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MANILA.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
Manila, 23rd January. THE PROGRESS OF PEACE—A KEVIEW OF PRESENT CONDITIONS.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
LETTE.
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[February 2, 1901. though through the dread of the gory soldier than a more lenient course could accomplish.
oath of allegianco. Rocent advices announce the unconditional surrender of General Delgado and twenty of his mou. As he is the chief The determination of the authorities to hold leader, it is expected that other officers and com- all prisoners is one of the strongest features of mands will soon follow his example. Affairs in the new policy, as it does away with the much Negros and Cebu are slowly improving and it is coveted hero-worship and also prevents the merely a question of time for the attainment of | hundreds of men who have been captured on the DISCOURAGING CONDITIONS IN SAMAR AND Under the new order of affairs Manila is fast ponce and prosperity.
field from turning out and fighting again.
used for the military prisoners. Other large jails are crowded, even the criminal jail is being filling up with prisoners and all the regular
places of detention are being built_at_var- fous convenient points about the islands. The deportation of the chief loaders to Guam has al- ready had à marked effect. Prominent insur- gents all over the city are shaking in their boots and beginning to seek a way of sopara- ting themselves from the crowd which organizes the support of the insurrection. Deportation to Guam is a pretty severe thing, as it means complete isolation and it effectually puts a stop to any negotiation with the insurgent party. The instructions read that the men sent to Guam are to be held there until general peace has been declared in the islands, so it behoves these exiles to use their every endeavour to bring about this state of affairs, and although it is not likely that they will be able to take any active part in the movement toward that end, nevertheless they can accomplish much in have their interest at heart. an indirect way and through their friends who
Evon the most conservative people admit that the situation in the Philippines is clearing up and improving steadily, and almost rapidly, when all things are considered. The new year that the army has to face. The natural difficul- Samar and Loyte are the toughest propositions finds the country much nearer peace than ever ties are really more to be feared thon the insur before since the American occupation, and there gents, though the latter aro constantly making | ure many old residents who say that conditions their presence felt. The troops suffer more from in the pacifiod or subdued districts are more tho hardships of the march than from the satisfactory than in Spanish days. The pro- opposition of the enemy. It is almost impossi- vinces of Central Luzon are rapidly approach-ble to inflict any measure of punishment and ing a normal state, and the people are settling tho work is most disheartening, while the climate down to their hatüral pursuits after from three plays havoc with the health of the men. In ad- to four years of insurrection and lawlessness. dition to these difficulties, the insurgent chiefs Under the active policy of the military authori- have maintdined a reign of terror for such a ties an efficient patrol system has been main- long time that it is very hard for the soldiors to tained for the last six or eight months and the win over the people or inspire any confidence, result of the work is now being seen and felt even in the towns which have permanent gar in the improvement of roads and bridges and risons. General Hare has been operating in the greatly increased security of life and property. Samar with two thousand men for the last two Dozens of villages and huudreds of small barrios months, and yet he has accomplished little or which were destroyed by the troops in their nothing, in spite of the fact that he has had northward campaign have been rebu.lt and it the greater part of his command in action noar- will not be an exaggeration to say that five-ly all the time. sixths of the people who fled to the mountains on the approach of the troops have returned and rebuilt their ruined homes. Besides theso, thousands of others from the outlying districts under insurgent control have flocked into the vicinity of the garrisoned towns in order to enjoy some measure of protection. The fields have been recultivated and nature has smiled upon the war-stricken people, so that good crops haro rewarded their scanty labour. -INSURRECTOS INACTIVE IN NORTH-WESTERN
LUZON.
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THE FUTURE.
THE CAMPAIGN IN MINDANAO. In the first wook of the 28th December Infantry was sent to reinforce the garrisons on the island of Mindanao and since that time all the troops there have been very active.
In the face of all this, however, it is necessary vious to the arrival of the 28th Infantry may result in the near future can be maintained Pre- to remember that any condition of peace that practically nothing could be done beyond send-only at the point of the bayonet. It will not be ing out small ineffective scouting parties, as the brought about through any love of the Ameri garrisons were constantly harassed and had all they would do to hold their own. The insurgents ledge of these institutions, which they will in cans or their institutions. To-day their know- had numerous well-fortified strongholds to which time to come appreciate and desire, is very they retired whenever hard pressed, and they knew limited, so the immediate effect cannot be im- that with the limited number of troops the Ameri- portant. cans could not disturb them. But the arrival. of the 28th Infantry changed the whole face of affairs and simplified the problem very mate- rially. The regiment was split up into con- veniently sized columns, prepared to move quickly and independently of supply-bases, and in conjunction with the regular garrisons these small units thoroughly scoured the country and eventually captured and destroyed the main strongholds of the enemy. For the present at least insurgents haro scattered in all directions and disappeared.
THE NEW POLICY of SEVKRITY IS IN FULL OPERATION.
