The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-12-18

Wesley Merritt, the late commander of
the United States military forces in the
Philippines, 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 Queenstown. With Gen
eral Merritt were his bride and her
mother, Mrs. Norman Williams, and
Norman Williams, jr., of Chicago, and
Captain L. H. Strother, aide de camp
on the staff OF General 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 hearty greet
ing from those assembled at the Gu
nard pier, as the Lucania was made
fast there. From the STEAMSHIP pier
the Merritt party went in carriages to
the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
1T is some time since left the Phil
ippine islands" said General Merritt,
and all that Lean say about the stu
alton when 1 left is contained in Off
cial reports which 1 made to the gov
eminent and the peace commission. All
of these, excepting one which | made to
the Paris commission on the political
situation in the Philippines, have been
published in the newspapers and there
is no use of my going over those sub
jectS again. can say, however, that
there is no foundation for the report
that Admiral Dewey's health has
broken down as a result of his wonder
full work in Manila harbor on May
last. He was in fine physical condition
when l 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 bad as it is said to be. l met
a 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
climate to make. The mortality among
our troops sent to preserve order there
would not be as great as some would
have the people believe.
THE Germans acted a little queer
when I got there first. They were kind
Of meddlesome in matters which l
think they should have let alone. The
German officers a ere made me no Off
cial calls until manila had fallen, and
then their visit was not what might
be termed friendly. There was no Sc
rious clash and 1 am glad of it. The
volunteers behaved nobly during the
fight we had. They are good soldiers.
AS to General Miles bill to increase
the United States army to 100000 men,
at present ] cannot discuss the pro-
posed measure, for the reason that 1
have not yet seen a copy of it.
I think it will take about $4,000 SOL
diers to hold the islands in case this
country desires to keep them and 1
see no reason why it should not.
Il have no comment to-malEe- upon the
so-called expansion which is being dis
cussed pro and con these days
There are many Spaniards in the is
lands that want to remain there. With
$1,000 United States soldiers and the
remaining $4,000 evenly divided between
the Filipinos and Spanish, 1 feel sure
the islands could be governed properly
and with credit to this country.
It did not meet Aguinaldo, but I am
satisfied he is a very shreWd man. l
did not recognize the insurgents, fear
ing complications. Admiral Dewey, af-
ter my arrival pursued the same
course. What was said and done before
my arrival 1 cannot state. I did not
recognize Aguinaldo nor his troops, nor
use them in any way. I had been
there ten days before Aguinaldo asked
to see me and then I was too busy.
Talking with leading Filipinos, told
them that I had no promise to make,
but they might be assured that the
government and the people of this
country would treat them fairly.
"Purposely we did not give the in
surgents notice of our attack on Man
lila, because we did not need their CO.
operation and did not propose to have
it. We were moved by the fear that
they might loot and plumber and pos
siply murder. Conversing with Ameri-
can officers, Aguinaido's subordinate
leaders frequently said that they in
tended to cut the threats of all Span
iards 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.
I took no notice of this letter, nor did
I think that the complaints of the
Filipinos were matter for discussion be-
tween Aguinaldo and representatives
of the American government.
"The American peace commissioners
had a hard task to make the Spaniards
understand that the colonies were lost
forever to Spain. They accomplished
the job well and signed a treaty which
is a credit to them"
General Merritt, when asked when he
would report his return to the secre-
tary of war said:
81 will wait until President Mckinley
returns to Washington"
-o-GD-o--