Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-09-18
MIL|TAR|SM OF Otis EXPOSED.

thought IL mad better be signed by the
| names of the organizations and papers
represented than by our names, be-
cause their display might be construed
into a desire for personal advertise
ment. The others thought We should
| send a statement of the conditions,
with an explanation to the public why
our reports had been so misleading.
Urged to Tell the Truth.
"On comparing notes we found that
we had among US learned the views
of all the American generals and most
of the other prominent men in Ma
Mia whose opinions were worth con-
sideration, and that there was a prac-
teal unanimity of opinions of the sit
uation. The dispatch prepared was
an epitome of those opinions. These
men had told us continually that our
reports were misleading the people at
home, and that it was our duty to tell
them how affairs were going; indeed,
the pressure upon us to tell the truth
from army officers of high rank and
men of all classes has been something
tremendous and we have been accused
of cowardice and all sorts of things.
Before taking any steps we conclud
ed to talk with Otis, and he made
vague promises of greater liberality
in the censorship, as he had done be-
fore, and assured us, as he had done
times innumerable since the beginning
of the war, that the instruction was
on the verge of collapse; that he was
about to administer the final blow, and
that he knew these things from in
valuable private sources, which would
be absolutely convincing if he was at
liberty to reveal them to us.
Then followed a month of history
repeating itself. Before the move
ment on Antipolo, Taypay and Morong
we were told that it must inevitably
result in the capture and destruction
of Pillars army of 1000 or 5000 men;
then the same predictions were made
of the movement to the south in Ca
wife province; next the collapse was
about to come through the surrender
of Gen. Tries, who would bring over
his army.
About the middle of June 1 wrote
a conservative review to the effect
that every one here was convinced
that it would be impossible to end the
war during the rainy season and for
some time thereafter unless heavy re-
Inducements were sent.
Censor Says Its "A Terrible Mess"
The censor's comment Il made note
of it,, was: of course. we all know
that We are in a terrible mess out
here, but we don't want the people to
get excited about it. If you fellows
will only keep quiet now we will pull
through in time without any fuss at
home
He took the story to Gen. Otis, who
said: Tell Collins that if he will hold
that for n week or ten days he will
thank me for not letting him send it,
and when | went TO see him repeated
the same old story about the ir,5urrec-
ton going to pieces, and limited so por-
tentously about having wonderful
things up his sleeve that l almost be-
lieved him in the face of past expert
ences of the same sort. The other
men had practically the same expert
ence, each one trying to get through
story of how matters stood at the
beginning of the rainy season, then
on.
so after waiting a month for the
generals predictions TO materialize we
framed without changing it, as the
conditions had not changed since it
was written. Its form was not what
l wanted, because l thought a CORE |
spondent of the Associated Press
should not assume to give his own
views upon any question, but, on the
other hand, it was that or nothing. |
The views were not our personal |
views, but the views of Lawton, Nc |
Arthur. Funston, Wheaton ct al, and |
we could not be accused of prejudice |
against the administration, because
the strongest administration organ in |
the country was committed TO the plan |
and. moreover, the attempt to hold the |
newspapers by the throat was so I'M |
usual that unusual action seemed to be
justified and demanded.
Take Round Robin to Censor.
las a matter of form, we took the |
message to the censor. His comment |
was practically the same that he had |
made on my message. He did not
question the accuracy of the state |
ment of conditions, but said: This is |
just the sort of matter the censorship |
is intended to suppress He, OF course
took it TO Otis, who in turn sent a mes |
senger requesting Davis, of the New |
York Sun. to go and see him, doubtless |
thinking that as he had treated the
Sun as his organ, and its correspond |
ents being under obligations to him |
for special favors, he could work them |