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| Emilio Aguinaldo. |
Cortland Evening Standard, Friday, December 8, 1899.
SLIPPERY AGUINALDO.
Elusive Filipino Leader Again Evades Capture.
MAKING FOR CAVITE PROVINCE.
American Forces in Northern Luzon Divide Into Small Parties and Pursue the Demoralized Rebel Bands—Major Batchelor's Daring Expedition.
MANILA, Dec. 8.—The expectation of catching Aguinaldo in the north has been practically abandoned and the probability now is that he will turn southward, if he is not already there, with his destination Cavite province, his home, where the insurrection began and where it still has its greatest strength. The Filipino soldiers in that province have recently been showing increased enthusiasm and boldness and captured insurgents say that Aguinaldo is coming to join them with a large army.
The same belief prevails among the natives at Manila and elsewhere that Aguinaldo intends to make his headquarters in Cavite province.
There are 3,000 insurgents before Imus and Bacoor, keeping the Americans sleeping on their arms and nightly awaiting attack. The Filipinos have several cannon. The first mayor of Imus under the American regime who ultimately deserted is their leader in the assaults and is ambitious to take the town.
Three soldiers of the Fourth infantry have deserted and are now with the enemy.
Most of the inhabitants of Imus are so strong in their sympathies with the insurgents that it is necessary to use a part of the regiment to patrol the streets and to prevent shooting from houses when an attack begins.
The American forces in the north have separated into many small commands and are pursuing bands of Filipinos. General MacArthur is engaged in clearing the mountain country west of the Manila Dagupan railroad. General Grant is moving from Angeles toward Subig with 400 men. Colonel Bell is sweeping south from Mangatarem. Thus far the American commanders have been unable to locate large bodies of insurgents, although there were about 500 in San Clementine, nine miles south of Mangatarem early in the week.
Colonel Hood, with the Sixteenth regiment and calvary, and General Lawton with a force from San Isidro, are operating against General Pilar's army in San Mateo valley.
Major Batchelor, with a battalion of the Twenty-fourth infantry, is making a daring expedition. He left Bayombong, province of Nueva Vizcaya, a week ago to march through Cagayan valley to the north coast of Luzon, intending to reach Aparri at the mouth of Cagayan river, the most important northern seaport of the islands. While no large forces are known to be in his path, it may be that he has had some fighting, although the friendliness of the inhabitants is counted upon to help him.
When he arrives at Aparri he will find a gunboat awaiting him.
The Spanish prisoners in the Bengut region are escaping from the Filipinos and are flocking into Vigan. Several hundred are there already and a steamer will go and bring them to Manila.
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| Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood. |
PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.
Leonard Wood and Cuba.
President McKinley has sent to the senate the nomination of Leonard Wood to be a major-general in the Volunteer army, There is no doubt that the senate will give its advice and consent to the promotion of this distinguished and useful man.
Wood's rise in military rank has been extraordinary. For more than ten years beginning with 1886 he was an assistant surgeon with the rank of captain. On the plains he had greatly distinguished himself, winning a medal of honor, and was known not only as a medical man of ability but a well-trained soldier of exceptional bravery and skill. But at Washington in after years he had no opportunity to add to his reputation, his duties being those of a physician in the families of the officers of the army. But when there were indications that there would be war with Spain, Wood saw his chance. He and Roosevelt organized the Rough Riders, Wood was appointed colonel, Roosevelt resigned as assistant secretary of the navy and was appointed lieutenant-colonel, and the two men hustled their troopers to Cuba, where they rendered great service to their country. After the surrender of Santiago, Wood was appointed military governor, and promoted to the rank of brigadier-general of volunteers.
His work in that pest-ridden city was simply phenomenal. He cleaned it, opened the avenues of trade, provided honest and efficient government, and introduced American methods in every direction. Americans, even those who knew Wood and understood the remarkable abilities of the man, were amazed at what he did, and the brief time in which reforms of the greatest importance were accomplished.
