The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1899-01-27
CRISIS POSSIBLE.
AgoncillO's Acts in the Nations Capitol
Are Considered Nigh Unto Treason.
The Situation Acknowledged BY the War
Department Ominous-The De-
layed Action on the Treaty
EmbOldens Fhipinos.

WASHINGTON, Jan. est is acknowl
edged in administration circles that
Agoncillo, the Filipino representative
in Washington, has practically sub
mitted an ultimatum to the president
to recognize him at once as the ambas-
sadOr of the Filipino republic, ''or take
the consequences" The dispatches via
Madrid and London Tuesday morning
announcing that the time allowed the
Americans to recognize the Filipino re-
public expires Tuesday are &C
knowledged to have some founda-
ton in SO far as Agoncillo has de-
manded recognition by the presi-
dent. In fact at the war department
the situation is considered as dark as
it has ever been and each days delay
by the senate in acting on the treaty
makes it worse. Agoncillo and his
augmented junta have lost no time in
informing Aguinaldo and his army of
the situation in Washington, only that
AgOncillO has declared the Americans
are afraid to assert their possession of
the islands for fear of the Philippine
army.
The proposed postpOnement Of the
ratification of the treaty has so en-
boldened Agoncillo that it would be
no surprise to the officials here if his
dispatches to Manila did not incite
trouble there. This phase of the situa-
ton was discussed by the cabinet, but
the administration is pOwerless to act
SO long as three or four senators block
vote on the treaty and make the ma
ton appear before the world as afraid
to do anything. Within the last two
or three days AgOncillO and his fellow
members of the junta, it is claimed,
have been in close consultation with a
number of opposition senators and have
been cOncocting schemes and plans for
defeating or further delaying action on
the treaty.
This conduct on the part of the Fill
ipinos comes very near what the law
prescribes as treason. because a state
of war still exists, the treaty Of peace
not having been ratified, and there is
question whether, if he continues
his tactics, Agoncillo might not be
dealt with under the law. The presi-
dent and his cabinet are still deter
mined that the American forces shall
not be the agg1essors in the Philip
pines, but if Aglunaldo considers the
time limit for the Americans to recog-
nize the so-called republic as having
expired Tuesday, the Filipinos may
bring about the crisis themselves.
There is no fear whatever about our
5000 soldiers in the Philippines being
able to handle Aguinaldo's army, be-
our trained regulars, with their breech-
loading and rapid-fre guns, would
make short work Of the little Malays.
The president has no idea of doing
any such thing. The longer the treaty
is held back the more defiant and
arrogant are the FilipinOs going
to become. Agoncillo, backed by a
few discredited senators who have
failed of reelection, is going to keep
up his dispatches to the Filipino jun
tas in Paris, London and Hong Kong,
and through them to Aguinaldo. On
the other hand if the treaty is ratified
at once Agoncillo will notify his bosses
that the jig is up and Aguinaldo's army
will go to pieces.
The advices from Manila, which
have reached the war department, are
far from reassuring. 1t is understood
that Gen. Otis reports an expectation
on his part that the insurgents are
about to force an issue, and if this
should be so, the result can not be
foreseen.