The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-04
CABLEGRAM FROM OTIS.
He Says General Miller Understands
the Presidents PurnOse.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 3.-GeneraI Otis,
commanding at Manila, has cabled the War
DEPARTING that in his opinion General
Miller has the situation well in hand at
Ioo and that he fully understands the
purpose of the President not to crowd the
insurgents unduly. 1t is highly desirable that
a hostile collision between the American
forces and the insurgents be avoided at all
hazards, at least pending the ratification of
the peace treaty, and as General Miller
understands now this purpose on the part
of the President he would be guided by it
and may be relied on to resort to force only
under absolute compulsion. The officials here
are now fully satisfied that the trouble at
Iloilo may be traced directly back to the
Spanish colonel who was the senior Span
ish army officer in the Philippine group and
directly in command of the Visayas group,
including the principal island of Panay and
the city and garrison of Iloio General Otis's
reports show that though besieged with his
eight hundred soldiers in Iloilo by super
ior force. the position of the Spanish was
thoroughly tenable. They had repulsed every
attack Of the insurgents and had inflicted
great loss upon the latter and altogether
there was no reason why they should not
have held out indefinitely This was particu-
the part of the Spaniards that by the terms
of the treaty the United States government
had undertaken to carry them back to
Spain, involving, of course their release
from the siege at the earliest practicable
moment 1t is significant that Rios delayed
the evacuation of Iloilo until he became in
formed that the Americans were coming and
there is curiosity here to learn how that
important information reached Iloilo in ad-
vance of the movements of the American
transports and in the absence of cable con-
necuons. Undoubtedly it was conveyed by
vessel and there may be question raised
as to the legitimacy of the transmission of
the news of the intention of the American
troops in advance in this fashion.
One feature of General Otis's report that
has escaped mention so far is his notice
for the approaching meeting of the so-caIled
Filipino Parliament, which is to gather pre-
sumably at Malalos, about twenty miles
from Manila, on the Island of Luzon, Thurs
day next. good deal of interest is at
tached to this meeting, as General Otis
reports that by the attendance the strength
OF Aguinaldo's party can be gagged That
this is waning rapidly is not doubted. and
General Otis feels that when the attempt
is made to convene the Parliament it will
-SS'4e LA - e1Hdiuo has lost MS control
OF the majority and cannot command even
working coalition. Such a state of affairs
would tend TO make easier the task of the
military authorities of the United States
OF establishing peacefully temporary form
Of government for the Philippines that will
command the support of the people and re-
celve the approval Of the civilized world.
General Otis has not yet published the
proclamation by President Mckinley, which
was cabled from Washington to him about
a week ago Feeling full confidence in his
judgment, the officials here are not disposed
to question his Withholding the proclama-
ton from the FTlipinos. though it would