The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-04
BIC JOB ON HIS HANDS
Philippine Situation Is Causing
Apprehension.
%AGUINALDO'S SWELL HEAD
Merritt VIII Need Many Thousand Sol
diers to Maintain Order - Fifty
thousand Men Will Be Needed
on the Island OF Luzon.

New York. Aug. "A special TO the
Tribune from Washington says: The adj
ministration is more ~sanguine than ever
that the peace negotiations will not be
so p~rotracted and tedious as was feared
a week ago. In regard TO the presi-
dents demands for SPANS immediate
evacuation of Cuba and Porto Rico, his
feeling among cabinet officers amounts
to a conviction. With regard TO the
Philippines, however. grave apprehen-
sion is manifested that Spain may stub
bOrnly resist the suggestion OF a COM
mission. taking advantage of the ex-
ceedingly embarrassing situation which
~confronts General Merritt through the
o~ficiousness of Aguinaldo. According
TO all accounts this young mans sue
cesses have completely turned his head
and the influence he exerts over sew
eraI thousand semi-civilized, or at most,
barbarous warriors. presents a serious
complication which is causing the au-
thorities here no end of worry and no
little alarm.
The conditions which confront the
comparatively small forces under Cen
eral Merritt's command W Cavite
and Manila are shown by the official re-
ports to be even more dangerous than
minated in press dispatches, and the
administration is gratifed to see that
most of the influential newspapers OF
the country hav come TO appreciate
some Of the responsibilities which viii
be imposed upon the government is the
United States found II necessary to take
permanent possession Of the archipela-
go. This contingency was thoroughly
considered by the military and naval
authorities. early as the middle of May,
when General Merritt was selected TO
take an army corps across the Pacific.
This Vas before A~guinaldo assumed an
impudent attitude and at a time when
he was giving every assurance OF SUI
~bordination to Admiral Dewey. About
that time the military authorities In
conference at Washington, both General
Miles and General Merritt being pres
ent, carefully studied all conceivable
phases of the establishment of an Amer
lean protectorate over the philippine
group and agreed that the minimum
strength OF the United States land forces
that would be essential was as follows:
For garrison of Philippines, 10000 men.
for garrison OF Luzon island alone, 10000
men: for garrison Of Manila alone, 25,-
900 men. These estimates were based
upon the assumption that for "A consid-
erable period at least after the expulsion
OF the ~Spaniards all the native leaders
would exhibit their gratitude to the
Americans by heartily supporting the
new order Of things.
From the best Information that could
be obtained regarding the habits and
characteristics of the natives General
Merritt, as well as other army officers
who discussed the matter, were con-
WINGED that whether the American occu-
patton was to be for one year or five
years, "A standing force equal TO that
given above would be Indispensable.
They agreed that while such a force
might have little TO do most of the time,
as had been tho case with army garri-
sons several months ago In the far West,
the natives could no more be relied upon
to continue to keep the peace than here
tofore.
As a consequence Of these deliberations
and conclusions regarding the whole
Philippine islands. the attention of the
authorities was hen concentrated upon
the probability Of the retention of the
island of LuZon alone and after debating
the matter and digesting a vast amount
Of information about hat island the Of
ncers and officials were unanimously of
the opinion that II would be indiscreet
in the extreme to assume control OF the
1900, 900 inhabitants of LuZon with Less
than so, 600.
IL Is feared the crisis at Manila Il
already at hand and that General Au'
gust must be compelled to surrender
the city to General Merritt, whether thu
latter is ready to receive II or not. Un'
der such circumstances Geneal Merritt
will be compelled to accept the serious
responsibility of protecting property II
the city from the Insurgents at whateve
hazards and the incongruous spectacle
may yet be presented Of American an'
spanish troops there cooperating
against a common enemy, supported b!
the combined forces from the foreign
fleets which have gathered in the har
Dor.