Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-01-20
BELL WILL Be VIGOROUS.
American Commander Finds That Patience
Has Ceased to be Virtue,
VIII Pursue u sterner Policy aud Put
Into Practice a Mid Sort Of
Recommendation.

Washington Jan. 2O.--Having failed,
after two years Of strife, in subdulng
the Instruction In Batangas province,
which lies Just south Of Manila, and
having satisfied himself that lenlent
treatment Of the insurgents is produce
tive Of no good results, Gen. ] Frank
lin Bell, the military commander in
that province, has determined upon the
enforcement OF the war In the most
vigorous and determined fashion, in
volying recommendation in a modified
form, the application Of martial law In
all directions and the unsparlng pur-
'rguit and punishment OF the natives who
act as spies and traitors to the United
States. All this appears from a long
report to the war department just pub
lished The Recommendation order Is
dated at Batangas, December last.
In substance II provides for the es-
adjustment Of a zone around the gar
risons, into which the friendly inhab-
itants are to be required 10 come un-
der penalty Of conhiscation aud de-
structlon OF their property. This Is said
20 be necessary to prevent the collec-
ton Of forced contributions from the
Inhabitants by the insurgents, The
military officers are allowed to fix the
price Of necessaries OF life and II is
promised that the people may return
as soon as peaceful conditions are es-
tabished This order Is followed by
a long circular by Gen. Bell TO his sta
ton commanders, commenting on eX-
listing conditions and giving them ad.
vice how to proceed. II begins with
the statement that he shares in tho
general conviction that the lnsurrec-
ton continues because the greater part
Of the people, especially the Weather
ones, do not really want peace. lie
says II Is regrettable that the innocent
must suffer with the guilty but the
greatest good TO the greatest number
can be best brought about by putting
a prompt end 10 the instruction,
Therefore he directs the application of
general order No. 100 In force during
the civil war IN the United States,
which practically regards an insur-
gent as "A guerilla and outside the pale
OF civilized warfare, and subject 20 the
death penalty wherever such insur-
gent does not engage continuously In
the war and observe all the rules OF
war However, 1t Is provided that
there shall be no executions without
the approval OF n superior officer Com
handing officers are specially enjoned
20. g.ff In, fft,fs
down the insurgents and II Is pointed
ont that there Is no Just cause for ex-
ceptlonal caution or apprehension In
attacking insurgent bodies wherever
found At any rate under the exist
ing conditions legitimate chances
should be accepted. says Gen Bell as
excessive caution viii do The army in
calculable harm The hest defense
against the insurgents, he says, Is TO
assume n vigorous offensive at once; 10
retreat IN the presence OF the enemy Is
hazardous and discouraging
a special injunction Ia laid on the
commanders 60 hunt down their loyal
spies secret sympath8ers and contrib
utors 90 the rebellion many OF whom
win be found among the municipal on-
GERS. General Bell says that Malvar
and other lnsurgcnt leaders have die
tatod elections Of All town officials In
and Laguna and these town
councils meet and pass resolutions de-
nouncng The ingurrection while secret
~ informing the INSURGENTS that this |
Is done under compulslon and supply
lng them with Information, Therefore |
Cen. Roll declares that neutrality !
should not be tolerated every lnhabl- |
tant should either be an active friend |
or be classed as an enemy and the acts |
and not works should be- the test Chief |
and most important among the class Of |
lisloyal persons he says are the native |
priests Gen. Bel declares II Is prac-
ilcally certain that every one In Bat
lngas ana Laguna provinces Is a secret
'nemy OF the government and in active
sympathy with the Insurgents He or
lprs that they be given no exemption
whatever but be brought 70 trial when
,ver sufficient evidence IS obtanable
and adds that even IN case Of well
'oundcd suspicion they should be ar
'ested 20 ston their further activity.
Il ~ frequently impossible he saws.
% obtain evidence AGAINST influential
,ersons as long as thew are 40 liberty,
jut once confined evidence IS easily OBJ
Gen. Bell declares that the
and punishment. % ona
Individual official wealthy man or
,riest is OF greater Importance than
he punishment Of n hundred ignorant
,ersons. The wealthy and influential
le says, are those against whom the
most energetic efforts should be d.
ected.