The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-04-29

Have Remained in the Philippines Should
Receive Medal of Honor.
Manila, April 29--Colonel Manuel
Arzueleses and Lieutenant Jose Bernal.
of General Luna's army, came into
General MacArthur's lines under flag
of truce yesterday. The Filipino Of
flcers walked down the railroad track
to the Kansas regiments outpost, and
the Kansas captain In command there
escorted them to General Wheaton's
headquarters, where they were pro-
vided with horses and sent to the head
quarters of General Macarthur. The
latter invited the Filipinos to sit down
at lunch with him, and conversed with
them for some time. He refused. how
ever. to speak authoritatively on the
subject Of their errand, referring all
inquiries to General Otis.
The Filipinos were then escorted by
Major Mallory, of General MacAr-
thurs staff, to Manila. General Otis
aide, Lieutenant Sladen, was awaiting
their arrival at the depot with a car
riage, In which they were driven to the
palace entrance and escorted directly
to the office of General Otis Jacob G.
Schurman, president of the Philippine
commission, and Hon. Charles DENLY,
member of the commission. soon
Joined the party there.
The Filipino officers told General
Otis that they were representatives Of
General Luna, who had been requested
by Aguinaldo to ask General Otis for
a cessation of hostilities in order 10
allow time for the summoning of the
Filipino congress, which body would
decide whether the people wanted
peace. General Otis replied that he
did not recognize the existence of
Filipino government. The Filipinos
left the palace at 5 o'clock with the
understanding that the conference
would be resumed today.
Aguinaldo is evidently selecting the
army as cloak for his congress, hop.
ing by subterfuge to overcome General
Otis consistent policy of ignoring tho
Filipino government. The Filipinos'
argument is that 1t is impossible to
arrange an armistice without the sane
ton of the congress. General Otis
punctured this assumption by remark
ing that If Aguinaldo could make war
without congress he could stop it with
out reference to that body.
While the insurgents are undoubt-
eddy tired of war, the leaders are torn
with dissensions.
There Is suspicion that it was
hoped by means of a conference to
ascertain what terms they could ex-
pect. If they saw that anything is to
be gained by continuing the war an
armistice would afford them an ap.
portunity for recuperating their de-
moralizsd forces.
1t Is an interesting commentary upon
Aguinaldo's scheme that only 60 of the
900 members of the Filipino congress
have taken the oath of allegiance :
which their constitution requires.
A Filipino proclamation replying to
the proclamation of the American
commissioners has appeared. 1t is
signed by Madini, for the president,
and is dated at Caniasdro, April 15. II
is in the usual grandiose style, and de-
clares that President Mckinley issued
the proclamation in order to force the
American congress to ratify the ces-
sion Of the islands under the treaty
Of Paris. This contract of cession
was made with the Spaniards after
Spanish domination had been ended
by the valor of our troops" the proc.
lamation asserts. The proclamation
complains that the Filipinos were not
represented at Paris during the nego-
tiations of the treaty, and that they
are without assurances Of the fulfill
nent of American promises 1t dilates
upon the alleged Analo-saxon hatred
of blacks, and asserts desire to en-
slave them. Deploring lack Of for
eign aid In prosecuting the war, the |
proclamation concludes:
I'VE stand alone, but we will fight
to the death. Coming generations
will pray over our graves, shedding
tears Of gratitude for their freedom"