The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-04-13
REBELS ROUTED
FROM SANTA MARIA
General Wheaton Continues the
American Advance.
MET SLIGHT RESISTANCE
Enemy Bolted When Shelled By the
Artillery and Refused to Wait to
Be Killed-Law awton Finds
the Rebel Fleet.
MET SLIGHT RESISTANCE

Manila. April 12.-General wheaton
started at daylight with the Tenth Pennsyi-
yania and Second oregon regiments ana
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
wouhded.
But the enemy bolted when shelled by the
artillery and burned and abandoned the
town of Santa Maria, where LOCO rebels
were reported to have been concentrated
During the rest of the day the enemy was
in full retreat toward the mountains
burning the villages behind the retreatlng
force. Occasionally few OF the repeis
dropr ed to the rear and fired at the ad-
vanclag American troops from the jungle
apparently with the idea that this would
check our advance and cover the retreat OIL
the Filipinos.
But on finding these tactics ineffective
the rebels scrambled after the main body.
The American guard along the railroad has
been materially strengthened and 1t Is not
likely the rebels will succeed In getting IN
the future to as close quarters as they ala
yesterday, even if they return from the
mountains.
General wheaton has teegraphed to Ma
ior- General Otis saying
''They would not wait to be killed.
General L4awton is securing the vicinity
of Santa Cruz He finds the rebels nave
decamped. He has secured gunboat, six
launches and two canoes comprising the
Filipino fleet. These vessels were stuck In
the mud of the river.
Major-General Otis has sent dredge to
the spot. The United States Philippine
commission is hearing the leading residents
of various nationalities, priests and Span
iards numbers of them appearing voluntar-
lily on the subject of the future OF the
islands.
The questions put to all are: DO you be-
lieye the Filipinos are capable of self-gov-
ernment in the townships?"
"Do YOU believe the Filipinos are capable
of self government in the provinces?
"Do YOU believe the Filipinos are capable
of self-government in the archipelago?
All of those who have been interrogateo,
including Filipinos, who sympatnize tneo-
retically with independence, have replied
to the third question with remarkable
,nari,nitv in the negative. Independence,
they saw, would result in chaos, endless
tribal wars and European intervention. A
few of them think that provincial seH-soV-
arnment is practicable, but most Oh tneni
favor self-government In the toWhshps'
with n form of supervision protecting the
tortions which their experience with the
Sn,nish regime has led them to consioer
the natural perjuisites of officialdom.
The commercial classes urge the sehu-
inp of detachments of American troops,
each numbering about 100 men, 10 take
nossession of the towns In tho south@rn
nrovinces and In the Viscayas islahos, II
was held by small bands of Tagalos. Ihey
declare the natives find the Tagalo OPP
nression worse than Spanish OPPRESSION
ana that they will welcome the Americans.
The case of the inhabitants OF Gupal' IN
the proyince of Corsogon Is clteo as 4
t,,r,csi instance The Spanish taxes
a,,o,,nted to $4,000, but the rebel Iagalos
axtort s112 900 from the people OF Gubal.
Ag,,inaldo's brother-in-law, the provinciai
goyernor is said to be desposling the peo-
~. caneral Luna, who retired from the COM
msnd of the Filipino forces and VINO was
editing a newspaper at San Francisco del
Monte, his retirement being due to the 1act
that tbe Fuchinos rebelled at his rigid des-
cinline. has been recalled to the command.
Thiq As taken as showing that the rebel
army is only kept together by harsh mea-
sures.