At present General Wood is in Washington, having been called there by the secretary of war for consultation. He is likely to return to Santiago very shortly and it is intimated that General Brooke will soon be recalled as military governor of Cuba and that General Wood will be assigned to this important position. General Brooke is an honest add skillful soldier, but he has not the executive ability and the capacity for business that General Wood has displayed. The administration does not wish to put a slight upon General Brooke but there is a feeling in Washington that General Wood would do the work better, and probably the change will be made.
General Wood discusses the condition of affairs in Cuba with his usual candor. He thinks that the establishment of a civil government in Cuba is as yet afar off. The change must be gradual, beginning with municipal elections. It would not do to turn Cuba over to the Cuban people till they have learned what liberty means and what civil government involves. They are like children. They must learn. But they are quick and intelligent, and will make rapid progress.
What the Cubans want now is a chance to work, to build up the country that has been devastated by war, to repair their broken fortunes, to pursue the arts of peace, to develop the resources of the island, to regain their old place in the trade of the world, and to educate their children.
The time within which the Spaniards of the island must declare themselves to be either Spaniards or Cubans does not expire till April. By that time, says General Wood, the conditions in the island will be greatly improved, the census will have been tabulated, municipalities will have been formed, and some steps may then be taken in the direction of self-government.
The inhabitants of the [island] are in the main contented with political conditions and political prospects. The talk about impending revolts is without serious foundation. The Cubans find that their trust in American officials is not misplaced; they are not being imposed upon; they see no reason to distrust this country, and they certainly can find encouragement in the utterances of President McKinley, in his message to congress. In every direction therefore, the outlook for Cuba is a happy one. The Cubans must be patient and all will turn out well.
THE CURFEW PETITION
To be Presented to the Village Trustees at Next Meeting.
One of the ladies who is interested in the enactment of a curlew regulation in Cortland says that the petition for the resolution is to be presented to the village board of trustees at its next meeting. She calls attention to the fact that Waterloo has just passed such an enactment and to the following published statement:
St. Louis contains among other institutions a reform school; she also has within her corporation the curfew law and it is enforced. Under it there is a reduction of 50 per cent in commitments to the reform school. Evidently this law is enforced where it exists as thoroughly as other laws.
In Lincoln, Neb., there is a reduction in commitments of seventy-five per cent since the curfew law went into operation.
The petition which is to go before the Cortland village trustees reads as follows:
To the President and Board of Trustees:
We, the undersigned, adult citizens of Cortland, do earnestly petition your honorable body to enact a village ordinance known as curfew law forbidding children under the age of 16 years to be found on the streets after 8 o'clock in winter and 9 o'clock in summer, without consent of parent or guardian.
We know that the hope of our Nation depends on our young people. We believe that such a law would lift higher the standard of morality among them.
The testimony of cities and towns which have tried the curfew law is favorable. In this state alone in one year there were 169,000 arrests of children under the age of 8 years. We believe it to be impossible for children habitually on the street to develop into good and useful citizens.
POLICE COURT.
A Tramp Who Was Willing to be Called a Tramp.
Frank Scott was brought before Police Justice Davis this morning charged with being a tramp and judging from his general appearances and the answers that he made to the questions asked him there could be little doubt of the truth of the accusation. He said that he left Buffalo four days ago without money and was trying to dead beat his way through to Milton, N. J. Scott claimed he was once a sailor, but that he had had bad luck and was out of a job. He was given an hour in which to leave town, and as soon as he got his bearings he made a bee line for the limits of the corporation.
ENDED HIS MISERY.
An Old Horse Turned Out into the Woods to Starve.
Special Officer for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals James E. Edwards was called to a pasture on the hill south of Cortland yesterday to end the misery of a poor old horse that had evidently been turned out into the woods by parties unknown to starve. The complaint was received Wednesday night and yesterday morning Officer Edwards and Dr. Stevens started out. The place was in a back pasture which is partly wooded belonging to Mr. W. R. Randall about two miles south of Cortland and nearly a mile back south from the Virgil road. The horse had been noticed there several times in the past fortnight by people in the vicinity, who finally came to the conclusion that he had no business there and had been left to starve on the bits of dry grass pricking up through the snow.
