Evening star., 1899-01-03
THEY ARE LAID BEFORE THE CABINET
Situation at IIoiIo Controlled by
Gen. Miller.
AVOIDING y COLLISION


mite, it undoubtedly conveyed the informa-
ton tha, General Otis now hopes to get
through with the organization of a Tempo
Idry government without conflict between
his forces and the insurgents. The dispatch
further indicates that the insurgent forces
are disin;egrating.
General O;is has cabled that in his opin-
ion General Miller has the situation well in
hand at Iloilo, and that he fully under
stands the purpose of the President not to
unduly crowd the insurgents. 1t is highly
desirable that a hostile collision between
the American forces and the insurgents
should be avoided at all hazards. at least
pending the ratification of the peace treaty,
and. as General Miller understands now
this purpose on the part of the President.
he Will he guided by IT and may he relied
upon 10 resort to force only under absolute
COmpulSion
The dispatch was general in its nature
and understood by cabinet officials to
cover all points of the island.
4 Hopeful Outlook.
This dispatch, together with the peaceful
situation at Havana. gave the President
and cabinet much satisfaction and was
considered as an agreeable beginning for
the rev year.
All cabinet members spoken to expressed
the opinion that Gen. Otis will handle af-
fairs in the Philippines with such wise
hand that the insurgents will gradually lay
down their arms ard he content to await
the Judgment of the United States as to
their future. The better they become ac-
quainted with the officials and methods of
this country the greater will become their
contentmeHt.
1t is claimed that the orders for four reg
inents Of the regular army to prepare TO
leave for the Philippines We're not given be-
cause Of alarming news from lloilO.
The regiments have practically been un-
der orders for some time. The intention
is that they shall take the place Of vnlun-
teer regiments which are to be mustered
cut Of the service. Only fresh disturbances
and increasing seriousness of affairs Will
keep volunteers in the Philippines after the
regulars arrive. Just how many volunteer
regiments will come home Will depend on
reports from Gen. Otis
Trouble Caused by the Spanish.
The officials here are now fully satisfied
that the trouble at Iloilo may be traced
directly back to the Spanish colonel Who
was the senior Spanish army officer in the
Philippine group. and directly IN command
of the Nisayas group. Including the prin-
cipal island of Panay and the city and gar
rison Of I0ilo. Gen. OTIS reports show
that though besieged with his 500 soldiers
In Iloilo by a superior force in numbers at
least Of The Insurgents the position of the
Spanish was thoroughly :enable.
Jh-y H"d rvpUlSed every attack of the
ir%ure e-ntS and had inflicted great loss upon
the latter. and altogether there was no
reason why they should rot have held
ont irdefinitely. This was particularly the
case, in view Of the knowledge on the part
Of tha Spaniards that by the terms of the
treaty the United States government had
undertaken to carry them back to Spain.
involving, of course. their release from the
siege al the earliest practicable moment.
II is significant that Rios delayed the evac-
uatipn Of IloilO until he became informed
that the Americans We're coming. and there
: Tdtu al curiosity herr to learn how
that important information reached IoiIo
IN advance Of the movements of the Amer
lean transports and in the absence of cable
connections Undoubtedly ii was conveyed
by a vessel. and there may be question
raised TO the legitimacy OF the trans
mission Of news Of the intentions of the
American troops in advance in this fashion.
The Filipino Parliament.
one feature of Gen. Otis report that has
escaped mention far is his notice Of the
approaching meeting of the so-caIled Fill
piro parliament. This body is to gather.
presumably, At MalaIos about twenty miles
from Manila, on the Island Of Luzoa,
Thursday A good deal of interest is at
J&cAei TO this meeting, for by the atten-
d"Aer c2n o. gauEed the strength Of Aguin-
alJo's party. That this is waning rapidly
Is not doubted and Gen. Otis feels thtt
when the attempt Is made to convene the
parliament it Will he found that AguinaIIo
has lost his control Of the majority and
IHI-hot command even a working coalition
W course. such Il state O1 affairs would
tend tu make easier the task of the mill
ltarE authorities Of The United States Of
estst"iiSalns peacefully a temporary form
OI 7''rFIh. mt iUF the Philippines that will
command the support Of the people and re-
tv'fe tIe approval Of the civilized world.
Proclamation Withheld.
General Otis has not yet published the
proclamation by President Mckinley, which
was ca5lsi from Washington to him about
Week ago. Feeling fun confidence in his
judgment the officials here are not disposed
10 question his Judgment in Withholding
the proclamation from the Ftlipinos. though
1t would seem that the animating purpose
IN preparing and cabling IL was TO saothe
and satisfy the Fflipinos. ana counteract
'ie 't-s'-''uS attacks which the Spanish
element mas been making upon the integ-
Flty oi the Americans intentions reSDectina @
the Philippines.
Dewey Wants Hospital
Admiral Dewey was heard from by cable
at the Navy Department this morning but
made no references to the political situa-
non IN the Islands. He reported that he
mad found a building suitable for naval
hospital at Cavite. and asked authority
from the department to establish it at
once.
II was not gathered that there is an un-
usual amount Of sickness among the Amer
icSh sailors In fact, there have been no
reports OF smallpox yet among them But
realizing that the naval occupation of Ma
ma bdy Is 10 be of a permanent character
Admiral Dewey wishes TO establish a sbore
hospital for the treatment of cases thar
can De better handled than on shipboard
secretary Long called upon Surgeon Ger
eral van Reypen. and after consultation
tlSy cable0 Admiral Dewey
establish the hospital 1t will not cost over
%,po1- Medical Inspector Remus c. Per-
sons was selected 10 take charge of the new;
hospital, and he has been ordered to start
al once from New York, where he is now
on temporary duty. for Manila. The 1eces-
sary assistants for the operation of the