The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1899-07-20
Round Robin of Correspondents
Only Emphasizes Deductions
Already Made.
Feeling Has For Some Time Elk
| listed That Otis Was Not the
Right Man.
Lawton, Wheeler, Young and
Schwan Sent Specially to
Help Him Out.

reasons dreaded to discuss in public and
what civilians were beginning, unwil-
ingly in most instances, to believe, is
precisely confirmed by the remarkable
cable dispatch from Hong Kong, which
will take rank as war paper with the
celebrated Santiago round robin of last
summer.
In the war department for more than
month the feeling existing among the
higher officials that General Otis was
misplaced in command at Manila had
been growing irrepressible. His con-
secutive official reports were seen to be
non-corroborative, and even the presi-
dent was no longer unaware of the dis
trustful sentiment affecting soldiers in
Manila, or on duty here, or passing
through Washington to join commands
elsewhere. The government was COM
PEELED to depend for later news of the
Philippine situation wholly on the brief
cabled reports of the general, it having
been noticeable that the press dis
patches, which had been fuller than
those to the authorities here in the
earlier campaign,
> Had Practically Ceased to Come In
since the early part Of June, the in
ference being that the correspondents
had been driven from the field by the
1ainy season. The anxiety was in
creased by the apparent reluctance of
General Otis to give desired informa
ton, his grudging replies to queries
about the men he would need in the
fall, and his stubborn reiteration that
$4,000 men would be enough for all
purposes. That was his estimate six
months ago, yet for the succeeding four
months his force aggregated over 49,
600 and hardly an inch of ground was
gained from the insurgents after May /.
For four months official kilograms mad
come from General Otis, clinging to
his belief that the rebellion was over,
and only now, when events have justi-
fed none of the series of rosy predic
tions, is it beginning to be openly adj
mitted that General Otis has not known
what was going on III the country un-
der his control, and that he has failed
to form any adequate idea Of the Fill
Pine character At last it is beginning
20 be realized among the civil authori-
ties. as it had already become pro-
found conviction among military men
experienced in Indian control in the
West that the war in Luzon might not
have begun. and in any event would
have been quickly ended, had General
Merritt remained in command, or had
General Otis come home last summer.
Not Much of Field Reputation.
There is no disposition in the army to
declare unqualifedly that General Otis
is incapable of doing some things in
Manila better than many other officers
near the top Of the army list. His abil-
ity as an administrator is widely recog-
nized. He is unusually systematic
about his Office affairs and has enjoyed
an enviable reputation for discretion,
particularly in his dealings with trans
gressors of civil and military law He
has long been authority on drill regula-
lions, and his interest in the efficiency
of the army organization was shown in
his establishment of the cavalry school.
But since tn, Civil War his field SER
vice was never noticeable, and his
friends are reticent about it, For that
reason, Generals Lawton, Young,
Wheeler and Schwan, as We'll as others,
have been sent to him. as expressly
stated by the war department I'm or
der that General Otis might be relieved
of much of the responsibility in the &C.
tual campaign, TO devote more time in
administering affairs IN the rest Of the
islands"
Officials Were Astounded.
The revelations now made about the
censorship astound the leading officials
here. When complaints We're recently
made about the way dispatches were
being stopped and mangled at Manila,
the war department was satisfied with
an explanation from General OTIS that
great liberty was being allowed, with
only such restrictions as prevented ad
vance information of military opera
tions from becoming known to the
enemy.
The president has frequently re.
marked to visitors VINO preached the
subject that he was anxious to have the
fullest knowledge OF Philippine affairs
disseminated, and that he was disposed
to have the widest latitude common.
snrate with military necessity given to
American correspondents throughout
the islands. When the latest disclosures
regarding the petty annoyances CORE
spondents have met are officially sub.
Stimulated, as in all probability they
speedily will be, orders from Washing.
ton will undoubtedly cause their abate.
ment. 1t is the impression that the gist,
ii not the entire subject matter of the
correspondents complaint, will be sent
by cable to General Otis by the wal
department, and that he will be asked
for his version of the specifications they
charge.
May Call ON Field 0ncers.
Should the rejoinder simply deny the
very serious charges in the general
1Gtsreotyped sentences to which such
Dnxtiality has been shown in the past,
lhege i no doubt that the general Of