The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-05-05
prvon Responsible.

| A captain n The volunteer service OF
the American array now fighting in the
Philippines, has written letter to hi'
family which Is remarkable In reinforce
ing the statements heretofore made
that the hope Of the rebel Fllipinos
rests in the election Of Bryan to the
presidency, and It is this false hope
alone that is keeping alive what little Is
left of the rebellion. The letter is dated
at Lucban, Tayabas Province. Luzon
February 10, of the present year. i;
says;
"The officers and soldiers in the army
in the Philippines are pretty careful
students of the causes OF the continual
ton OF this rebellion. And there is one
opinion freely expressed and general
among them all-namely, that the ona
thing that is keeping the rebellion aiiva
is the hope Of the election Of Mr.. Bryan
rs the President q the United States.
The army is convinced of this, BE-
cause friendly natives all over the is
land continually advance this as the
promise that the Insurgent leaders hold
out to their followers. and insurgent
prisoners frequently make the asser-
ton.
The troops, In going through the is
land have picked up many copies Of the
different insurgent publications, now
suppressed, which claim that Mr.. Bry-
an will be elected, and has promised to
withdraw the American troops ana turn
the Islands over to the Aguinaldo gov
eminent.
have more times than I can count
heard officers and men say, the blood
of every American killed from now on
is upon the head of Mr.. Bryan, He can
stop this rebellion at any moment by
announcing that he does not sympa-
thize with the rebels, and will not rec
ognize them If elected" And they aud
further. But he VIII never do this, be-
cause he needs this point in his cam
paign. II he should be elected, he
would never recognize the rebels, but nc
could not stop the bloodshed by saying
so. because 1t would be inconsistent
with his present course"
Mr. Bryan perhaps does not realize
what factor he is in the present re-
belllon. II he knew 1t, he would prob
ably end it by disavowing any intention
of recognizing the rebel government in
any case.
Whether Bryan is elected or not. will
make no difference in these conditions
until fall, at least. Until he is finally
defeated and the scattered insurgents
have all received the news, they will
continue to fight and plumber believing
that If they can only hold out until
March, 1901. the new American admins
tratIon will withdraw the army, recos-
nize the Aguinaldo government, and
probably leave a feet here under Aguin-
aldo's orders to protect the newborn
power against all molestatlon from
without"
After stating that the American OIL
GERS of their own knowledge know that
the Insurgents universally believe in
this hope, and that 1t IS this that holds
them together. the writer goes on to
say;
We have talked to the iusurGcnt prIs-
oners, as well as to the friendly natives
and many regiments have men who have
been captured by the Insurgents and o.
capped. The company tailor OF NJ com
pany, this regiment, for example, was
captured during n skiTmish ut CAbint
January q. and IN now back with the reg
imeht after three weeks captivity. The
insurgept officers. some OF whom. talked
English well. sounded him n good deal
and told him that when Bryan was elect
ed all the American soldiers would be or
dcrcd home and the insurgents recog-
nized. The Filipino soldiers talked about
Bryan continually, and believed he would
be elected soon, and turn over the islands
to them
All the Filiplnos know about Bryan. and
talk about him. and ask questions about
him OF the soldiers. a man OF my com.
puny told n Filipino at Santa Cruz that
Bryan would never be elected The man
said he surely would. then the United
the Americans would have to go home
| from the Philippines. They say Bryan
| Is u very great man, when you mention
| his name.
The soldiers take notice OF all this. and
| have heard them say, while trudGlng
! along Mt the end Of n heavy days march;
Bryan, BRYAN. damn Bryan. am tired
| Of hearing tho Filipinos talk about Bryan.
! II II wasn't for him We could go home. in
chasing insurgents"