The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-18
Former Discusses the Situation in the
Philippines and the Attitude
of the Insurgents.
NO PROMISES TO FILIPINOS
GEN. MERRITT SAYS HE DID NOT
WANT THEIR ASSISTANCE,
And Did Not Let AguinaldO Know
When Manila Was to Be Attacked
for Fear of PiIIage.

NEW YORK, Dec 17-Maj. n. Wesley
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 to-day on
board the steamer Lucania, from Queens
town. With General Merritt were his bride;
her mother. Mrs. Norman Williams, and
Norman Williams, jr., of Chicago, and Capt.
l.. II. Strother, aid-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 a hearty greeting from those as
semb.ed 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 1 left the Philip
pine islands, said General Merritt, ''and
all that / can say about the situation there
when / left is contained in official reports
which 1 made to the government 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. L can say, however, that there
is no foundation for the report that Admiral
Deweys health has broken down as a re-
suit of his wonderful work in Manila har-
Dor on May 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 1 would like the peo-
pie to know. 1t is that the climate of the
Philippines is not by any means as it is said
1xn I nf hove
that 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 has not
been so great as some would have the peo-
pie believe
1.-The Germans acted little queer when 1
got there first. They were kind of meddle-
some in matters which / think they should
have let alone. The German officers there
made me no official calls until Manila had
fallen, and then their visit was not what
might be termed friendly. There was no
serious clash, and 1 am glad of it. The vol
unteers behaved nobly during the fight we
had They are good soldiers.
LAS to General Miless bill to increase the
United States army to 100000, at present 1
cannot discuss the proposed measure, for the
reason that l have not seen a copy of it. 1
think it will take about 10000 soldiers to hold
the islands in case this country decides to
keep them, and see no reason why it should
not.
s.I have no comment to make on the So
called expansion which is being discussed
pro and con these days. There are many
Spaniards on the islands that want to remain
there With 1900 United States soldiers and
the remaining 1900 evenly divided between
the Filipinos and Spaniards, l feel sure the
islands could be governed properly and with
credit to this country.
Il did not meet Aguinaldo, but I am salts
fled he is very shrewd man. 1 did not rec
ognize the insurgents, fearing complications.
Admiral Dewey after my arrival, pursued
the same course. What was said done
before my arrival 1 cannot state. l did not
recognize Aguinaldo, nor his troops, nor use
them in any way. had been there ten days
before Aguinaldo asked to see me and then
] was too busy. Talking with leading Fill
pinos l told them the United States had no
promises to make, but they might be as
sured that the 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,
and did not propose to have 1t. We were
moved by fear that they might loot and
plumber and possibly murder. Conversing
with American officers Aguinaldo's subordi-
nate leaders frequently said that they in
tended TO cut the threats of all the Span
iards in Manila. Aguinaldo himself wrote
me complaining letter. saying that the in
surgents had been denied their share of
the booty, whatever he may have meant
by that. l took no notice of this letter, nor
did l think that the complaint of the Fill
pinos was a matter for discussion between
Aguinaldo and an army representative of
the American government.
THE American peace commissioners had
a hard task to make the Spaniards under
stand that the colonies were lost forever to
Spain. They accomplished the job well, and
signed a treaty which is credit to them. -
General Merritt, when asked when he
would report his return to the secretary of
war, said: Il will wait until President Nc
Kinley returns to Washington"