The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1899-07-26
AWFUL ROAST.
Philippine Correspondents Re-
bel Against Censorship.
Unite In Declaring it Unjust Bald
Lies Designated by Politer Terms
People Kept in Ignorance Appalling
Situation ConceaIed-Interesting
Statement Of the Real Facts.

4
MANILA, July 10, via Hongkong,
July 19.-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 re
fleet official views of important
events and conditions, resulted in
a united effort on the part of cor
respondents here to secure an abate
ment of the rigor of the censorship.
The imitation in this direction was
taken a month ago and resulted in
the framing of statement which
was presented on Sunday, July 9, to
Major General Otis, commanding
the military forces OF the United
States in the Philippine Islands,
with a request for permission to tel
egraph it to the United States. The
correspondents also asked that they
be allowed to cable to their respec-
tive papers ali facts and different
phases of events as they transpire
here.
The correspondents had two long
interviews with General Otis, in the
course of which they complained
that the evident purpose of the cen
sorhip was not to keep information
from the enemy, but to keep from
the public knowledge of the real
condition of affairs here.
GREATER IIBERALITY. PROMISED.
1t was also asserted by the cor
respondents that newspapers print
ed in Manila, which reach the enemy
quickly, are permitted to publish
statements similar to those which
correspondents are forbidden to ca
BILE. 1t was made clear to General
Otis that the objection was to the
system and not to the censo..
General Otis finally promised
greater liberality, agreeing to pass
all matter that he might consider
not detrimental to the interests of
the United States. General Otis APP
pointed Captain Green, of his staff,
censor.
The statement of the correspon-
dents is as follows:
The undersigned, being all staff
correspondents of American news
papers stationed in Manila, unite in
the following statement
We believe that, owing to official
dispatches from Manila made pub
lie in Washington, the people of the
United States have not received a
correct impression of the situation
in the Philippines; but that these
dispatches have presented an ultra
optimistic view that is not shared
by the general officers in the field
We believe the dispatches incor-
rectly represent the existing condi-
itions among the Philippines in re
spect to dissension and demoraliza-
ton resulting from the American
campain and to the brigand charac-
ter of their army.
SITUATION NOT WELL IN HAND.
We believe the dispatches err in
the declaration that 1.-THE situation
is well sn hand" and in the assump-
ton that the insurrection can be
speadily ended without a greatly in
creased force
We think the tenacity OF the
Philippine purpose has been under
estimated, and that the statements
are unfounded that volunteers are
willing to engage in further service.
The censorship has compelled us
to participate in this misrepresenta
ton by exercising or altering uncon
troverted statements of facts on the
plea, as General Otis stated, that
they would alarm the people at
home" or "have the people of the
of the United States by the ear
Specifications: Prohibition of hos
pital reports; suppression of full
reports of field operations in the
event of failure; numbers OF heat
prostrations in the field; systematic
intimidation of naval operations
and suppression of complete reports
of the situation.
John T. McCutcheon, Harry
Armstrong, Chicago Record; Oscar
X. Davis, P. M. Mcdonnell, New
York Sun; Robert M. Collins, John
p. Dunning, L. Jones, the Associat-
ed Press; John F. Bass, will Din
widdie, New York Herald; E. S.
Keene, Scripps- McRae Association;
Richard Little. Chicaoo Tribune