The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1899-07-22


tic Official Reports.
MANILA, July II. via Hong Kong,
July 18.-!lhe constantly increasing
strictness of the Censorship of press dis
patches from Manila. which has pre-
vented the cabling to the United States
of anything that did not reflect official
views of important events and condi-
tons. resulted in a united effort on the
part of the correspondents here to Sc
cure an ;ibalcnien: Of the rigor Of the
censorship. The initiative in this di-
rection was taken a month ago. and has
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 re-
quest for permission to telegraph it to
the United States The correspondents
also asked that they be allowe,! to cable
to their respective papers all facts ana
the different phases of events us they
transpired here. The correspondents
had two long interviews with General
Otis, in the course of which they COM
planned that the evident purpose of the
censorship was not 10 keep information
fro,, the enemy. but to keep from the
public knowledge of the real ccNdi-
ton of affairs here. 1t was also as
serted by the correspondents that news
papers printed i'll Manila, which reach
to the enemy quickly. are permitted
4, ,,,,1,1; s1, CT. rir,i1.,,, tn Jpncn
which correspondents are forbidden 10
cable. 1t was made clear to General
Otis that the objection was to the sys,
TEN and not to the censor.
General Otis finally promised create.
liberality, agreeing to pass all mattel
that he might consider not detrimental
to the interests Of the United States.
Statement OF the Correspondents.
The statement Of the correspondents
is us follows:
The undersigned, being all staff cor.
respondents of American newspapers.
stationed in Manila, Unite i'll the follow.
ing statement:
We believe that, owing to the official
dispatches from Manila made public in
Washington, the people of the United
States have not received a correct i'm
preston of the situation in the Philip
pines, but that these dispatches have
presented an ultra-optilnistic view that
| is not shared by the general officers i'll
the field
We believe that the dispatches incor-
| rectly represent the existing conditions
among the Philippines i'll respect to dis
sension and Generalization resulting
from the American campaign and to
| the brigand character Of their army.
We believe the dispatches err in the
| declaration that "the situation is we'll
in hand" and the assumption that the
insurrection can be speedily ended
| without greatly increased force.
We think the tenacity of the Filipino
purpose has been underestimated and
| that the statements are unfounded that
volunteers are willing to engage in
| further service.
The censorship has compelled us to
participate in these Misrepresentation
by excising OF altering uncontroverted
statements on the plea, as General Otis
| stated, that ''they would alarm the peo-
pie 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;
mum bers Of heat prostrations in the field;
systematic minimzation of naval opera
tons and suppression Of complete re.
ports of the situation.
This was signed by John T. McCutch-
con and Harry Armstrong, Chicago
Record; Oscar K. Davis, P. G.. McDon-
nell, New York Sun; Robert NJ. Collins,
John L. Dunning, L. Jones, the Asso-
ciated Press: John F. Bass, Will Din
widdie, New York Herald: Ed S.
Keene, Scripps-McRae association;
Richard Little. Chicago Tribune.