Officer Edwards says he never saw so thin an animal of any kind. He was nothing but a skeleton with a skin drawn tightly over the bones. He does not believe the animal weighed over 400 pounds. He attempted to lead him down to Cortland to get a photograph of him on Main-st. before shooting him, but the poor beast was too weak to walk and tumbled down after going a few rods. A bullet mercifully put an end to his sufferings. If the parties could be found who owned the horse or who left him there Officer Edwards would be likely to make it quite warm for them without delay.
McGRAW.
Breezy Items of Corset City Chat.
Following are extracts from a rather brief letter from Vern Porter, which will interest his many friends. The only wonder is that he can write so interesting a letter after his hospital experience of five months.
CORREGIDOR ISLAND, P. I., Oct. 30, 1899.
This is a fine morning and I am feeling exceedingly well for me, as I have had a little drawback and was kept in bed four days.
Have changed my residence, as you will see. I was transferred from Manila to this place about three weeks ago. It is a fine place, but I don't just admire the grub and would like to get out of it, but the doctor won't let me so I have to make the best of it. My diagnosis is now dysentery and enlarged spleen and liver.
I now have one year's service in the army and what a change there has been in McGraw. I don't believe (if I ever do get back) that it will seem the same old home to me.
We have been having fine weather, but most too hot for comfort as this is supposed to be the beginning of the dry season. Corregidor is a beautiful island situated about twenty-seven miles west of Manila at the entrance to Manila bay. It is something like one mile wide and very mountainous. It has some beautiful scenery and is a very slightly place, as all boats coming into or going out of the harbor can be plainly seen. It is also a very healthy spot compared with Manila and the island of Luzon, in fact probable as healthy a place as there is in the entire group of islands. We get a fine sea breeze which, by the way is poor stuff to get fat on without any thing else. The mountain is covered mostly with scrub oak, banana trees and other wild fruit, also some mango trees which remain green throughout the year.
There is only one native village here with the exception of a few shacks scattered here and there on the mountain. The natives here appear to be very peaceful and happy, causing no trouble whatever up to date. They live mostly by fishing, hunting, washing clothing for soldiers and shipping wood to Manila.
Co. I of the Thirteenth infantry is stationed here doing guard duty and gunboats patrol all these islands. There is also a lighthouse on top of the mountain and in case of danger of attack the red light is turned on to signal the gunboats in the bay, so you see we are quite well protected.
There have been several rumors of an attack here, but it would be foolish for the natives to attempt it, although it is well enough to guard against them for they are treacherous and liable to do most any old thing. There are any number of goats, sheep, caribou, monkeys and some cattle and ponies running wild. The Spaniards left them.
We have four fine new hospital buildings and another most completed. I understand that a new "diet hall" or mess hall is next on the program, as the present one is an old bamboo affair and a mighty poor specimen. Each building has room for about a hundred patients. All patients sent here are supposed to be convalescents. In fact, those sent here are those for whom there was not much help in Manila. This is also a great place for the officers to come to and recuperate. Quite a number are now here. A steam launch makes daily trips from Manila with sick rations, mail, etc. Uncle Sam has employed a large force of native help which have made a great improvement in the appearance of the place in the little time we have been here. I understand that patients sent here, after twenty-one days with no sign of improvement, are recommended for transfer and sent to the States for treatment. A large number were sent just before I came here and about thirty go aboard the Sherman this afternoon and will start for Frisco to-morrow.
The gunboats have for the past few days been doing considerable bombarding, but are rather quiet to-day. There has been four deaths here since I arrived and another man is expected to live but a short time. But such is life and when a soldier dies he is soon forgotten and is a thing of the past. The dead are all buried on the island near a native cemetery on the opposite shore. The funeral ceremony I witnessed the other day began by the captain-doctor reading a few verses from the Bible. Six hospital corpsmen acted as pallbearers and the remains were placed on a two-wheel cart drawn by natives to the place of burial. A squad of soldiers in charge of a corporal and a bugler were at the head of the procession; then followed in order given, the remains, five hospital corpsmen, doctor and two sergeant patients. After arriving at the cemetery a few more words were read, the casket lowered into the grave, a short prayer, the squad fired three volleys over the grave, the bugler blew taps and then the grave was filled and another boy in blue was gone soon to be forgotten, a thing of the past with no one to show the least sympathy or sorrow.
