The Philippine War.

Manawatu Herald, 12 September 1899, Page 2

The Philippine War.

The " Manila Times " says that in conversation with one of his friends recently General Gregorio DA Filar expressed himself in the following manner in regard to him self and his views on the fatare . prospects of the Filipino cause :— " I have long known that we are fighting for a lost car.se, and maoy of U3 would gladly relinquish it could W3 do so with honour to ourselves and to the cause for which we have sacrificed everything we ever pO3 sessed. For myself, if I could get safely through the lines with my family, I would gladly set sail for England or some other country on the first outgoing steamer— leave everything behind me, and begin life over again in a new land. But that, is an impossibility, as I am too well known, and it is useless to entertain the proposition. For the present the intention is to wage war to the bitter end, unless the Ignited States makes U9 some imp;>r ant concessions!, which I do not feel a! liberty to specify. If the worst comes to the worst, we can die like men ; and I think the American soldiers, if they recall a few of their bard-f ought battlefields cannot hesitate to testify to Filipino valour But who can stand against American arms ? I imagine that a better trained and more perfectly equipped army than ours would quail at th > outlook. One thing that the Filipino leaders have to contend with which is a great handicap in the way

of bringing the Filipino forces into a perfect working orginisation, capable of doing the best than is in them on the battlefield, is the lack almost entirely in tha rank and file, with the exception of a few regiment?, of bat personal enthusiasm and go* thead qaality which have such a mark sd effect upon the morals of an umy when in action. A a result mr forces are easily demoralised, and che least reverse is sufficient at -itnes to throw tne whole tine into disorder, sometimes falling back from an almost impregnable position. The fact necessitates all officers and non-commissioned offioers carrying whips in order to flog the men up to their work. The main reason for this lies in the fact that oar soldiers have conceived the false idea that they are fighting merely for the officer?, and not that they are doing battle for their homes, their families and their country.