Evening star., 1899-07-17
PEOPLE ARE FOOLED
Press Censorship at Manila Distorts
the Existing Facts.
CORRESPONDENTS COMPLAIN OF Otis
Declare He Has Not Allowed Them
to Tell the Truth.
THEIR SIDE OF THE CASE
New York Office; 50 Tribune BuildIny

MANILA, July II, via Hong Kong. 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
censorship. The initiative in this direc-
ton was taken month ago and resulted
In the framing of a statement which was
presented on Sunday, July o. to Maj. Gen.
otis, commanding the military forces of
the United States in the Philippine Islands,
with a request for permission to telegraph
1t to the United States. The correspond
ents also asked that they be allowed to
cable to their respective papers all facts
and the different phases of events as they
transpired here.
Objecting to the System.
The correspondents had two long inter-
views with Gen. Otis, in the course of
which they complained that the evident
purpose of the censorship was not to keep
information from the enemy, but to keep
from the public a knowledge of the real
conditions of affairs here. 1t was also as
serted by the correspondents that news
papers printed in Manila, which reach the
enemy quickly, are permitted to publish
statements similar to those which corre-
spondents are forbidden to cable. 1t was
made clear to Gen. Otis that the objection
was to the system and not to the censor.
Gen. Otis finally promised greater liberal
ity. agreeing TO pass all matter that he
might consider not detrimental to the in
terests of the United States. Gen. Otis
has appointed Capt. Green of his staff CEN
sOr.
Public Not Correctly Informed.
The statement of the correspondents is
as follows: The undersigned, being all
staff correspondents of American newspa-
pers stationed in Manila, unite in the fol-
lcwing statement: We believe that owing
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 Philip
pines. but that these dispatches have pre-
sented an ultra-optimistic 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 dissension and
decentralization resulting from the Ameri-
can campaign and TO the brigand character
of their army.
I'VE believe the dispatches err in the
declaration that The situation is we'll in
hand and in the assumption that the in
surrection can be speedily ended without a
greatly increased force.
We think the tenacity of the Filipino
purpose has been underestimated and that
the statements are unfounded that voluH-
teers are willing to engage in further serV-
ice
Compelled to Misrcpresent.
THE censorship has compelled US to par
ticipate in this Misrepresentation by ex-
cising or altering uncontraverted state
ments 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
Specifications: Prohibition of reports;
suppression of full reports of field opera
tions in the event of failure; numbers of
heat prostrations in the field; systematic
intimidation of naval operations, and sup
preston of complete reports of the situa-
ton.
"(SigneD JOHN T. McCUTCHEON,
HARRY ARMSTRONG,
Chicago Record.
OSCAR X DAVIS,
"P. G. MCDONNELL,
New York Sun.
JOHN F. BASS.
WILL DINWIDDIE,
New York Herald.
''E. S. KEENE,
''Scripps-McRae Assn.
RICHARD LITTLE,
Chicago Tribune.
ROBERT NJ. COLLINS,
JOHN p. DUNNING,
Il. JONES,
THE Associated Press"