We have good music furnished nearly every evening by a Filipino string band which rather helps to cheer the patients up when they get down hearted.
Only received one SENTINEL in June, two in July and three in September since last May so you can see I am not very well posted on the news back home.
This is what you might call a book, but it is not every day we can write.
Oct. 31—Your letter of Sept. 24, received yesterday. Write often, for your letters are more than welcome to a fellow who is as blue as they make them and no good to himself or the service.
CHARLES VERNON PORTER, Co. D, Ninth Infantry U. S. Regulars.
The following are extracts from two letters written by Frank Oliver of the Ninth infantry, Manila, to relatives in McGraw bearing dates of Oct. 2 and Oct. 9, 1899:
The niggers are quite peaceable just now. How long they will remain thus, is more than we can tell. On Sept. 28 we had a big battle which I was in. I hope this war will soon end. We are getting the rebels very nearly covered, and are longing for another advance.
Fighting the niggers here is just like fighting Indians. They are a treacherous lot and you can readily guess what our love for them is like. I will relate an incident that will show their disposition. Two days ago there were four men on guard. Three of them had discarded their belts and guns, as they were expecting no harm. A band of twelve negroes came wandering through the American line. The sentry, however, did not see anything wrong in this, so two of the natives came back to the sentry who had the gun, and were talking to him in the native tongue, when all of a sudden they overpowered the sentry and the twelve negroes rushed in and used their bolos on the four guards, killing two and wounding the other two. It was terrible to see the men cut to pieces as they were but those black rebels were finally caught. I have had splendid health since I came here, but war is not the picnic we boys thought it would be.
The battle we had in September lasted three hours and was a hot fight. The Ninth took Parac alone. The natives were quite brave and came out to meet us, but we very soon drove them back. We only wish they had stayed out and fought, but instead, they would fight for a while and then run like deer. You ought to see them run, with us in hot pursuit, yelling like wild men. Aguinaldo has sent in word that he will fight to the end, but he will have to give up or we will drive him and his army into the ocean. FRANK OLIVER.
BREVITIES.
—Dr. J. C. Stevens' office has been connected with the telephone exchange.
—The Y. W. C. T. U. will meet to-night at 7:30 at the home of Miss Stella French, 11 Rickard-st.
—The Avalon club will hold a party at Empire hall to-night and take supper at Bennett's cafe.
—DWIGHT L. BOIES died at his late home 4 Venette-st., yesterday. The funeral will be held at the house Sunday at 2 P. M.
—The members of Grace church choir are urgently requested to meet to-night at 8 o'clock for practice of Christmas music, under the leadership of Mr. Bowen.
—In the McGraw letter to-day appear extracts from two Corset City boys who are with the American army in the Philippines. They will be read with interest by all.
—There was an error in a name in The STANDARD last night. It was Mrs. Catharine Out, who died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. A. J. Stout, and not Mrs. Catharine Olds.
—The Twin City quartet will dispense music each evening during the session of the State Dairymen's convention. This is an additional feature not announced on the regular program.
—Vesta lodge held a very pleasant party at their rooms last evening. About forty couples were present and danced to the music of "Happy Bill" Daniels' orchestra till about 12 o'clock.
—New display advertisements to-day are—F. D. Smith, Carpet sweepers, page 8; Smith & Beaudry, Holiday opening, page 6; Opera House. "The Sorrows of Satan," page 5; W. J. Perkins, perfumes, page 6.
—The regular meeting of the Auxiliary of the Y. M. C. A. will be held in the Y. M. C. A. parlor Monday afternoon, Dec. 12, at 3:30 o'clock. All members are urged to be present, as plans for the New Year's reception will be made at this time.
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