May 27, 1899.]
the
purpose, gambling establishments will be set up, disorderly characters will find con- veniences for evading justice, and friction in various unforeseen ways will arise. A glance at the map will show that the most satisfactory boundary line in eastern section is that which divides the district of Sunon from that of Kwaishan and which terminotes at the cape to the north of Taipung Harbour In the western section, if it be deemed inadvisable to take in all the territory comprised in the Sunon District, the line should at least be drawn so as to give us full command of the shores of Deep Bay.
PEACE NEGOTIATION IN THE PHILIPPINES.
(Daily Press, 24th May.)
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
435
13th May.
GOOD NEWS FOR MANILA residents
MAY STAY OUT TILL 8:30.
Yesterday afternoon, an order was issued by command of Major General Otis extending the night restriction from 7 to 8.30 p.m. The order, which will take effect from to-night, reads:--
dustrial, and commercial people, moderately | Otis to give assurances respecting antonomy educated and with men of culture was equally futile. The Filipinos are therefore amongst them, but it will be a wholesome determined to continue the struggle. safegard to have good order and progress Times:
We take the following items from the Manila guaranteed by a strong Power like the United States. The Filipinos were originally required to lay down their arms uncon itionally before dany negotiations could be entered upon, but they are now to be spared that indignity, and are afforded an oppor- tunity of making honourable terms. It is to be hoped that good councils will prevail and that lamentable war may be brought to a satisfactory termination, honourable to both the parties, and that when the "Glorious Fourth" arrives it may see in- augurated a new era of peace and ever increasing prosperity in the neighbouring isles.
PEACE NEGOTIATIONS,
PROCEEDING.
[SPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE“ DAILY PRESS."]
Manila, 22nd May. Aguinaldo's Commission met the American Commission this morning.
The American Commissioners presented a plan of government which President McKinley, under military powers and pending action by Congress, is ready to establish when the Fili- pinos lay down their arms.
Under this plan the President appoints the Governor-General, who appoints the Cabinet. The President appoints the Judges, The members of the Cabinet and the Judges may be Americans or Filipinos or both. There is to be a General Advisory Council elected by Filipinos.
NEWS FROM THE FILIPINO SIDE.
Hongkong, 22nd May. From Filipino sources we are informed that the report that General Luua was severely wounded and that General Montenegro was killed in action near Malolos is false. All the Generals, it is asserted, are alive, and the country is as determined as ever to carry on the war until the United States Government recognises the rights of the people. Skirmishes are of daily occurrence in the neigh- bourhood of San Fernando and Calumpit, re- sulting generally in a few killed and wounded on both sides. There is little likelihood of
near future, for surrender in the
the are in Filipinos consider they
a good born resistance to the Americans for months position, as regards supplies, to offer stub.
If they ever surrender, they say, it will only be after receiving proper guarantees respecting autonomy making for independence under a protectorate, or to force majeure. At present the leaders do not consider that there is a sufficient force of Americans in the field to induce them to surrender to force majeure.
The news contained in the Manila telegram AFFAIRS IN TH. PHILIPPINES. published in yesterday's issue will have been received with much satisfaction, we think, by the friends both of the Americans and the Filipinos. President McKINLEY has at last been induced to offer the Filipinos a form of government in which the supreme control is to be retained by America, the President appointing the Governor-General, who selects his own Cabinet, but there is to be an advisory Council elected by the Filipinos, and natives are to be eligible for appointment both as members of the Cabinet and as Judges. This form of government is to be provisional only, pend- ing action by Congress, which body may possibly enlarge the native privileges but is not at all likely to curtail them. The arrangement will probably not prove en- tirely satisfactory to the Filipinos, who aim at complete autonomy, but the compromise is one which they may accept without loss of dignity. They have made a gallant strug- gle under adverse conditions, in which they have won the respect of the Americans and of the foreign community of Manila, and they might now, we think. safely leave the full accomplishment of their poll- tical aspirations to time and constitu- tional agitation. Had the Americans beeu -able at the outset to offer what is now con- ceded the Filipinos would in all probability never have offered armed opposition, and they may fairly be congratulated on having won such a substantial concession. cording to the New York correspondent of the Times, telegraphing on the 21st April, a change has come over the spirit of the Press in the States. The leading journals of Boston. Philadelphia, Baltimore, St. Louis, and San Francisco oppose, or many of them do, the "killing of more Filipinos," urge "pacific adjustment," and protest against "crushing liberty and independence among the Filipinos." It is presumably in response to this trend of public opinion that the present proposals of the President have been made, and the same force may be relied upon to secure a fuller measure of autonomy when time has matured the situa- tion. Meanwhile the retention by America of the direct control of the administration | will obviate the danger of internal dissen. sion, which might have caused serious incon- venience to, if it had not entirely wrecked, a purely native republic. It will ensure the maintenance of order, promote public works, encourage the development of the country and the investment of capital, and supply the elements of strength and stability a purely native administration
in
Ac- to come.
