The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-04-13
FILIPINOS
WOULDN'T WAIT
TO BE KILLED.
General Wheaton Drives Rebels
out of Santa Marla...Burn the
Town Before They Flee.
THEY RETREAT TO MOUNTAINS
Villages as They go.
Progress OF the United States
Philippine Commission.

MANILA, April 12.-General Wheat
on started at daylight with the Tenth
Pennsylvania and the Second Oregon
regiments and two guns to drive the
rebels from the American right flank,
between the railroad and the foothills.
He met with slight resistance near San
ta Maria, and had one man wounded.
But the enemy bolted when shelled by
the artillery, and burned and abandon
ed the town OF Santa Maria, where
thousand rebels were reported to have
been concentrated. During the rest OF
the day the enemy was In full retreat
towards the mountains, burning the VIII
lagos behind the retreating force.
Occasionally q few of the rebels
dropped to the rear, and fired at the
advancing American troops from the
jungle. apparently with the idea that
this would check our advance and cover
the retreat of the Filipinos. But find
Ing these tactics Intellectual the rebels
scrambled after the main body.
The American guard along the rail-
road has been materially strepg thened,
and 1t Is not likely the rebels will sue
coed In getting in the future to as close
quarters us they did yesterday, even II
they return from the mountains.
Wouldn't Wait.
General Wheaton has telegraphed to
Major General Otis:
"They would not walt to be killed."
General Lawton is securing the vicln-
ity of Santa Cruz. He finds the rebels
have decamped. He has secured q
gunboat, six launches and two cascaos,'
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 COM
mission is hearing the leading residents
of various nationallties, priests and
Spaniards, numbers of them appearing
voluntarily. on the subject OF the fu-
ture of the Islands. The questions put
are: ,r
"Do you believe the Fllipinos are CO.
pable OF self-government In the town
ships?'
"Do you believe the FillpInos are ca
pable of self-government in the prov
inces?'
do you believe the Filiplnos are Gu
pable Of sclf-government in the archl-
pelago?" ~ E - - -
Would Result. in Chaos.
All Of those who have been interro-
gated. including Flllpinos who sympa-
thize, theoretically, with independence,
have replied to the third question with
remarkably unanimity In the negative.
Independence. they say. would result In
chaos. endless tribal wars and Euro
pean intervention. A few of them
think that provincial self-government
Is practicable. but most Of them favor
self-government In the townships. with
form OF American supervision pro-
tecting the inhabitants against pecula-
tlons and eXtortions which their exper-
fence with the Spanish regime has led
them to consider the natural peruuisites
of oflicialdom.
The commercial classes urge the send.
Ing of detachments OF American troops.
each numbering about one hundred
men. to take possession of the towns In
the southern provinces and In the W.
sayas islands, now held by small bands
OF Tagalos.
Worse Than Spalr. Ia
They declare the natives find the Ia
gallo oppression worse than Spanish OPP
preston. and that they will welcome
the Americans. The case of the IN
habitants OF Gubat. In the province OF
Sorsogon. is cited us 4 typical instance.
The Spanish taxes amounted to slS,0OO
but the rebel Tngalos extort $4,000
from the people Of Gubat.
Aguinaldo's brother-in-law. the pro-
vincial governor. Is said to be despoiling
the people numerically.
General Luna. who retired from the
command Of the Filipino forces, and
who was editing newspaper at San
Francisco del Monte. his retirement be-
ing due to the fact that the Filipinos
rebelled against his rigid discipline,
has been recalled to the command. This
Is taken rs showing that the rebel army
Is only kept together by harsh meas
ures.