Omaha daily bee., 1898-12-18
MERRITT TALKS OF MANILA
Commander Of Philippines and His Bride
Reach New York.
ADMIRAL DEWEY IS IN GOOD HEALTH
Climate of the Islands Said to Be Ex-
ccllent and Reports Of sickness
Among the Troops Greatly
Exaggerated.

NEW YORK. Dec. 17.-Major General
Wesley Merritt, the late commander of the
United States military forces in the Philip
pine 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 General Merritt were his bride, her
mother, Mrs. Norman Williams, and Norman
Williams, jr., of Chicago and Captain l.. II.
Strather. aide-de-camp on the staff Of Cen
eral Merritt. The general will resume COM
mand Of the 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
line pier as the Lucania was made fast there.
From the steamship pier the Merritt party
went In carriages to the Waldorf-Astor
1T Is some time since I left the Philip
pine Islands," said General Merritt, land
all that ! 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 peace commission
on the situation in the Philippines, has been
published In the newspapers, and there Is no
use OF my going over those subjects again.
i can say, however, that there Is no founda-
ton 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
j left him and he was then over the strain
OF the naval fight.
As to Climate.
There Is another thing l would like the
people to know-it is that the climate of the
philippines Is not by any means as it is
said 10 be. / met any number OF Euro
peans 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 7
got there first. They were rather meddle-
some in matters which l think they should
have let alone. The German officers there
madc 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 l am glad of it.. The
volunteers behaved nobly during the fight
we mad. They are good soldiers"
AS TO General Miles bill to increase the
united States army to 100, 900, at present
cannot discuss the proposed measure for the
reason that l have not yet seen a copy of it.
l think 1t will take about 30, 900 soldiers To
held the islands in case this country desire.
to keep them and l see no reason why It
should not.
View of Expansion.
nave 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 re-
main there. With Is, 900 United States SOL
diers and the remaining IL, 900 evenly d.
vided between the Filipinos and Spanish I
feel sure the islands could be governed
properly and with credit to this country. I
did not meet Aguinaldo, but I am satisfied
he Is a very shrewd man. did not recog-
nize the insurgents, fearing complications.
Admiral Dewey, after my arrival, pursued
the same course. What was said or done
before my arrival I 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
! was too busy.
Talking with leading Filipinos told
them the United States had no promises 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 Insurgents notice of our attack
on Manila because we did not need their
cooperation and did not propose to have It.
We were moved by fear that they might loot
and plumber and possibly murder. Converts
Ing with American officers Aguinaldo's SUBJ
ordinate leaders frequently said that they
intended to cut the threats of all the Span
iards In Manila.
"Aguinaldo himself wrote a complaining
letter, saying that the insurgents had been