The evening times., 1899-03-27
MONDAY, MARCH q. 1899.
General Otis, Advance.

The forward movement of General Otis
has failed TO accomplish its purpose. For
this the American commander and his
troops are blameless. The movement
against Polo-where AguinaIdo's army was
10 be cut off from retreat northward,
driven toward Manila and into the terri
tory over which the fire of our gunboats
could sweep, and so captured or destroyed
was as well planned as General Otis ig-
norance of the country would allow. 1t
was clearly the right thing TO do, proyid-
ed the topography of the country was not
such as TO make success impossible. In
deed. it was the thing to do in any cir
cumstances. General Wheaton had made
that section of Aguinaldos army in The
south pOwerless 10 re-enforce the main
body when obstructed by General Lawton's
force. 4 movement against the main body
was The next step. If our troops could as
be believed. pocket the enemy at Polo the
end of the war would be in sight, as es-
cape would be impossible and capture in
eviiable. To achieve this. the commands of
Macarthur and Wheaton did all that men
could dO-all that could have been done by
an army Of twice their number. But the
country in the direction in which they
expected 10 move is utterly impossible
Nothing remained, therefore but TO press
forward. the bulk of the rebel armY having
escaped 10 the northward in the direction
OF MalolOs. Nearly every foot of the
ground from NoYaliches westward and
from calOocan northward TO Polo has been
holly contested. and ii is probable that the
rphRls have hppn hr,SKy
works between that point and Malolos
their capital. AS a matter of course. the
Americans will continue their advance.
hard as it must be at many points. 1t is
feared, however, that when the enemy is
beaten at that place, which is thought to
be strongly fortified, he will scatter for
guerrilla warfare.
Nevertheless General Otis is doing mag
nifcent work and we may confidently count
on The capture of Malolos as the end of the
war. After that, Aguinaido can no longer
deceive his army as to the real situation.
His followers have been deluded into the
belief that the Americans have been steadi-
ly losing; that their own retreats were
strategic, intended to draw General Otis
army out for slaughter. The fraud must
be exposed when the rebel army is scat
tered after being driven from the entrench-
ments supposed 10 be beyond the power of
the Americans TO capture and when they
have no longer a source of supplies, but
are face 10 face with starvation. 1t is de-
plOrable, of course, that movement so
well planned and so splendidly inaugural
ed. should have failed because OF the char
acter of the country, but not a drop of
blood has been spilled in vain. Our tri-
umph is certain and il is near
The continuation of the advance toward
The rebel capital is likely TO be marked by
fewer casualties on the American side.
and, indeed. on both sides. The rebels
have learned that it is useless to attempt
10 hold position which the Americans
happen to want and they Will abandon it
under less pressure than has been required
in the first two days; but at MaloIos there
is almost certain to be a desperate resist
ance it will be the last ditch of the
rebels as an organized army.