698 



PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. 



that the needs of the Government would in a short 

 time become compatible with a considerable re- 

 duction of taxation. The establishment of a 

 pure, speedy, and effective administration of jus- 

 tice would eradicate the evils of delay, corrup- 

 tion, and exploitation. The construction of roads, 

 railroads, and other means of communication and 

 transportation, and other public works of mani- 

 fest advantage to the people, would be promoted. 

 Domestic and foreign trade and commerce and 

 other industrial pursuits and the general develop- 

 ment of the country in the interest of its inhabi- 

 tants would be the object of solicitude and foster- 

 ing care. Effective provision would be made for 

 the establishment of elementary schools, in which 

 the children of the people would be educated, 

 and appropriate facilities would also be provided 

 for the higher education. Reforms in all depart- 

 ments of the Government, all branches of the 

 public service, and all corporations closely touch- 

 ing the common life of the people must be under- 

 taken without delay, and effected conformably 

 with common right and justice in a way to satisfy 

 the well-founded demands and the highest senti- 

 ments and aspirations of the Philippine people. 



The proclamation of the American commission- 

 ers, issued a month after their arrival on March 

 4, made a deep impression on thinking and public- 

 spirited Filipinos. The insurgents raised the ob- 

 jection that the Spaniards had promised even 

 more, and yet had done nothing. To meet the 

 demand for deeds, not promises, the commission- 

 ers applied themselves first to the re-establish- 

 ment of the law courts, which had been in sus- 

 pension since the surrender of Manila. Early in 

 June the Supreme Court was reopened by order 

 of the military governor, with 5 Filipino and 3 

 American justices. Courts of the first instance 

 and justice courts were established later, as soon 

 as qualified and trustworthy Filipino magistrates 

 could be found. This action greatly aided in the 

 restoration of public confidence. Natives who 

 had fled began to return to their homes, and in- 

 habitants of other districts asked permission to 

 come or to send their families in. The native 

 population nearly doubled in two weeks, so that 

 it was necessary to impose restrictions on immi- 

 gration in order to prevent overcrowding. Among 

 the refugees came men of intelligence from all 

 over Luzon. 



The American plan of campaign was first to 

 divide the insurgent forces by advancing east- 

 ward from Manila along the Pasig river, opening 

 up that stream and the Laguna de Bay to light 

 gunboats that had been made. Gen. Thomas A. 

 Anderson advanced up the river, occupying the 

 three principal villages, and scattering the forces 

 to the south of it, cutting them off from com- 

 munication with the forces in the north. When 

 he turned over the command of his division to 

 Gen. Lawton on March 22 the Americans con- 

 trolled the river and Laguna de Bay, and had 

 cleared the country to the south for 20 miles. 

 The second part of the plan of operations was 

 to divide the forces in the north by advancing 

 along the line of the railroad. This also was 

 accomplished successfully. The insurgents were 

 driven back from village to village and from the 

 strip of territory between the railroad and Manila 

 Bay into the fastnesses of the swamps and the 

 mountains. From Manila they were driven back 

 in all directions as far as there were troops to 

 command the lines. But an extensive effective 

 occupation of territory with the forces at the 

 command of Major-Gen. Elwell S. Otis was im- 

 possible. Hence, although white flags were raised 

 over every house in the vicinity of the camps, 



covert hostilities were practiced when Americans 

 were not present in force. Malabon and ot her 

 places near the lagoons and rivers were captured 

 with the aid of the light-draught gunboats. Tin- 

 insurgents as they retired were in the habit of 

 setting fire to the places that they evacuated. 

 The storming of the strong intrenchmenta at 

 Malabon by the Oregon troops was a brave deed, 

 costing 49 casualties. Its capture drove the in- 

 surgents back on Malolos, where Aguinaldo had 

 established the seat of the revolutionary Govern- 

 ment and his military headquarters. This, which 

 was the last fortified position of the insurgents 

 in the lowlands, fell also at the end of March. 

 In the beginning of April Gen. Lawton occupied 

 eight towns south of Laguna de Bay and cap 

 tured gunboats of the enemy. His troops were 

 .then recalled by Gen. Otis, as the American forces 

 were not numerous enough to hold this southern 

 country and carry on active operations against 

 Aguinaldo's main army. Gen. Lawton took com- 

 mand of a flying column sent to clear the Fili- 

 pinos out of the jungle north of Manila up to 

 the mountains and to Bulacan. The troops of the 

 main Filipino army, commanded by Gen. Antonio 

 Luna, took up a strong position before Calumpit, 

 on the Rio Grande. They were engaged by <; -n. 

 MacArthur's division on April 24 and succeeding 

 days. The Nebraska, South Dakota, ami l"\\a 

 regiments advanced on their trenches over open 

 fields under a galling fire, and the Nebraska and 

 South Dakota men swam across the river to get 

 at them. Two men of tin- Kan-a^ regiment -uam 

 the river under tire from sharpshooters to fasten 

 a rope by which two companies of infantry, led 

 by Ci.l. Punston were brought across on a raft 

 to enfilade the enemy's trenches. The Filipinos, 

 who believed the river line of defense impreg- 

 nable, hastily retreated, and their defen-e of the 

 intrench men t - beyond \\as feeble and di-piriled, 

 though up to this point they had fought stoutly 

 and inflicted severe losses on the Americans. Alter 

 the retreat from Calumpit (Jen. Luna, by order 

 of Aguinaldo, sent his chief of staff on April 2S 

 to ask for an armistice until the Filipino Con- 

 gress be convened for the purpose of deciding 

 \\hethor to continue the war or to make peace. 

 Gen. Otis replied that he could not recogni/e the 

 Filipino (Government, and would only consider 

 the complete surrender of the Filipino army. This 

 was the second proposal from Aguinaldo to treat 

 for peace, the first having been made at the be- 

 ginning of hostilities. Their proposal of a 

 tion of hostilities for thirty days was declined, 

 Gen. Otis replying that universal amnesty would 

 be granted on the surrender of their arms by the 

 in -urgents. 



Gen. MacArthur continued his advance along 

 the railroad, driving the enemy from Apalit . Santo 

 Tomas, and San Fernando, which had been tin- 

 revolutionary capital after the fall of Malolos 

 until the approach of the American army com- 

 pelled a transfer to San Isiclro. (Jen. Lawton's 

 column advanced simultaneously along, a parallel 

 line, capturing in succession Novaliches. San .lo-e. 

 Norzagaray, Balinag, where large stores of food 

 were taken from the retreating force of (Jen. 

 Gregorio del Pilar, which ho drove before him 

 to San Ildefonso and beyond in the direction of 

 the rebel capital in the mountains, upon which 

 Gen. MacArthur's division also intended to con- 

 verge by way of San Luis, Pandas. :l nd Arayat. 

 The army gunboats operating on the rivers cleared 

 the country of insurgents west of his line of 

 march. Gen. Lawton's rapid advance from I'ali 

 nag gave the insurgents no cessation from tight- 

 ing. One fifth of their force was incapacitated 



