Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-07-20
NEWS FROM MANILA.
Revelations About the Censorship
Astenish Washington officials.
NKIILEy FAvORS WIDE LATITUDE.
The President Anxious to Have the Fullest
Knowledge Of Philippine Affairs Dis
seminatsd-A Feeling Among ON
cisis That Otis ID Misplaced.

Washington, July !9.-What every
army officer in Washington has long
feared, but for obvious reasons declined
to discuss in public, and what civilians
were beginning, upwillingly, in most
instances, to believe, is precisely con-
firmed by the remarkable cable dispatch
from Hong Kong, which will take rank
as a war paper with the cele brated San
tiago round robin Of last summer. In
the war department for more than a
month the feeling existing among the
higher officials that Gen. Otis was mis-
placed in command at Manila has been
growing irrepressible. His consecu-
tive official reports were seen to be
non-corroborative, and even the presi-
dent was no longer aware 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 from the
general, it having been noticeable
that the press dispatches, which had
been SO full and satisfactory to the au-
thorities here earlier in the camp align,
had practically ceased to come since
the early part Of June, the inference
being that thecorrespondents had been
driven from the field by the rainy sea-
son. The anxiety was increased by
the apparent reluctance Of Gen. Otis to
give desired information, his grudginc
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
10000 and hardly an inch OF ground |
vas gained from the insurgents after |
Nay |. For four months official tele-
grams had come from Gen. Otis, cling
ng to his belief that the rebellion was
'ver and only now, when events have
justified none of the series Of rosy pre-
Lotions. it is beginning to be openly
omitted that Gen. Otis has not known
What has been going on in the country
lnder his control and that he has failed
o form any adequate idea of the FIJI.
Pine character.
At last it is beginning to be realized
mong the civil authorities, as it had
lready become a profound conviction
mong military men experienced in
indian control in the west, that the
var in Luzon might not have begun,
nd in any event would have been
uickly ended, had Gen. Merritt re-
,ained in command, or had Gen. Otis
ONE home last summer.
The revelations now made about the
snsorship astound the leading officials
ere. When complaints were recently
lade about the way dispatches were
eing stopped and mangled at Manila
he war department was satisfied with ,
lie explanation from Gen. Otis that ,
reat liberty was being allowed, with |
My such restrictions as prevented ad-
ance information Of military opera !
ons from becoming known to the .
lemy.
The president has frequently re-
arked to visitors who preached the
Inject that he was anxious to have
lie fullest knowledge of Philippine
Fairs disseminated, and that he was G
sposed to have the widest latitude a
with military necessity 5
ven to the American correspondents =
the islands. When the 4
test disclosures regarding the petty 81
lnoyances correspondents have met
e officially substantiated, as in all 4
obability they speedily will be, 81
ders from Washington will undoubt- s..
ly cause their abatement. a