The evening times., 1899-02-07
AGUINALDO PLANNED
THE NIGAT ATTACK
General Merritt Looks for Fur
ther HOstilitieS.
Pho de Pillar the MephistOpheles OF
the Situation.
Most Formidable Rival of the In
sur.cnt Chief and n Natural
Military Leader.

New York, Feb General Merritt who
is now in this city said at his hotel yes
terday evening that he was very glad that
the Peace Treaty with Spain had been
ratified and the policy of President Nc
Kinley sustained. 1T is the duty of the
country" General Merritt said, Ito sustain
the Treaty and to endorse the policy OF
the President. The members of the Paris
Commission worked very hard to bring
about a settlement of the difficulty with
Spain that would be honorable and credit
able to the United States, and ] am hear
tily glad that the Treaty has been ratified"
When asked what effect he thought the
ratification of the Treaty would have on
Aguinaldo and his followers, General Mer-
ritt said:
Il have an idea it now will hardly stop
their rebellious purposes nor deter them
from keeping up their hostile demonstra-
tions for some time. / think they will
persist in their present attitude until they
are mastered and controlled by the United
States. / do not think there should be any
let up in the course of this Government
toward the insurgents. We have gained
most decided advantage and should not
relinquish il. We should keep it up until
the insurgents are thoroughly demoralized
and subjugated They will give us great
deal of trouble.
Referring to the comparatively light loss
of the American forces at Manila, General
Merritt said:
That was because of the superior fight
ing qualities of our men. They had been
thoroughly drilled, and when they fired
they fired to good purpose. As rifiemen
they far exceeded the enemy. Then the
land forces were greatly aided by those OF
the navy. This explains why the insur-
gents suffered so heavily.
Il believe now that our forces have
! gained such a signal victory, that the ad-
vantage should be pursued until every
| trace of rebellion has been knocked out of
Aguinaldo and his followers. Those PEOPLE
need a good lesson, and now is the time
| to give il 10 them
General Merritt said there was hardly
any doubt that the attack on Manila had
been planned by Aguinaldo. There could
/ be no doubt. he said, that AguinaldO's au-
! thOrity over the Filipinos was supreme.
/ He expected. however. that the reverses
| sustained by the insurgents would have a
| disastrous effect on Aguinaldo's authority.
/ whose supremacy had been based on his
/ successes against the Spaniards after Ad-
miral Dewey had destroyed the Spanish
! meet. AUOtHtE lHdl ltipttl
Aguinaldo TO maintain his supremacy over
/ the Filipnos was his success in keeping
! his followers so long together as an army.
| But now" General Merritt said, that
| the weakness of his power has been made
so manifest, / think it not unlikely that
| mis- many rivals, who have been suppressed
for the time being. will rise TO dispute his
| authority and thus spread disSenson and
| factionaI feeling through the Filipino
| ranks
Aguinaldo's most formidable rival, Gen
| eral Merritt said was Pho de Pillar. an Eas
| Indian, whose courage and aggressivenesS
! inspired his men with confidence, and who
! was a natural military leader. General Mer-
! ritt said he had no doubt Aguinaldo stood
| in awe of Pho de Pillar. and that 1t was pos
sible the latter had coerced Aguinaldo into
sanctioning the assault on Manila. Genera
| Merritt added that whatever Pho de Pillar:
| influence might be. he could be regarded
as irreconcilably hostile TO the Americans
| Whenever. the general said referring Il
his work in the Philippines, Aguinaldt
! sent him communications, he reminded
| him, as an excuse for his inability TO ac
cede promptly TO requests made of him
that he was Obliged 10 consult his chiefs
| Agunaldo mentioned no names, but Gen
eral Merritt said ii was always understood
he referred principally 10 Pho de Pillar
General Merritt said he regarded Pho d,
Pillar as a dangerous and bad man.
General Merritt said that General Otis
who commands the land forces of tn,
United States in the Philippines. had somt
Is. 900 or 10000 men-enough, he felt, Il
make our occupation of the islands safe
But TO subdue and control all the island!
he thought General Otis should have a
least 3O. .OG0 men. He spoke very highly o
| the abilities of General Macarthur. Gen
eraI Miller. General King. General Hall
and General Reeve. and said:
With officers of this type to serve un
der him and with the discipline and har
dening which the volunteer troops of hi
command have acquired during the perio'
of their active service in the Philippines
General Otis has now a compact traine'
and efficient army in which the most i'm
pIicit reliance can be placed.