The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-05-25

For fellows that are whipped, the
Filipinos seem to be doing some pretty
good scrapping. Ii is tue. most OF II
is guerilla fighting. Int it none the less
effective in restraining the Americans.
Every advance is contested. Stanton
News.
Yes. the little brown men, unlike the
Spaniards, are good fighters in their
way. AS contemporary observes
"At least three. if not four. Filipino
capitals have been captured by the
Americans Malolos. Calumpit, San
Fernando and San Isidro have success
lively fallen and the end is not yet -
The Washington, d. O.. Times. COM
menting on the many statements Of the
War Department at Washington about
an early termination Of the war in the
Philippines, says
THE War Department still expects
news of a complete surrender, but 1t has
been expecting such thing for quite
a while now.
1t seems that the terms of peace
which Aguinaldo can get are
THE scheme Of government which
President Mckinley, under his military
powers and pending the action OF Oon-
gress, stands ready TO establish when
the Filipinos abandon their present re-
bellious attitude and lay down their
arms. In accordance with this scheme
the President will appoint a governor
general. who will appoint cabinet,
and the President will appoint judges
of the courts, but the members OF the
cabinet and the judges will be either
Americans or Filipinos, or both. There
will also be a general advisory council =.
which will be elected by the Filipinos. -
Notwithstanding the peace overtures,
the fighting in Luzon, in the Philip
pines, continues, and the end of the
American campaign Of aggression in
Luzon seems to have been reached. as
the wet season has about set in.
A telegram to the New York Herald
from Manila tells the failure of peace
efforts" as follows;
Four of the Filipino commissioners
called today upon General Otis. but
made no official propositions relative TO
surrender.
They held'a four hours conference.
1t is said that the Fillipinos were dis
mayed at the terms offered by Mckin-
lev. GregoriO del Pillar turned red un-
der his brown skin when he realized
that he was being offered nothing but
vague promises of possible represen
tation for his people in case Of compli-
ance with the American demand that
they lay down arms.
Every Filipino shrugged his shoulders
as glowing prophecies of the future,
after the cessation of hOstilities. were
outlined to them by the members Of
the United States commission. They
said they asked independence and liber.
ty with dignity, under the protection
of the United States. and were now Of
fered nothing but the indefinite assur-
ance that individual natives should
hold official positions under the pro-
posed government
The commissioners will not accept a
single condition Of those proposed, bnt
return dissatisfied to Aguinaldo and so
report. Major Zialcita, one of them
said:
LAS the ultimate form Of government
rests in the hands of the American Con-
gress, the present proposals are merely
provisional. The result of the present
plan would be that the Americans would
be at the head of every department OF
government. as the Filipinos' tenure Of
office would depend upon the will OF the
Americans.
A leading banker Of Manila said
1.-The present American proposals are
only repetition Of the commissions
proclamation. That means that this is
an American colony. You have adopt
ed the imperialistic policy; then why
talk over the question with the ENJOYS
of hostile force, which must be crush
ed before such government as is pro-
posed can be established"