The Portland daily press., 1899-07-19
Many Think That War Could Have
Been AVerted.
Round Robin Sets
People Talking.
Gen. Otis Not a Great Cam
paigner.

New York, July 1s.--A Washington
special despatch to the New York Tribune
saysf
Washington, July 17.-what every army
o1icer In Washington has long feared.
but for obvious reasons declined TO dis
cuss In public, and what civilians were
beginning. unwiilingly in most instan
oes. to believe, is precisely confirmed by
the remarkable cable dispatch from Hong
Kong today, which will take rank as a
war paper with the celebrated Santiago
round robin of last summer.
In the war department. for more than n
month the feeling existing among the
higher officials that General Otis was
misplaced in com mand at Manila has
been growing irrepressible. His consecu-
tive official reports were seen to be nom
Ger roborative, and even the President was
no longer unaware. of the distrustiul ssn-
timent affeusip 9 soldiers In Manila or on
duty here or passing through Warrington
90 join commands elsewhere.
oTIS's UNSATISFACTORY RE-
PORTS.
The government was compelled to de-
pend for later news OF the Philippine SIT
uetion wholly ON the brief cable reports
from the general, 1t having been notice
able that the press dispatches. which had
been SO full and satisfactory TO the au-
thorities here earlier in the campaign,
had practically ceased 10 come since the
earlv m nf lima tho infaronFa hnt NO
that the correspondents had been driven
from the field by the rainy season. The
anxiety wns increased by the apparent re-
luctsnce of tieneYal Otis TO give desired
information, his grudging replies TO
queries about the men he would need In
thirty thousand men would be enough for
all purposes. That was hia estimate ak
months ago, yet for the succeeding tour
months his furce aggregated ovsr forty
thousand, and hardly an inch Of ground
was gained from the insurgents after
May /.
For four mouths official kilograms had
belief that the rebellion was over, and
only now. when events have justified none
OF the series of rosy predictions. Ii is be-
ginning to b. openly admitted that Gen.
eral OTIS has not known what was going
on In tie country under his control. and
that be has failed TO form any adequate
idea of the Filipino character. AT last
it Is beginning 70 be realized among the
civil autnorities. rs IL had already become
O profound conviction among military
men experienced In Indian control In the
West, that the war In Luzon might not
have begun and in any event would have
been quickly ended, bad General Merritt
remained In command or had General
Otis come home last summer.
A GOOD ADMINISTRATOR.
There is no disposition In the army to
declare unquaiitedly that General Otis
is INCAPABLE of doing some things in Ma
Mia better than many other officers near
the top of the army list His ability as
an administrator is widely recognized.
He Is unusually systematic about his
office affairz and haa enjoyed an envtable
reputation discretion. particularly in
his dealings with transaressors of civil
and military Law. He has long Leen an
authority on drill regulations, and his
interest in the etiicienry of the army or.
ganization YVES shown in his establish
ment Of the cavalry school, But since the
civil war his tield service was never no.
ticsable. and his friends are reticent
about L. For that reason Generals Law
ton. Young, Wheeler and Schwan, as well
as QtnSf5, nave bSCn etub w nlUtx Ab OK
pressly stated by the war department, ..in
order that General Otis might be relieved
OF much Of tbs responsibility of the act
unl Dam paign. tn devote moro time TO adj
minlstering affairs In the rest of the Isl.
ands.
THE CENSORSHIP REVELATIONS.
The revelations now made about the
censorship astound the leading officials
hero. When complaints were recently
made about tho way dispatches were be-
ing stopped and mAngied vat Manila, the
war department. wasnotiilei with an ex-
planation from Gsnsral Otis that
great liberty was being allowed, with
only such restrictions as prevented ad.
vance information Of military Operations
from becoming known TO the enemy.
The President has frequently remarked
TO sisiiors who preached the subject that
he was anxious to have the fullest knowl
edge Of Philippine affairs disseminated
and that he was disposed to have the wild
est latitude commensurate with military
necessity given to American correspon
dents throughout the islands. When ths
latest disclosures regarding the petty an
noyances correspondents have met ars
officially substantiated, as in all prob
ability they speedily will he, orders from
Washington will undoubtedly cause theii
abatement.
AN EXPLANATION TO BE ASKED.
1t is the impression that the gist II moi
the entire subject matter Of the CORE.
neutrality-suspicious. will be sent BY cabls
to General Otis by the war department.
and that he will be asked for his version
Of the specifications they charge. Shculd
the rejolnder simply deny the very serious
chsrges in the general steretoy ped sun,
fences to which such Partially has been
shown In the past, there Ia no doubt thai
the general officers in the field In Luzcn
will he called on directly for hrief 10
ports on the condition OF affairs. Il IL d
significant fact that none Of them have
had opportunity to present. any statement
regarding the campaign since their 40
counts OF the opening OF hostilities early
last February. and that General Duh