Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-12-18
Tells of Conditions in Philippine
Islands. "
GERMANS
ACTED QUEER
Explains Why He Declined to Recognize
or Accept Assistance from In>ur-
gents Asninnldo Claims IN
share Of the Booty"
(Ry Telegraph.}

fBy Telegraph} Sod
New YORK. Dec. l7.-AIajor C;ener
AZ Wesley Merritt, late commandant If
me United States military forces in the
fnllipplne Islands. from which post he
was called to Paris to consult with the
I,Amercan Peace Commissioners, reach
ed this city today, on board ~.
a a,.;. Lucania. from Queenstown.
with General Merritt were his brid,.
anu his mother. Mrs. Norman Williams,
ana Norman Williams, Jr., Of Chicago
ana Captain J.. H. Strother. aide do
camp an the staff of General Merritt.
1he General Will resume charge Of
the military department Of the East.
which position he held when he was or
iefed to the far East. He received a
hearty greeting from those vino had
assembled at the Cunard Lines pier as
the l-ucania WIS made fast there.
! From the steamship pier the Merritt
party went in carriages to the Waldorf
Astoria
DEWEY's; HEALTH GOOD.
1t is some time since left the Phil
ippine Islands," said General Merritt
ana all can say about the situa ton
there when left is contained in official
reports which I made to the govern
fent and Peace Commission can
say. however. that there is no founda-
tion for the report that Admiral Dew
eys health has broken down as a result
Of his wonderful work in Manila har-
Dor on May LIST. last. IIe was in fine
physical condition when l left and he
was then over the strain of the naval
/ light. There is another thing l would
like the people TO know. That. is, the
climate of the Philippines is by no
means as unhealthy as it
Is said 70 be. met Il
number of Europeans there who had
in
more. and they seemed to thrive and
had 40 serious complaints to make
about the climate.
GERMANS WERE QUEER.
The Germans acted in a sort of queer
Way when first got there. They We're
Kind of meddlesome in matters think
| they should have let alone The Ger
| man officers there made me no official
calls until Manila had fallen and then
their visits were not What might be
termed friendly. There was no serious
clash and am glad of it. The volun-
teers behaved nobly during the fight
we had. They are good soldiers
t AS to General Miles bill to increase
| the United States army to 100000, at
present I cannot discuss the proposed
measure. for the reason that l have not
| yet seen a copy of it. l think it will
take about 10000 soldiers to hold the
| islands. in case this country desires TO
\ keep them. and I see no reason Why
1T should not.
/ Il have no comment to make on the
so-called expansion being discussed pro
| Spaniards on the island that want to
remain there. With $4,000 United
States soldiers and the remaining $4,000
evenly divided between the Firipinos
land Spaniards l feel sure the islands
could be governed properly and With
credit to this counsry. H..
T. OPINION OF .AGUINALDO.
i Il did not meet Aguinaldo, but / am
satisfied that he is {; very shrewd man
| did not recognize the insurgents,
fearing complications Admiral Dewey
after my arrival. pursued the same
course. What was said or done before
| my arrival | cannot state. did no,
! recognize Aguinaldo nor his troops, no,
use them in any way. l had been there
ten days before Aguinaldo asked to see
| me. and then | was too busy.
| Talking with leading F'ilipinos,
told them the United States had no
! promises to make, but they might be
! assured tAat the government and the
people of 't!Ies country would treat them
fairly.
| 'Purposely. we did not give the insur-
! gents notice Of our attack upon Manila
because we did not need their co-opera-
were moved by fear that they might 1907
and plumber. and possibly murder. Con
versing with American officers. ASui-
naldos subordinate leaders frequently
said that hey intended 70 cut the
t'throats Of al! the Spaniards in Manila.
LETTER OF COMPLAINT
"Aguinaldo himself wrote complain
ing letter. saying that the insurgents
| had hcen denied their share of the
| booty whatever he may have meant
by that. took no notice of this letter
| nor do think that the complaints OF
the Filipinos is matter for discussion
between Aguinaldo and any representa-
/ tive Of the American government.
The American Peace Commissioners
| had q hard task to make he Spaniards
understand that the colonies were for.
ever lost to Spain They accomplished
the job well and signed a treaty which
I is u credit TO them"
| General Merritt, when asked when he
/ would report his return to the Secrc-
tary Of War, said:
II will wait until President Mckin-
! ley returns TO Washington