Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-09-08
GENERAL OIIS'a POLICY.
Continued from First Page.

fence, each one trying to get through
a story of how matters stood at the
beginning of the rainy season, then on.
So after waiting month for the gem
erals predictions to materialize we de-
cided to send the statement we mad
framed without changing it, as the con-
ditions had not changed since it was
written. It's form was not what l
wanted, because l thought a cores
pondent 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, Macarthur, Funston, Whea-
ton, 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 unusual that unusual action
seemed to be justified and demanded.
AS matter of form we took the mes
sage to the censor. His comment was
practically the same that he had made
On my message. He did not question
the accuracy of the statement of con-
ditions, but said: This is just the
sort of matter the censorship is intend
ed to suppress" He of course, took it
to Otis, who in turn sent a message
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 correspondents being
under obligations to him for special
favors, he could work them to give up
the plan. Thompson said he (Thomp-
SOM thought Collins and McCutcheon
should go ALSO as their views had al
ways been very conservative, etc. A
committee was chosen-Dayis, Nc
Cutcheon, Bass and l.
When we were ushered into Otis
room he said with some anger: Gen
tlemen, you have served an extraordin-
airy paper upon me. You accuse me Of
falsehood. This constitutes a conspir-
acy against the government. / will
have you tried by general courtmar-
tial and let you choose the judges.
We knew from experience with threats
to put you Off the island" that there
was nothing to be frightened about, and
also knew that all the officers who
would be on a courtmartial would
of exceedingly plain talk followed. The
general did not contradict our state
ments that the purpose of the Gems or
ship was to keep the facts from the
public, but said that what we wanted
was to have the people stirred up and
make sensations for the papers. We
told him that there had never been any
subject furnishing more good material
for sensations than this war, and that
he should be exceedingly grateful to
The papers for handling it so temper
ately.
IN THAT CONNECTION WE RE-
MINDED HIM THAT THE STORIES
OF LOOTING IN SOLDIERS LET
rT,IHDC TInATI, HAN DUNN J1~ypT "
IF ANY, EXAGGERATED. DAVIS
AND BASS TOLD HIM THEY HAD
PERSONALLY SEEN OUR SOLDIERS
BAYONETTING THE WOUNDED,
AND 1 REMINDED HIM THAT THE
CUTTING OFF OF THE EARS OF
TWO AMERICAN : SOLDIERS AT
DASMARINAS HAD BEEN MERELY
RETALIATION FOR SIMILAR MUTT
LATIONS OF DEAD FILIPINOS BY
THE AMERICANS. (NO ONE COULD
POSSIBLY TELL STRONGER STOR-
les OF THE LOOTING AND BLACK
MAILING BY OUR SOLDIERS THAN
OTIS HAS TOLD, ALTHOUGH HE
CHARGES 1T ALL TO THE VOLUN-
TEERS.)
We told him that we had refrained
from sending these things and others
of similar nature because we did not
wish to make sensations.
Dealing with the specifications, we
said that the bocu1ital oficnrc ,ofuced
to give us any information as to the
number OF sick, on the ground that he