Evening star., 1901-04-01
IN CLOSE CUSTODY
Instructions Regarding Confinement
Of Aguinaldo,
MUST AWAIT RETURN OF JUDGE TAFT
Overtures Must Come From the
Prisoner.
ARMY PLANS UNCHANGED

There is no prospect of any immediate
change in the status Of Aguinaldo, now a
prisoner in the hands of General MacAr-
thur. Instructions have been sent to Cen
eral Macarthur to retain him in close GUS
tody until Judge Taft, president of the
Philippine commission. returns to Manila
from his tour of the island about the 1st
of May, unless something should develop
in the intervening time to require other
action. The War Department desires that
Judge Taft and General Macarthur should
confer with regard to the case of Agul-
naldo before final disposition is made of
that prisoner.
In the event that the insurgent leader
should renounce the cause of the insurgents
and declare his unqualified allegiance to the
government of the United States, before
the return of Judge Taft to Manila, it is
possible that the department would act
upon his case without further delay. An
impression prevails. however, that Aguinal-
do desires to pose as martyr to the cause
of liberty, and that he will not acknowledge
the sovereignty of the United States. In
that event it is almost certain that he VIII
be depOrted to the Island of Guam and
strictly prohibited from all intercourse with
the F'ilipinos and the entire outside world.
The Amnesty Granted.
The position of the government regarding
the insurgent prisoner is at present the
same as toward other Filipino prisoners
whether they have voluntarily surrendered
to the American troops or been captured
in actual battle. The procIamations of
Gen. Macarthur. the instructions of the
President to the Taft commission and the
addresses of that commission to the people
of the PhiliDOibeS cover the of Ayui-
naldo. Under these various communica-
tions the people of the Philippines Who had
been in arms against the United States
government are offered amnesty if they lay
down their arms and accept the sovereignty
of the United States.
If this is done before the 1st of May of
the present year those who do are not
debarred from holding office or of all other
rights under the United States government
in the Philippines. This amnesty does not
apply to those who have violated the rules
of war and subjected themselves to the
trial criminal charges for acts which
are outside of the conduct of war.
overtures Must Come From AgulnaIdo
Aguinaldo has not placed himself in a po-
sition to be offered any terms by the Unite
States under any Of the proclamations or
instructions governing the Philippines. His
future disposition cannot be determined at
present. Aguinaldo, save for his capture
stands in the same attitude toward the
United States that he has stood from the
beginning of the insurrection.
The position of the United States in ref
erence to the prisoner seems to have been
misunderstood in some quarters and there
was an impression, possibly gained from
the dispatches from Manila. that Off
GERS desired to make terms with AguinaldO
In order to secure his services for the pacifi-
cation of the islands. 1t is now evident
that any overtures to bring about this re-
suit will have to come from Aeuinaldo. No
doubt he will be given an opportunity to
make a proposition Of that kind, but un-
til he does he will still be considered a
captured insurgent
Plans Not to He Changed.
It is stated at the War Department today
that the capture of AguinaIdo will not IN
itself justify any change in the present
plans for the military government of the
Philippines. There will certainly be no re-
duction of the army in the Philippines, ex-
cept what Is necessitated by the enforced
discharge of the volunteers. All the orders
for the replacement of these volunteers by
regulars from the United States will be
carried into erect without regard ito the
downfall Of the insurgent leader Instead
Of suspending the enlistment Of soldiers
instructions were sent out from the War
Department Saturday and today to expe-
dfte the recruiting at all points as much
as possible.
to its maximum legal strength of 100 900 It
is admitted that there is need for more
troops than are at present available.
To Garrison the islands
1t is agreed in military quarters that 1t
Will not be safe or expedient to reduce tbs
army in the Philippines below a strength
Of 5000 men for many months to come, re-
| gardless Of the date Of the establishment of
| the proposed civil government. 1t Is recog-
| n!zed that the civil authorities will reauI: @
| the strong aid Of the military in the MAIN
| tenance Of peace and In the enforcement Of
| the legal mandates and the orders of the
| civil authorities. Many Of the regular
| troops in the Philippines have been there
| over two years and are entitled to reiief
| from further service in that tropical eli
| mate. Three regiments, the 18th, 18TH and
| 23d Infantry, went to the Philippines with
| Gen. Anderson in June. 1885 being the first
| troops on the ground. and have served
| there uninterruptedly ever since.
| 1t is to permit their return to the United
I States that the War Department finds 1t
| expedient to continue the recruitment of
| the army, as 1t will be necessary to replace
| them with other troops, Of which there are
| now none TO spare.
| Roughly stated the army now consists
| of about 1900 men. OF which about 800 j
are In the Philippines or on their way
| there. 5000 are in Cuba. 1000 in Alaska, $50
| are in Porto Rico and about II 600 are In
| the United States.
| 4