The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-04-13
Lawton Now Has All Used in the Lake
Trade, and a Spanish GunbOat,
THE FUTURE OF THE ISLANDS
Being Discussed by the Commission
With Representative Citizens All
Agree That They Are Incapable
of self Government - Hong
Hong Junta Issues An-
other Statement.

WASHINGTON, April l-.-Ihe following
csblegrams have been received at the
War Department:
manila. April l2.
"Adiutant-General Washington.
Yesterday in the lake region Lawton
pursued insurgents eastward from Santa
cruz. dispensing them. Captured an the
larger vessels used in The lake trade and
Spanish gunboat. lie is now endeavoring
10 pass them from river where concealed
into lake.
Wheaton drove enemy ten miles TO
eastward of railway lines of cOmmuni-
cations with Maioios Lawtons ana
Wheaton's casualties few and slight, as
enemy made mo- stand.
Notified by Spain that she will evacu-
ATE 'i'i'0oio "''' "OTIs."
Manila. April 18th.
"Adiutant-General Washington.
"Reiief arrived. All we'll
II is more than likely that the word
"polo" i'm the above despatch should read
"Jolo." which is the designation some
times given the sulu group or is-nds.
cnain has had garrison at Mudoro ana
Joio. ana j, is probable that she is now
ready 20 remove her soldiers.
WHEATON'S RAID.
MANILA. April 12.-ClO =. M-General
Wheaton started az daylight with the
Tenth Pennsylvania and the Second Ore
eon Regiments and Two guns. 20 drive the
Insurgents from the American right flank
between the railroad and tho foothills
H. met with a slight resistance near
Santa Maria. and had one man wounded.
But. the enemy b0lted when shelled by
the artillery and burned and abandoned
the town of Santa Maria. where a thous-
and Fnipinos were supposed % have been
concentrated.
IN RETREAT
During the rest OF the day the enemy
was I'm fun retreat towards the noun
tains. burning the villages behind the re-
treating force.
$3.50 p. M.-General Wheaton has tele-
graphed 10 MajOr-General Otis, saying.
"Thev would not wait 10 be killed.
THEIR FUTURE
Tho United States Philippine Commis-
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 question put TO them
an are:
DO you believe the Filipinos are ca
pable OF self-government in the town
shipsT
do you believe the FiHpinos are ca
pable of sef-sovernment in the PROV
inces2'
"Do you believe the Fllipinos are ca
pable Of self-government In the archi-
pelago?'
All Of those that have been interro-
gated, including Fllpinos, who sympa-
thlze theoretically with Independence,
have replied to the third question with
remarkable unanimity in the negative
Independence. they say. would result in
chaos. endless tribal wars, and European
interN cntion.
A few Of them think that provincial
solf-pOvernment is practicable, but most
of ITEM favor self-goyernment i'm the
townships. with a form of American sue
pervis.0n protecting the inhabitants
against the speculations and eXtoruons
which their experience with the Spanish
regime has led them 10 consider the
natural perquisites Of ofticaldom
WORSE THAN SPAIN.
The commercial classes urge the send
inc Of detachments OF America troops,
each numbered about one hundred men.
TO take possession Of the towns in the
Southern provinces and ia the Vsayas lsi-
ands. now held by small bands OF Taga-
los. They declare the natives find the
gagalo oDpressiOu worse than Spanish
opnression. and that they will welcome
me Americans. The case Of The inhabi-
tants Of Gubat i'm the Province Of SOrsO-
gon. IS cited as a typical instance. Tho
Spanish taxes amounted TO SlSoO. but the
msurgent Tagalos extort $1,000 from the
people Of Gubat
AguInaldo's brother-in-law the pro
vinclal governor, Is said to be despoiing
the people numerically.
General Luna, who retired from the
command Of the Filipino forces. end who
was editing a newspaper at San Fran
cisco del Monte. his retirement being due
to the fact that the Filipinos rebelled at
his rigid discipline, has been recalled TO
the command. This is taken as showing
that the insurgent army is only kept to
eether by harsh measures.
THE SAME OLD TALE
HONG KONG. April 12-The Filipino
Junta here regards the proclamation OF
The United States-Philippine Commission
as being Objectionable. and has issued a
erandlloouent statement to the effect that
4, IS a tissue of generalities. bristles with
Pharisaism and cant. vaguely promises
much and grants nothing 10 the Filpinos.
who are tired OF promises ard surfeited
by Spanish promises Slhiii"i !" t'40
Americans"
..The proclamation proves riat the fair
promises OF independence under pro-
foctora.e and President McKinley's dec
laration OF the objects or the Spanish
var were only mask Of humanitarian
ism to cover the real intention. The in
vitation OF the United states Philippine
commissioners TO sle F1lipinos TO meet
them for an exchange OF We've Is mean
ineless as. during the hostflities, the
renresentative Fnpinos are necessarily
absent from Manila, assisting the strug-
gle for independence.
The Filipinos continue 10 resist
vlolent and aggressive usurpation. not
because they expect complete victory.
but to emphasize their rights and to pro- \
to. --.4i--. 90 .'''hlees invns'0n
I'VE emphatlcally deny that the aims
of the American government has been
misinterpreted. The proclamation of
moral OTIS showed those aims clearly.
We also deny the legality OF the sale OF
sovereignty over the Philippines by Spain.
and we reiterate positively that the
Americans began the hostilities on Feb |
ruary ith.