The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-01-06
THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.
What CAPITA A. F, W. Macmanus
Thinks Of Prevailing Conditions.
DOESN'T BELIEVE THAT WAR EXISTS
But Thinks that There Are Not Enough
American Troops in the Is
lands at Present.

Captain A. f. W. Macmanus, formerly an
officer Ia the volunteer army sent to the
Philippines aud now Judge OF the municipal
court OF Manila. has been in the city for
some DAYS. Captain Macmauus was born
and raised at Corpus Christi aud Is widely
known over the State through his connec-
ton with the Texas Volunteer Guard and
afterward Ms captain in Texas regiment
raised during the Spanish war lie has
been in the Philippines for some time and
TO The Post expressed his views and con
yictions quite freely on the new posses
sions" differing In many respects from .ie
reports which are sent out from Washing
ton in his estimate of the native ch3lJt.,-
Asked how the war was progressing, he
answered..
"w ELL In my opinion. an actual state of
war does not exist in the Philippines. Con
siderIng the fact that but a short time has
elapsed since large Filipino army under
the insurgeut chief Emlios Aguiualdo, was
scattered and disorganized, L consider the
conditions much better than would ordi-
nariiy be anticipated under the clrcum-
stances and not rs bad MS during the same
lapse of time after the civil war, nor any
worse than they were in the West not long
since.
Excepting in San Francisco, where peo-
pie more generally come in contact with
Officers of the army and civilians return.
ing from the Philippines, | was surprised
to learn from the people with whom | spoke
while travelling dcrOsS The country what
erroneous ideas americans HANe generally
Of our new possessions in the Orient. Foc
Instance, people generally have the impress
sion that the occasional lighting OF minor
nature which occurs there is scattered
throughout the Island, which is not the
ease, aud also that all of the Filipino peO-
pie are "A bad treachCouS lot
In three places, only two Of which were
worth mentioning at the time | left Manila
for the United States which was nearly
three months ago-namely, two provinces
adjoining, Batahgas and La l,aguna, AMI
the rather small and distant Island of Sa.
mar venture the assertion this island
viii soon be pacihed. Previous to the time
] left Manila sufficient troops had never
been sent to Samar to successfully restore
order and garrison the captured cities but
Just before ! left n strong expedition un-
der General Jake Smith was sent there for
tlon remained In the island. In the PROV
ince OF La Lnguna the well known French
Mestlzo general Juan Cables, assembled
all his forces In the town OF Pagsfpjaa
the purpose OF marching to Santa Cruz and
surrendering TO the Americans, but on ac-
count of certain false reports circulated
by our enemies ms to the treatment which
was 10 be accorded his officers, one of his
colonies, who was recuted to have COM
mlttcd many crimes called on General
Cables men during Cables absence TO fol-
low him to the mountains. About 100
poorly armed aud equipped Insurgents fol
lowed him. Had this not been the case La
Laguna province would have long since been
counted among the paclhed provinces. Gen
erai Cables himself has since declared this
colonel. who is called Pedro CahAllos. q
renegade and an outlaw. His surname Ca
ballos. which means horses. was title he
slowed on him 10y the Filipino people on
account of his wonderful skill In relieving
people % their horses
In La Laguna some Of the people. by
means of deceit and false represent q ,ss
made them as to Americans and thcit -.
tentlons, are still unfriendlv to us. These
conditions, added to the fact that th. sr
chiefs are assisted by means of fannticnl
apurchlstlc Organization known ms tue
Katipunau. manage to kcep those who
would otherwise become our friends ter
rori2od into acting with our enemies. AS
far as latangas province Is concerned |
believe 1t Is only necessary TO cnpture the
insurgcnt general Miguel MAlvar. To put
an end to the insurrectlon In that province.
In my opinion, the total area In an nm
settled condition as compared to that Whlci
has been pacifcd would he as one or two
Of the squares Of checker board compared
To the entire board The insurgents are
rOntined TO the territory above mentioned,
for tho reason that In the phcihed PROV
inces We have friends who would give them
away II ihev vcntrrcd into these ttheI prov.
inccs. and besides they realize the fact that
they would run great danger Of being cap
turcd, for the reason that as n rule certain
generals were originally assigned to ths
command of trooDS If certain provinces.
and they are familiar with the topography
and geography Of these provinces. which
enables them to so operate against as 20
make 1t difficult for us to captrre them,
whereas If they went into provinces with
which they were not so familiar they would
I've cnnturcd or DESTROYED. for the reason
that the insurgents In these provinces have
\ little support from the people Of plciaed
provinces IN Rntnrr1s province tho insur.
gent chief, Miguel Malvar. has not treated
his people so badly and Is consequently an
exception 10 most Of tho Filipino generals
having thus acquired the friendship OF some
of the people The Same may hc said OF
Gcneral Iukhan IN the island Of samar.
II doubt whether tho insurgents have ms
many Ias 1000 rifles loft them. and d.
nor helieve that more than 600 OF those
are scrvicenble, Out Of all tho Filinino gen,
crnls at one time In the field in command
Of troops there are ~ present Int two VII
amount 10 q pinch Of snuT -Gc1oral NIalvnr
and General IuEhan During The time that
| was on duty IN the province o. IN ~
guna, On the stnf Of General Robert II.
He'll. the Insurgents were IN hard straits
for ammunition 80 mach 81 shat thev yvora
relo1 Alag old shells anA uSiNE Iluonast
mitch heads Cor anupowaef IN con - - IS,
OF which GNlal Hal lssatd -eu,fa7 or
dor CONTROLLING 'hc nS' Of mHtchaS In h
district
= douh: very much whether they could
assemble In any cne place rs many as lDl
iucn aimra with rifles heforo thu Ar1nr.
leans wuCl5 hoar OF IT. aud H. on their trail
They nr. '"lt moving 'ai the unn u. lhe
Aut "iuanF $40 sr s-aHetNatlg huruin.
thr'l htfH hs Hul s4f4. et oapi'lGg lhtI
arMs lld -a'tofms ihet r'adiae ads aui
be orl 0as ihtS rDW ger uf'p' Is 'H
.my ,hc, Is om1ic i9f a4}rn
itaw No Nou As hoHcie No1r at-3tcin,Ht