Each one
time is particularly unfortunate. When the The return of the volunteers at this critical tide of the insurrection is at its lowest it is too bad that the barrier of troops is to be removed even temporarily, for the current of peace is turn, and even a slight rise of the hostile none too certain and at any moment it may elements may cause months of the hardest work to gain control of them once more. Therefore the arrival of the home troops who are to re- place the returning volunteers is most anxious- ly desired.
RAILWAY IMPROVEMENTS IN FORMOSA.
We have received the advance sheets of the report of Mr. James W. Davidson, U. S. Con- sul at Tamsui, on the above subject. Mr. Davidson's remarks are so interesting that we quote them in extenso. He says:·
The north-western half of the island, under command of General Young, has been a constant source of trouble during the past year, but since the wholesale surrender of Tinio's forces on the last day of November there has been com- paratively little trouble. The 56th Infantry has just returned from a three months trip through these provinces and for weeks no opposition worthy of the name has been on countered. Even the ladrones find business unprofitablo and they have not ventured to harass the larger towns for some time. The establishment of civil government in the pro- vince of Banguod is so recent that no practical The large island of Mindoro, just south of results have been observed as yet, but the Luzon, is known to be a place of refuge, hun- Governor's reports are enthusiastic and hopeful dreds of insurgents who have been driven out Very little has been heard from the great of various parts of the archipelago, and no valley of the Cagayan in the north-east, and, doubt considerable recuperation and organisa- as there have been but few reports of hostility, tion takes place there, but owing to the scarcity it is safe to assume that affairs are progressing of troops and their great need in other more in a satisfactory manner. Southern Luzon is important parts of the country, it has not been still a hotbed of trouble, partly owing to the doomed wise to attempt to occupy this little wild nature of the country and to the stubborn- known and wild, untrailed island. ness of the insurgents, who are able to live in the mountains, being fairly well supplied with
In addition to the new railway lines described food and ammunition. It is from this portion To-day the military government mai tains in a previous report, Taihoku (Taipeh), the of the island that the best homp is received and 477 permanent posts or garrisons through-capital, and its suburb, Daitotei (Twatutia), the troops are active in their endeavours to out the archipelago.
of these where the tea business is conducted, are to be control the districts containing the best planta is a a centre of activity from which scouting connected with the port of Tamsui (Hobe) by tions; but their success is very limited. The partio and small detachments are striking railway. This is news that can be appreciated widely scattered garrisons are quito unable to in all directions at all times of the day and fully only by the long-suffering North Formose exert more than a temporary influence in their night. It seems as though the whole army has resident. The three places mentioned are on immediate vicinity and the insurgents of tho jumped to its foot with the announcement of the Tamsui River, the distance between the interior practically run things according to the result of the elections us a spur and backing. capital and the port being some 11 miles (by their own sweet will, collecting taxes and rais. This was followed up with the issuing of river), and the only communication has been by ing revenne in all manner of ways.
General McArthur's proclamation announcing water. River travel for such a short distanco PANAY QUILTING AND BUSINESS REVIVING. the sovere policy which he authorised the troops does not itself seem specially disagreeable; but, Brigadier-General Hughes is carrying on an to carry out, and they have been carrying it out owing to the wretchedness of the launches and activo campaign in the island of Panny and to the letter of the law. The bulletins that the shallowness of the river at low tide, it has is accomplishing much in the cause of peace. are placed on the military nows board from day obtained a meaning to local residents which can In addition to the actual fighting he has intro to day for the information of the papors show not be calmly expressed. With the exception duccil a most effective system of arresting and the greatest activity in all quarters not only in of a Japanese "side-wheeler" put on the Osaka permat:ently jailing all captured insurgents, and killing and wounding, but in the burning of Shosen Kaisha and a very comfortable little also their activo sympathisers. He hus paid hundreds of barracks and shelters and huge launch run by the Douglas Steamship Com- particular attention to the chief citizens of the stores of rice and provisions which had been pany on steamer day, the river trade is con- various towns and barrios, and his secret ser- laid aside for the rainy months. Besides these trolled by some six Chinese launches carrying vico has made most careful investigations with casos numerous villages and barrios are being altogether about 400 passengers * day. All surprising results. Civil officers, landholders; wiped off the face of the country each week classes of passengers and all kinds of freight, farmers, and oron priests, have been gathered in These are for the most part unreported in Ma- | including several varieties of live stock, ob- for complicity with the insurgents. In many nila, bnt the news gots here from time to time. casos property has been confiscated, but in the It is a covore policy and it must furnish rather majority simple imprisonment has been deemed suflicient. The general effect on the country of this severe policy is very manifest and in many parts whole towns have flocked in to take the
interesting reflection to General Weyler who was so deeply condemned a few years ago for his harsh measures in Cuba, but it probably does more toward pacifying the island, even
tain easy entrance and receive equal treatment aboard these boats. One may have a Chinoso in silk as neighbour on one trip are a Chinese young pigs on another. With the exception of a few low benches, scarcely sufficient to nooon modate a fifth of the passengers, no seats are
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