
DO you believe the Filipinos are cap
able of self-government in the prov
inces?''
DO you believe the Filipinos are cap
able of government in the archipel-
ago?"
All of those who have been interro-
gated, including Filipinos, who sympa-
thize theoretically with independence
have replied to the third question with
remarka Bile unanimity in the negative.
Independence, they say, would result
in chaos, endless tribal wars and Euro
pean Intervention. A few of them
think that provincial government is
practical, but most of them favor self
government in the townships, with a
form of American supervision protect
ing the inhabitants against the pecuIa-
tions and extortions which their exper-
ience with the Spanish regime has led
to considerable natural requisites of
officialdom.
The commercial classes urge the send
ing Of detachments of American troops,
each numbering about 100 men, to take
possession of the towns in the southern
provinces and in the Visayas Islands,
now held by small bands of Tagalos
They declare the natives find the Tagalo
oppression worse than Spanish oppres-
sion, and that they will welcome the
Americans. The case of the inhabi-
tants of Bubat, in the province of Sor-
sogon, is cited as typical instance
The Spanish taxes amounted to S1S-
O00 but the rebel Tagalos extort S112,-
600 from the people of Gubat Aguin-
aldo's brother-in-law, the provincial
Governor, is said to be despoiling the
people numerically.
General Luna who retired from the
command of the Filipino forces. and
who was editing a newspaper at San
Francisco del Monte, his retirement be-
ing due to the fact that Fuchinos re-
belled at his rigid discipline. has been
recalled to the command. This is taken
as showing that the rebel army is only
kept together by harsh measures.
WORD FROM OTIS.
WASHINGTON. April 12-The fol-
lowing cablegram has been received
from General Otis:
Manila, April 18th
"Adjutant General, Washington: Yes
terday, in the lake region, Lawton ,ur-
sued insurgents eastward from Santa
Cruz, dispensing them. Captured all
the larger vessels used i'll the lake trade
and Spanish gunboat. He is now en-
deavoring to pass them from the river.
and concealing in lake.
Wheaton drove enemy ten miles to
eastward of railway line of communica-
tion with Malolos. Lawtop's and
Wheaton's casualties few and slight as
enemy made no stand. Have been noti-
fed by Spain that she will eyacuate
Mindora and Polo soon OTIS"
1t is more than likely that the word
..Polo" should read "Jolo," which is the
designation sometimes given to the
Sulu group of islands. Spain has had a
garrison at Mindora and Jolo, and it is
probable that she is now ready to re-
move her soldiers
FILIPINO JUNTA'S GRANDILO-
QUENT STATEMENT.
HONGKONG, April l2--The Filipino
Junta here regards the proclamation Of
the United States Philippine Commjs-
sion as being Objectionable, and has is
sued a grandiloquent statement 20 the
effect that it is tissue OF gcneralities,
bristles with phariasis,n and cant,
vaguely promises much and grants
nothing to the Filipinos. xho are tired
of promises and surfeited by Spanish
promises similar to the American