judge of the Court of First
Instance) then assumed the presidency of the provincial council.

On July 24, 1899, Juan Climaco and Arcadio Maxilom, chafing at the
diminution of their influence in public affairs, suddenly disappeared
into the interior and met at Pardo, where the military revolutionary
centre was established. Aguinaldo's emissary, Pantaleon E. del
Rosario, Melquiades Lasala, a Cebuano of Bogo (known as Dading),
Andres Jayme, Lorega, and an Ilocano named Mateo Luga who had served
in the Spanish army, led contingents under the supreme command of the
insurgent General Arcadio Maxilom. In the interior they established
a fairly well-organized military government. The Island was divided
into districts; there was little interference with personal liberty;
taxes for the maintenance of the struggle were collected in the form of
contribution according to the means of the donor; agriculture was not
altogether abandoned, and for over two years the insurgents held out
against American rule. The brain of the movement was centred in Juan
Climaco, whilst Mateo Luga exhibited the best fighting qualities. In
the meantime American troops were drafted to the coast towns of
Tuburan, Bogo, Carmen, etc. There were several severe engagements with
slaughter on both sides, notably at Monte Sudlon and Compostela. Five
white men joined the insurgent leader Luga, one being an English
mercenary trooper, two sailors, and two soldiers; the last two were
given up at the close of hostilities; one of them was pardoned, and
the other was executed in the _cotta_ for rape committed at Mandaue.

The co-existence of an American military administration in Cebu City
conducting a war throughout the Island, and a Philippine provincial
government with nominal administrative powers over the same region,
but in strong sympathy with the insurgent cause, was no longer
compatible. Moreover, outside the city the provincial government was
unable to enforce its decrees amongst the people, who recognized
solely the martial-law of the insurgents to whom they had to pay
taxes. The Americans therefore abolished the provincial council,
which was not grieved at its dissolution, because it was already
accused by the people of being pro-American. Philippine views of the
situation were expressed in a newspaper, _El Nuevo Dia_, founded by a
lawyer, Rafael Palma, and edited conjointly by Jayme Veyra (afterwards
a candidate for the Leyte Island governorship) and an int