|
deavour to negotiate an armistice is explained as The recent sending of Filipino officers to en- being due to verbal assurances sent by means of a Filipino resident of Manila to the seat of the Filipino Government that the United States authorities in Washington would as- suredly grant the Filipinos the fallest autonomy. This was at the time that the Special Commis- sioners issued their proclamation of the 4th April. It was owing to the arrival of this emissary and the message he conveyed that General Luna was authorised to send two officers to Manila to confer with General Otis in the hope that he would be in- duced to give some formal and satisfactory assurance that antonomy would be granted. It being supposed that the American authorities pinos thought peace might be brought about more entertain animosity towards Aguinaldo the Fili- easily if the envoys came as from Luna rather than from Aguinaldo. General Otis refused to give assurances in writing that antonomy would grauted and told the officers
be
Headquarters Department of the Pacific and Eighth Army Corps,
General Orders: No. 27.
Manila, P. L., 12th May, 1899, “Paragraph 2, General Orders: No. 6, o. s.j these headquarters, directing that the inhabit- ants of Manila confine themselves to their homes after 7 o'clock p.m., is amended to read 8.30 o'clock p.m., after which hour the streets of the city will be cleared by the police. :-
By Command of Major General Oris:
THOMAS H. BARBY. Assistant Adjutant General.
|
FOREIGNERS UP-COUNTRY SAFE, Mr. Higgins, Manager of the Manila- Dagupan Railway, was able to get through the rebel lines on his trolley and is now in Manila. The rebels, made no objection to his leaving, in fact they issued an order some time ago that all foreigners within their territory must leave within forty-eight hours, but several foreigners declined to comply with the order Among these, besides Mr. Higgins, were Mr.i Clark, manager of Smith, Bell & Co.'s rice mill at Bangbang, Messrs. Carrick (Canadian), and Holmes (American), of Warner, Barnes & Co.'s rice mills at Calumpit. There were also two young Spaniards, Vallinueva, employed on the railway. It is considered probable that the foreigners will not be injured at all, athough their position is likely to be somewhat uncom. fortable. The fact, however, that the rebels ordered all foreigners to retire and that the foreigners declined to retire and are continuing to remain of their own accord is re-assuring.
MO ARTHUR STILL AT SAN FERNANDO. General McArthur's command has not
changed its location since reaching San Fer nando, and beyond frequent reconnaissance part. ies there is very little activity. The men are enjoying a few days well earned rest. Many of the regiments have been constantly under fire since February 5th. and the strain is beginning to tell. Yesterday two battalions of the 17th U. S. Infantry were sent out in a special train to Calumpit, and from San Fernando. It is likely that they will relieve that place they were to walk twelve miles to
one of the regiments on duty there, probably the Nebraska Volunteers. The health of the entire command is very fair when all things are considered, though during the last two or three days when there has been no need of fighting men, the sick calls have been largėly
attended.
The scouting parties have developed the enemy in large force on three sides of the town. On the left of the railroad there is a very strong line of trenches that have been recently con- structed along the edge of bamboo ridge. They run parallel to the old San Fernando trenches that are now occupied by the Ameri- cans and contain a large force of men,
The strongest line of defense extends in the direction of Mexico on the road to San Isidro, where Aguinaldo is now holding his congress. Although this large force camps. around the city there has not been a single shot fired by either side in four days. Both armies seem content to call a halt for a short time.
By a peculiar oircumstance General Mo Arthur is now occupying as his headquarters a house owned by a wealthy Filipino, who in early days was lavish in his entertainment of Americau officers. Major Bell, Captain Russell, and Major Strong have been among bis guests, Generals Hale and Wheaton are both
I have been found
lacking. / that before discussing terms of peace the gaertered in contrrialde taxes that
inclined to think that had the Filipinos been granted full autonomy they would not have abused the privilege,f or they are an orderly, law-abiding, in-
an- make complete and Filipinos must conditional surrender to him of their arms. The officers returned and pre parations for a continuance of the war were renewed. A second attempt to induce General
many evidences of the wealth and intelligence of the former occupants. A library of several hundred volumes has been found in one place, and another boasts a splendid set of china and out glasswere.