Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-09-20
PHILIPPINE CONDITIONS.

correspondent CT lne Evening IOSt, WHO
has Just returned from the Philippines
and South Africa, has received the fol-
lowing personal letter from one of the
best known and ablest correspondents
in Manila about the situation in the
Philippines. The writer has been in
responsible position in Manila aver
since the occupation of the island by
the American troops, and is we'll and
favorably known throughout the news
paper profession for his standing and
ability His statements can be relied
upon to be absolutely accurate and un-
BIASED.
Manila, May %, 1900. My Dear
Robinson: 1t ia more than doubtful
whether this letter ever penetrates to
that part of darkest Africaswhich holds
you, wherever it may be, but will
have the conscientious knowledge OF
pleasant duty done in dispatching il.
The Philippines ara still we'll In hand
apparently in the hands OF the devil
the backbone of the instruction gets
| itself crushed every week, but as fast
| as one robber bard is put down there
are dozen more springing up in unex-
| peeted corners.
The situation today is this. Young
reports that Aguinaldo and Tinio have
collected considerable army in the
north of Benguet and he must have
reinforcements to go after them. Gen.
| j. M. Bell reports that several thous-
and insurgents are besieginR the garri-
soned towns in his provinces, Neuya
Caceras, Sorsogon, Albay, and the
| Camarines, and that his troops cannot
do anything without reinforcements.
Samar, Leyte, Marinduque, Masbets
are in the same plight Major Brett
reports fighting with the Moros around
Cottabatto, who have entrenched them
selves in the old Spanish forts and can
not be dislodged without sreinforce-
ments, his battalion with two gunboats
being insufficient. In northern Min
danao we are also fighting the Visayans
and Moros they killed - of our men
in a night attack on Digan. -Four
Americans killed at Bongao by Moros.g
One of our garrisons consisting OF 30
men in Samar was surrounded five
days, and 90 Of them killed. This even
ing comes report of four killed and is
wounded at one of our small garrisons
in Panay.
The situation in Panay and Cebu is,
if possible, worse than q. year ago.
From every direction come bowls for
reinforoements, and no reinforcements
are available unless Mckinley sends
more troops. The plague continues,
over 200 deaths to date. just beginning
to appear among the soldiers
Otis sailed for home a fortnight ago,
after exchanging kilograms with Mo-
, Kinley containing mutual oongratula-
tions on the finishing Of the war. As
fats would have 1T, the kilograms had
, Just been published when tho war broke
out anew from Apart to Bongao, and
those two distinguished gentl emen
| must be looking very foolish in the
public eye. Otis went quietly-no
] demonstration whatever except calls
from those persons aloLe whose official
positions compelled TIA tremendous
I contrast to the departure of Dewey.
8 Macarthur, who succeeds him. ap-
pears very sensible. Started by giving
: us the tip that he thought no good end
was served by under estimating to the
people the gravity Of the situation. lie
: expects fighting on the present scule
for two years unless reinforcements are
sent. In some sections our people have
adopted the policy of giving no quarter,
u and we are getting reports OF insurgent
Q bands of from 10 10 so being surrounded
1 and every man killed. Young had ops
l killing Of 3lS lately, and j. M, Bell
! d killing of 1856, while there have been
i several ranging from 30 to 100. Seine
v way they do not seem to mind beirg
i killed, and the most remarkable part oil
s the situation is that the people are
a fighting hardest in the Visayan PROV
: inoes and islands where they are sup
j. posed to be most friendly. All 0!
it which goes to establish the reputation
l. of A. g. R. as seventh son and
= prophet.
g The new commission is jungetipg out
n here. stopping at every. town in Jaran
g and China for sightseeing, thereby de-
d tainirp a government transport with
j. several thousand tons of commissary
l. supplies and two weeks' mail. Every
J, one expects it to be repetition of the
d first commission. Aguinaldo has Just
st issued a proclamation warning the peo'
). ple not to be fooled again, but to keep
IN on fighting. Also the Filipinos are
?, preparing to Welcome the commission
u by another uprising, which is really
- serious, judging by the extraordinar,
preparations the authorities are making.
Of R. told me this morning that Gen
II Bates was expecting very bad times
O. This town Is full of insurgent cabine
1t officers and soldiers who have come II
j. or been captured, and are working fol
2 the cause here. Bates. commanding tn.
st Department of Southern Luzon, aut
st Wheaton, commanding Northern Luzon
N are stationed.in the city. KoEbe com
o. inands Mindanao and the Sulus. Th,
s. Sultan has gone to Singapore to fill
s. protests with English and Germai
t. officials against cur violation of th'
es treaty by Spain and those nations max
% ing Jolo free Fort.
an Archbishop Chapelle is taking al
Q. active hand in affairs, and now claim
Mt that he secured the recall of Otis. II
IN has warmly cnampioped the side OF tn
of friars, but church matters have no
On progressed except for several decree
an from Otis depriving the priests Of i'm
SO munlties and privileges they had en-
OF joyed under Spanish laws. He an,
Chapelle had an animated correspond
ence, Chapelle reminding Otis that
lie was most important to President Nc
u Kinley that matters be adjusted salts
o, factorily to the Catholics before cleo
n tion, and Otis replying 1.-THE best thin
in he ever did): "You are priest and
is am q soldier. l did not know that
n. was the business of either to concer
it. himself about elections. "
We are all very curious TO know wher
you are, and how you are getting or
Operations must be so spread out j
your parts that it Is hard for news
paper man to follow them. One thini
ia, you cannot possibly be SO disguste
a with your surroundings as you woul
d. have been with this mess, and IS a
arS s..o., haro h hacnp,a Moi