The Irish standard., 1902-04-26
PLEA FROM CHAFFEE.
Urges That He Be Permitted to Push
Campaign Against Moros.
Sends Report That Advance Has AL
ready Bcgun-Presidcnt ut First
Decides to Stop the Movement,
but Changes His Mind.

~'AoA w
comply with Gen. Chatfee's demand
for the surrender of the Moros who
murdered an American soldier. This
determination was reached at con-
ference Tuesday between President
Roosevelt, Assistant Secretary of War
Sanger and Gen. Corbin. President
Roosevelt has decided that Chaffee's
plans for military expedition of 200
men into the interior of Mindanao
were premature. Orders were accord
ingly forwarded to Manila recalling the
, troops and directing that no further
military steps be taken until every pa
citic course had been exhausted. The
president felt that war with the Mo-
hammedan tribes of Mindanao might
be averted.
Order Came Too Late.
President Roosevelt's order, how
ever, reached Minfanao too late. Gen.
Chatfee promptly cabed them to Brig.
Gen. Davis, who is i'll command in Min
danao, but Lieut.. Col. Baldwin and an
advance force of men had already left
the coast and had two small engage
ments with the Moros, in which seven
of the latter were killed. Gen. Davis,
backed by Gen. Chatfee, Immediately
cabled an energetic protest to the war
department,a ,and theirmessages formed
the subject of the conference at the
war department Tuesday night. Gen.
Chaffee declared: "The withdrawal Of
our forces will remove our prestige;
to withdraw part of the force would be
dangerous" He further intimated
no disposition to withdraw his troops
unless he should have additional in
structions to do so.
| Decides to Support Chnffec
When his cablegram was laid before
the president Tuesday night it was i'm
mediately decided that, as aggressive
| operations had begun, it would be in
advisable to interfere with Gen. Chat
fees plan of campaign, and that he
should be given every support in his
efforts to bring the Moros to terms.
\ cablegram will be sent to Gen.
Chaf1ee to-day telling him to push the
campaign vigorously and assuring him
of The earnest support of the officials
here. The president was desirous of
avoiding a war with the Moros and
hon"l that the matter might be peace
ably adjusted, but it has become evil
dent from Gen. Chatlee's report that
nothing but aggressive conduct will
bring these people to terms.
ChnTcc Tells of Advance.
Washington, April 23.-Adit. Gen.
Corbin has made public the following
telegram, received late Tuesday from
Gen. Cha1fee:
"Manila. April 22-Adjutant General,
Washngton: With reference TO my tole-
gram of the 18th and yours of the 2lst:
| When at Malabang. l authorized Baldwin
TO continue clearing the trail toward the
| lake. II not opposed, but he was not to move
| in force until the expedition was fully pre-
| pared, which l expected to accomplish by
| the 25th. On the 18th he pushed his ad-
vance from his camp eight miles out. with
orders TO clear the blockaded trail and
| halt when it reached sufficient water. which
was not found until the second crossing Of
| the Malilang river, where 1t issues from
Lake Dapao. The advance consisted of one
| battalion of the Twenty-seventh infantry
under Maj. Scott He reached Dapuo
without opposition, but found the trail
| badly obstructed by fallen timber. Bald
|
of the goth with Moore's battalion and
a mounted battery. In order to find a de-
| fensive camp and grazing to the north Of
him, he sent forward Moore's battalion
with one gun. Moore was fired on from
the hills in front and to his left. He re-
turned the fire. but did not advance.
Baldwin brought forward the rest Of the
battery and three infantry companies and
drove Off the assailants. firing al distance
of LOO to 1900 yards. Excellent firing by
battery; enemy driven two miles and scat
| tered; no casualties to our troops; seven
Moros' bodies found; opposing Moros from
Pinellas village, whose fort is In sight,
flying red flag.
yesterday morning n delegation ar
/ rived at Baldwin's camp from Geneasi.
| making absolute submission to United
| States authority under terms Of my proc
lamation. Yesterday morning there was
an affair of few minutes with the sultan
of Pualaos' men, who attempted to reoc-
cupy grounds cleared the day before, and
they were forcibly dispersed. Baldwin
| says 1t may be necessary to reduce the fort
at Pulas If 1t continues hostile before pass
Ing IT. Altitude of camp 2.G5O feet. Davis
says he has ordered Baldwin not to assault
| any fort or occupy hostile places until the
| two weeks time expires which l granted
the Moros to surrender murderers.
"ln order to expedite yours of yesterday
was sent at once to Davis; received by
him at 1850 p. m. He has ordered Bald
win to abstain absolutely from any ag
| gressive movement but to favor in every
way possible friendly conference. To with
draw all our forces will ruin our prestige;
to withdraw part of our force will be dam
gerous. Have ordered trail cleared to
rear quickly; eight miles was we'll opened
when l was there. Shall maintain our
| position, but not advance further until
you are heard from. Febiger with bat
TALON Of 200, is In reserve. Baldwin's ad-
vance to SO great a distance was prema-
| ture but was occasioned by an opportunity
| siiion for camping troops.
"Boish1ng, at llagan. says everything
IS quiet. He is confident the Moros on the
north side have no idea of rising.
"CHATFEE"
Manila Court-Mnrtial Dissolved.
Washington, April 23.-Although
no statement is yet obtainablc as
to the reasons for dissolving the
| Smith courtmartial, it is understood
that the president is desirous that
he himself should review the pro-
ceedings of the court-martial instead
| of having this reviewed at Manila as
would have been the case had Gen.
| Chaifcc convened the court. 1t also
| is understood that the court will
consist of the same members named
| by Gen. Chaffee so that there is no
reflection upon that officer involved
in the course adopted.
Prospect Good for Texas Crops.
Dallas, Tex, April 23.-Thc wealth
er throughout Texas Tuesday was
generally good, and crops are report