Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-12-21
Cen. MERRITT At HOME.
Talks About the Situation in the
Philippines.
ARRIVES ON LUCANIA.
Germans Were at First Inclined to
be Unfriend1y to the
Americans.

New York, Dee. 17.-Maj.-G Yves
ley Merritt late commander of the United
States Military forces in the Philippine
islands, from which post he was called to
Paris to consult with the American peace
commissioners. reached this city today on
board the. steamer Lucania from Queens
town. With Gen. Merritt were his BRIDE
her mother, Mrs. Norman Williams, and
Norman Williams, Jr.. of Chicago, and
Capt. l.. III. Strother, aide-de-camp ON the
staff of Gen. Merritt.
The general will resume command of the
military department of the East, which
position he held when he was ordered to
the far East. The general received q
hearty greeting from those assembled at
the Cunard lines pier, as the Lucania was
made fast there. From the steamship
pier the Merritt party went in carriages
to the Waldorf-Astoria
1T is some time since I left the Philip
pine islands,, said Gen. Merritt, lard all
that l can say about the situation there
when | left is contained in official reports
which | made to the government and the
peace commission. All Of these excepting
one which | made to the Paris peace COM
mission on the political situation in the
Philippines have been published in the
newspapers, and there is no use of my
SOIL$5 over THESE SUBJECTS again.
Il can say however, that there is no
foundation for the report that Admiral
Dewey's health has broken down as a
result Of his wonderful work in Manila
harbor on May 1 last. He was in fine
physical condition when | left him and
he was then over the strain of the naval
fight. There is another thing that I
would like the people to know 1t is
that the climate of the Philippines is not
by any means as it is said to be. | met
number of Europeans there who had
been In the country for fourteen years
or more and they seemed to thrive and
had no serious complaints about the eli
mate to make. The mortality among
our troops sent to preserve order there
would not be as great as some would
have the people believe.
Germans Were Unfriend1y.
The Germans acted a little queer when
| got there first They We're kind of med
diesome in matters which I think they
should have left alone. The German Off
| GERS there made no official calls until Ma
Mia had fallen, and then their visit was
not what might have been termed friend
| ly. There was no serious clash and | am
| glad of it. The volunteers behaved nobly
during the fight we had. They are good
| soldiers.
LAS to Cen Miles bill to increase the
army to 100000 at present | cannot dis
| son that | 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 | see no rea-
| son why it should not.
Il have no comment to make on the
| so-called expansion, which is being dis
cussed pro and con these days There
are many Spaniards on the islands that
want to remain there. With $4,000 Unit
ed States soldiers and the remaining 15.-
O0O evenly divided between the Filipinos
and Spanish | fell sure the islands could
be governed properly and with credit to
this country.
Il did not meet Aguinaldo, but [ am
satisfied he Is very shrewd man I did
not recognize the insurgents, fearing com
pllcatlons Admiral Dewey, after my ar
rival, pursued the same course What
was said or done before my arrival [
cannot state. | did not recognize Agui-
naido, nor his troops, in any way | had
been there 10 days before Aguinaldo
asked to see me and then l was too busy.
Made No Promises.
Talking with leading Filipinos | told
them the United States had no promises
to make, but they might be assured that
one government and the people of this
country would treat them fairly
PurpOsely we did not give the insur-
gents notice of our attack on Manila be-
cause we did not need their cooperation
ana dld not propose to have it. We were
moved by fear that they might loot and
plumber and possibly murder Conversing
with American officers. Aguinaldo's sub
ordinate leaders frequently said that they
intended to cut the throats of all the
Spaniards in Manila
"Aguinaldo himself wrote a complain
ing letter. saying that the insurgents had
been denied their share of the booty
whatever he may have meant / took no
notice of this letter, nor did I think that
the complaints of the Filipinos was mat
ter tor discussion between Aguinaldo and
any representative of the American gov
eminent.
THE, American peace commissioners
understand that the colonies were lost
forever 10 Spain. They accomplished the
job well and signed a treaty which is a
credit to them
Gen. Merritt when asked when he
would report his return to the secretary
OF war said Il will wait until President
Mckinley returns to Washington"