The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1899-07-21
THE RIGOROUS CENSORSHIP.
Newspaper Correspondents at Manila
Unite In IN Enort to secure Abate-
ment-A ststemon, Made.

4 ID
July 1.-THE constantly increasing
strictness of the censorship OF press
dispatches from Manila, which has
prevented the cabling to the United
States-of anything that did not reflect
official views Of important events and
conditions resulted in a. united effort
on the part of correspondents here to
secure an abatement of the rigor of
the een' orship.
The initiation in this direction was
taken a month ago and resulted in the
| framing of a statement which was
presented on Sunday, July Q. to Mai
Gen. Otis, commanding the military
forces of the United States in the Phil
ippine islands, with request for per
mission to telegraph 1t to the United
States. The correspondents also asked
that they be allowed to cable to their
respective papers all facts and the diff
ferent phases of events as they trans
pired here. The correspondents had two
long interviews with Gen. Otis, in the
course of which they complained
that the evident purpose of the censor
ship was not to keep information from
the enemy, but to keep from the pub
lie a knowledge of the real condition
of affairs here. 1t was also asserted
by the CORE spondcnt that newspapers
printed in Manila, which reach the
enemy quickly, are permitted to pub.
lish statements similar to those which
correspondents are forbidden to cable.
IL was made clear To Gen. Otis that the
objection was to the system and not 70
the censor.
Gen. Otis finally promised greater
liberality, agreeing to pass all matter
that he might consider not detrimental
to the interests of the United States
Gen. Otis appointed Capt Green, OF hi,
staff, censor. |
The statement of the corresponden.
is as follows: |
The undersigned. being all staff
correspondents of American newspa.
pcrs, stationed in Manila, unite in the
following statement; |
I'VE believe that, owing to official
dispatches from Manila made public In
Washington. the people of the United
States have not received a correct In.
preston of the situation in the Phiitr.
pines, but that these dispatches hay.
presented an ultra-optimisticv view tliai
is not shared by the general officcrsrf
the field.
I'VE believe that the dispatches ~
correctly present the existing conei
tions among the Philippines in respSc,
TO dissension and demoralizatiou
sulting from the American campa
and to the brigand charas.ss, Of -
army.
I'VE believe the dispatches Or N
the declaration that the situsAon Is
well in hand and the assumption th3t
the instruction can be speedy enddd
without greatly increased farce. 1
I'VE think the tenacity of he FA-
pino purpose has been understimatth
and that the statementsare mfounds IA
that volunteers are willing 10 enga1e
in further service.
The censorship has complied us 10
participate in this misreprssentation
by excising or altering uncontroyer,ed
statements of facts on the plea. as Gen.
Otis stated, that they would alarm the
people at home. or have the people of
the United States by the ears
"Spec fcations: Prohibition OF re-
ports; suppression Of full reports of
field operations in the event OF failure;
numbers of heat prostrations in the
field; systematic min IMITATION of naval
operations and suppression Of COM
plete reports of the situation.
(signed).
John L. McCutcheon, Harry ARM
strong, Chicago Record.
oscar X. Davis, J. G. Mcdonnell.
New York Sun.
Robret NJ. Collins, John p. Dunning,
Jones, The Associated Press.
John +. Bass, viii Dinwiddie. New
York Herald.
Ed. 5. Keene, scripps-McRae associa-
ion.
Richard Little, Chicago Tribune.
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