The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-04-30
VIII Probably Return to Manila for
fng to the Insurgent Leaders.
AMNESTY TO BE GRANTED
IF THE FILIPINOs AGREE To UN-
CONDITIONAL SURRENDER.
Interview with General Otis-Proposi-
tfons Alleged to Have Been submit-
ted After the Fall of Malolos.

MANILA, April 2e.-The conference to-
day between General Otis and Col. Manuel
Argueleses and Lieut.. jose Bernal. who
came from General Luna under flag OF
truce yesterday to ask for a cessation or
hostilIties, was fruitless. 1t Is understood
the Filipino commissioners were given the
terms on which the Americans will consent
to negotiate. The FfIipinos admit they have
been defeated and II is expected they will
return with fresh proposals from General
Luna.
The ENJOYS were very Hospitality treated
by General Otis, who provided them with
house and a guard and permitted them to
visit friends here. Returning to the palace
this morning the ENJOYS saw an Illustration
OF American resources A long train Of
wagons and pack mules was just starting
with provisions for General Lawton, who
has reached Maarunco.
The conference at the palace lasted three
hours. Mr.. Jacob G.. Schurman. of the Phil
ippine commission. attending and Admiral
Dewey dropping in for an hour. The discus
sion was mostly between General Otis and
Colonel ArgueIeses who had been selected
for the mission by General Luna because
he had known General Otis. Colonel
A-gueleses served on the Filipino committee
which, met the American authorities before
the war IN an endeavor to smooth over the
impending troubles.
Mr.. schurman emerged from the palace
between the two snock-haired. half-savage
looking emissaries and the three drove un-
attended to the Office or the United States
Philippine commission. where they talked
informally for about hour. Manila is
divided between two opinions the majority
hall ha nj xUbfl Ia
others think they are sparring for time in
which to rehabiltate their demoralized
army. The latter opinion gained color from
the fact that reinforcements have been sent
to the south opposite the American lines.
Colonel Argueleses, who is a lawyer,
splendidly Illustrated the Malay subtlety at
words. While he declared, with apparent
frankness, that the Filipino leaders wanted
a chance to gire up the struggle gracefully
through the Congress instead OF surrender
ing ANONYMOUSLY. he asked for a three
weeks armistice SO the Congress might be
summoned on May 1. he endeavored to COM
NIT the Americans to greater concessions
and wanted terms guaranteed by treaty. He
was told that recognition OF the Filipino
government was impossible, and he was
given to understand a written guarantee
OF amnesty for all insurgents was the ut
most that could be given. Colonel Argue
ieses argued that Spain had given similar
guarantees and broken them, and he laid
much stress on the Spaniards' honor. He
persistently declared the Filipinos must be
permitted to retire with homer.
In conversation with Mr.. Schurman Col
Argueleses revived the question OF inde-
pendence and was referred to the statement
in the commissions proclamation that the
Filipinos would be given an increasing
measure of self government soon they
proved themselves worthy of It, Mr. Schur-
man warned the Filipino that the longer the
war was waged and the more were killed,
the greater would be the animosities hinder
ing an amicable cooperation between the
two peoples for the prosperity of the
islands.
The insurgents have an insurrection on
their own hands. The Macabeles, traditional
foes or the Tagals. are rising in the north,
while the burden of thousands OF hungry
and dscontented people who fed before the
American army. and who are camping be-
hind the Filipino lines. mutiplies the trou-
bles OF the Filipino government the head
quarters OF which are now at San Isidro
having been removed northward when Ca
lumpit fell.