Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-07-20
FREELAND, Pa, JULY 20, 1899
Newspaper Men Protest.


The people of the United States have
long suspected that the clique of Office
buyers, into whose hands the reins OF
government of our country unfortunately
passed few years ago, has been steadily
and Systematically endeavoring to de-
ceive and blindfod the nation regarding
the true state of affairs in the Philip
pines.
To cover their blunders and their
breaking of faith with the Filipinos
they have deliberately and maliciousIy
lied and slandered all who sought a true
explanation of the causes of the present
war and they have murdered by their
incompetence hundreds of brave young
Americans in their desire to procure
glory and a second term for their chief.
These bungling incompetents, led by
mortgaged president who knows no
law save that eXpoundcd by the wor-
shippers of Mammon and who is on
record as never having expressed an
opinion of his own since his Inaugural
tlon into the Office which the trusts OF the
world purchased for him, led by him
the cotorie imagined it could go on de-
ceivng the people and distortlng the
facts until the land-grabbers and soul
less plunderers have satisfied their
greed in the Philippines
But the administration, il such an
honored word may be honestly applied
to the wreckers of the nations honor,
failed to consider that never-Sleeping
sentinel of America-the American
newspaper man-and the proof of the
deceit and deception which has been
practiced by Mckinley and his ilk is
now laid before the country.
The following statement was cabed
by American correspondents to the
United States on Monday morning from
Hong Kong, China, the censor having
refused to allow it to pass at Manila.
1t more than iustilies the attitude of the
independent press of the country during
the past four months, and is an indict-
ment that will ever stand forth like the
brand of Cain upon the regulations of
the unscrupulous Galsfers at Washing
ton and Manila.
The statement Of the American cor
respondents is as follows:
The undersigned being all staff cor
respondents of American newspapers
stationed in Manila, unite in the fol-
lowing statement: We believe that, ow-
ing to official dispatches from Manila
made public in Washington, the people
of the United States have not received
correct impression Of the situation in
the Philippines, but that these de-
spatches have presented an ultra-opti-
mistic view that is not shared by the
general officers in the field.
We believe the dispatches incorrectly
represent the existing conditions among
the Philippines in respect to dssension
and Generalization resulting from the
American campaign and to the brigand
character of their army,
We believe the dispatches err in the
declaration that 1.-THE situation is well
in hand" and in the assumption that
the insurrection can be speedily ended
without greatly increased force.
We think the tenacity of the Filipino
purpose has been undcrestimated and
that the statements are unfounded that
volunteers are willing to engage in fur
ther service.
The censorship has compelled us to
participate in this misrepresentation by
exercising or altering uncontrOvertcd
statements Of facts on the plea, as
General Otis stated, that they would
alarm the people at home" or "have
the people of the United States by the
ears"
Specifications: Prohibition Of hospital
reports; suppression of full reports of
field operations in the event of failure;
numbers of heat prostrations in the
field; systematic minmizations OF naval
operations, and suppression of complete
reports Of the situation.
John r. McCutcheon, Harry Arm
strong, Chicago Record, Oscar X. Davis,
=. &. Mcdonnell, New York Sun; Robert
NJ. Collins, John =. Dunning, l.. Jones,
Associated Press; John f. Bass, VIII
Dlnwiddie, New York Herald; f. d.
Skeene, Scripps McRae Association;
Richard Little, Chicago Tribune.