The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-10-21

HE recent rccrudescence or
Filipino hostilities and the
lamentable happening In the
island OF Samar, when two
thirds Of Company &. Ninth
regiment, United states infantry were
Killed by the fierce bolomen OF the
mountains, awaken interest In the
people our soldiers are now fighting IN
the middle and southern Philippines.
Though the backbone of the rebellion
has been broken. the ragalog leader
Agninaldo captured and many chiefs.
with their commands, have taken the
oath of allegiance To the United states
and delivered up their arms. the de-
tached bands afield are still quite for
midable.
The policy of guerrilla warfare which
Is now carried on by the Filipino lead
ers stu under arms was adopted at a
council OF war held at Bayambang by
Agunaldo two years ago. As IL was
found that they could not Withstand
our forces in the open even when far
superior TO them i'm numbers, the Fill
pino leaders shrewdly adopted this
mode OF tactics, which has been pur-
sued ever since. At the same time a
policy OF treachery was inaugurated,
fully in accord with Filipino character,
but not al first suspected by our com
mandFTs. II wHS soon learned, how
ever, that IL was one thing to overcome
force OF tilipinos, put the armed men
10 flight and organize civil governments
in the subjugated territory, and quite
another 10 keep the people who had
sworn allegiance true 10 their oaths.
They repeatedly swear allegiance to
the American government. accepting
its protection, and return 10 the peace
ful pursuits guaranteed by the pres
ence OF United States soldiers, but at
the same time keep up reasonable
correspondence with their former com
panions i'm arms. Even the 'presi-
dentes" and 'jefes politico," the head
men of towns and villages, have been
detected I'm furnishing aid TO the insur-
gents and Offering secure places OF ref
uge for them when hard pressed. AS
the guerrilas have discarded their uni
forms and dress exactly like their
brother 'pacificos' I'm the towns, and as
they are exceedingly agile and alert.
disbanding when hard pressed and |
burying their guns, only to dig up the |
latter and rcassemble when pursuit is I
relaxed, our soldiers have found them |
very hard TO catch, in the first place, |
and difficult to convict. i'm the second
Filipino treachery is ingrained and |
ineradicahle Ever since the murder of |
Magellan $50 years ago. the first white
man to encounter the natives in open
fight, up TO the present time the tend
ency of the Fillpinos 10 treachery has
been remarked. What they cannot ac-
complish by force the leaders of the
rebels gain by working upon the fears
of the inhabitants already i'm submis.
sion TO our arms. The Tagalogs delib-
erately adopted the plan of numbering
ali their countrymen who are friendly
10 the United states and have not hes.
itated In carrying II out hence the diff
ficuity of governing a penpl1 who are
terrorized and the noceSs If retain.
ing ample force in garrison as well as
In the field. The fact that "a Is difficult
10 separate friends from fnes makes
the work of complete paciication very
hard indeed. Added 10 the open resist
ance there is the underlying current of
treachery. which provokes the ambush
Ing Of detached parties. the bush
whacking of peaceful people and the
stabbing In the back OF ''paciiicos."
which is promoted by that terrible Sc
rret society, the katipunan. with its
all over the islands
IL is said that the real reasons for the |
De erSistent resistance offered 10 our !