Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-09-08

facts from the papers; also that he had
reported to Washington percentage
of 711a sick when the surgeons agreed
that from 20 to 80 per cent. of the COM
mand were sick; that not more than
10 per cent. of some Of the regiments
were fit for duty and that the hospital
force was entirely inadequate, as well
as the hospital room, so that they were
compelled to discharge hundreds of
men who were really sick to make
room for more urgent cases.
His reply was that the hospitals were
fully of perfectly well men who were
Sinking, and should be turned out.
To send home figures of the number
in hospitals would be entirely mislead-
ing.
WE REMINDED HIM THAT
WHILE HE HAD BEEN REPORTING
TO WASHINGTON THAT THE VOL
UNTEERS WILL RENDER WILLING
SERVICE UNTIL RELIEVED" THE
SAME VOLUNTEERS WE'RE SEND
NC REGIMENTAL PETITIONS TO
THE GOVERNORS OF THEIR
STATES TO USE EVERY INFLU-
ENCE TO SECURE THEIR RECALL;
THAT SOME REGIMENTS HAD Pc
TITIONED HIM TO RELIEVE THEM
FROM DUTY; THAT THE MEM
BEERS OF VARIOUS REGIMENTS
HAD AT CERTAIN STAGES OF THE
WAR BEEN IN A FRAME OF MIND
CLOSELY RESEMBLING MUTINY;
THAT MEMBERS OF THE THIRD
ARTILLERY, WHO HAD ENLISTED
FOR THE WAR WITH SPAIN, HAD
THRETENED TO STACK THEIR
GUNS ON THE FOURTH OF JULY
UNLESS DISCHARGED SOONER.
Regarding the suppression of reports
of field operations which were failures,
we told the general that the whole pur-
pose of most of the important move
ments, beginning with the advance
from La Iona Church in March, had
been to round up and capture, or force
the surrender of various divisions of
the Filipino army, that all of them had
failed to accomplish this, yet we had
been obliged to represent that Otis was
accomplishing just what he intended
and winning series of glorious sue
cesses and administering no end of
final crushing blows.
One of cur complaints had been that
Otis himself was practically the cen
sor, that whenever we presented stories
which the censor had doubts concern
ing the policy of, or dealing with mat
tiers he was ignorant of, he would send
us to Otis and we often wasted hours
waiting in an ante room and then
perhaps were unable to secure an aud
fence. We asked him to give the CEN
sor exclusive jurisdiction in the field
and keep him posted on all events, CIV
ing his access to official reports from
the front This he declared, would be
impossible. Therefore we sent the
telegram.
We were entirely ignorant when we
sent the message that something like
an agitation against the policy in the
Philippines was then afoot in Ameri-
ca. So far as / can. learn our action
met the entire approval of everyone
in Manila except Otis and the members
of his personal staff, who would feel
bound to support him under any con-
ditions.
THE POSITION OF THE NEWSPA-
PER CORRESPONDENTS HERE is,
as IT HAS BEEN FROM THE BE-
GINNING, MOST DIFFICULT.
OTIS HAD CLOSED TO US EVERY
POSSIBLE SOURCE OF INFORMA-
TION. ONLY YESTERDAY, WHEN
1 AUTHENTICATED SEND A REPORT
OF THE BOgMBARDMENT OF PAETE
THE TRUTHFULNESS OF WHICH
WAS UNQUESTIONED, HE IMME-
DIATELY SENT FOR LAWTON,
AND DEMANDED TO KNOW HOW
1T HAD BEEN MADE PUBLIC, AND
TOLD LAWTON TO JUMP ONTO
THE MEMBERS OF HIS STAFF.
Such strict orders against talking to
newspaper men have been repeatedly
issued that when we go about head
quarters the. officers avoid us as though
we had smallpox, because they are
afraid to be seen talking with us. Otis
refuses to give us passes to go about
the city after the closing hour $3.50,
although such passes are given to the
reporters on local papers and to bust
ness men of all nationalities, even Fill
pinos. All of the privileges extended
to newspaper men in Cuba like the linn