The San Francisco call., 1899-10-03
Purpose of the Visit of the
Military Commission to
General E. S. Otis.
REBELS LOSE HOPE
Recognize the Fact That They Will
Be Defeated and Now Willing
to Accept a Protactorate.
Special Cable TO The Call and the New York
Herald. Copyrighted, 1899. by James Cor
don Bennett

Special Cable to The Call and the New York
Herald. Copyrighted, 1899. by James Cor
don Bennett.
MANILA, Oct 2-The insurgents
cut the telegraph line between Bacoor
and Manila at o'clock tonight, and
this message to Manila had to be sent
through by water.
The rebels made an attack upon Ba-
coor at half-past o'clock this morning
and the fight lasted until dark Cen
eral Grant conducted the operations of
the American forces in person on the
firing line. The Filipinos first cut the
telegraph wires running from Bacoor
to linus and ambushed the American
patrol, consisting of eight men. A sig
nal sergeant was killed and two other
Americans were wounded. The little
band was reinforced by a company of
the Fourteenth Infantry and three
companies of the Fourth, which were
hurriedly sent out from linus and
fought their way through along the
road to their relief
The rebels were fighting at 4 o'clock
this afternoon from across deep river
fifty yards wide. Eight men in all of
the American troops had been wounded
up to that time and two had been
killed. An advance will be made to-
morrow on the insurgents.
General Alejandrino, head of the
Filipino military commission now con-
ferring with General Otis, said in an in
terview with The Call-Herald cor
respondent:
Our government is willing to ac-
cept a protectorate under the United
States. We fought Spain because we
did not wish longer to be colony. "A
colonial government under American
rule would be worse than Spanish, be-
cause you know nothing about the way
to govern colonies. We DO not want
to be experimental on for q century
while you learn how. With England 1t
would be another matter.
You are another race and are not
in sympathy with us. We know how
to rule our own people. We do not un-
derstand why your powerful nation
wants to crush US like insects. You
can conquer us because you are rich
and our soldiers cannot fight success
fully against yours. We want an hon
orable peace, but we will fight until
death for our institutions. We know
every military move that you make
and get every day local American
newspapers We know what the
United States papers say. We believe
that a few men, whom you call politi-
clans, are waging this war, and that
the people of the United States Will
soon change in our favor.
Admiral Dewey promised me IN
Hongkong that at the termination OF
the war with Spain the Filipinos would
be given their independence. Dewey
was our best friend, but we understand
now that he will not be permitted to
keep his word with US. We do not un-
derstand why General Otis refuses to
recognize our government unless he is
afraid that other foreign powers Will
then recognize US.
In an hours interview with the COM
mission they gave many evidences of
their purpose to make efforts to Sc
cure recognition as a nation before
making any attempt at treating for
peace. They also showed much depreS-
sion over their complete failure in the
battles with the American troops and
also full recognition of the fact that
If the campaign against them was pros
ecuted vigorously by Otis 1t must mean
their utter defeat soon.
WASHINGTON, Oct. "A dispatch
from General Otis was received at the
War Department this morning giving
an account of his meeting with the in
surgent ENJOYS. General Otis said the
interview with Aguinaldo's representa-
tives indicated that the leaders were
maneuvering solely with a view to Sc
cure recognition of the insurgent gov
ernment All such overtures were re-
jected and the ENJOYS were informed
that the only thing the United States
would recognize was a white flag and
the grounding of arms. He also in
formed the ENJOYS that such capitula-
ton on the part Of the insurgents
should come quickly in order to avoid
the consequences of active war. as the
United States did not intend to permit
any delay in the matter.
The course of General Otis is ap-
proved at the War Department.
Secretary Root took the dispatch
from General Otis over to the White
House for the Presidents considera-
ton