Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-07-18
CEN. OTIS AND HIS
ADMINISTRATION
Has Not Written to Washington
for Over -Four Months,
PRESIDENT NOT SATISFIED.
Had Recognized otis's Administra-
live Ability, aud sent Good onicers
to Relieve Him In the Field.

New York. july is.--A special 10 the
Tribune from Washington says.
what every army officer In Washing
ton has long feared. but for obvious
reasons declined to discuss in public.
and what civilians were beginning un-
willingly iu most instances 20 believe,
IL precisely confirmed By the remark
able cable dispatch from HongkonE,
which viii take rank as q war paper
with the celebrated Santiago round
robin OF last summer. In the war de-
partmcnt Tor more than a month the
feeling existing among the higher OH.
cials that Gen. Otis was misplaced In
command at Manila has been growing
irrcprcsaibly. His consecutive official
reports were seen 10 be non-corrobora-
tive. and even the President was aware
VI the dlstrustful sentiment Affecting
soldiers In Manila or ON duty here, or
passing through Washington to join
commands elsewhere.
The government was compelled 10 de-
pend FOR later news OF the Philippine
situation wholly ON the brief cablcd
reports from tho general. Il having
been NOTICED that the press dispatches.
which had been 20 fun and satisfactory
20 the authorities earlier In the cam-
palgn. had practically ceased to come
since the early part Of June. the In
ference being that the correspondents
had been driven from the Held by the
rainy season. The anxiety was In.
creased by the apparent reluctance OF
Gen. Otis 60 give desired Information.
his uFHHMnNmM FHHHlINsH a unNflN
the men be- would need IN the fail, and
his stubborn roiteratlon that $1,000
men would De enough Tor all purposes.
That was his estimate six months ago,
yet Tor the succeeding four months his
force aggregated over 1900 and hardly
an Inch ut ground WAS Euinvi from the
insurgents after May iaL For four
months official kilograms have come
from Gen, otis, clinglng TO the belief
that the rebellion was over. and only
now when events have justlncd none
Of the series VI rosy predictions, ID Is
beginning to bee openly admitted that
Gen, OTIS has not known what was gU-
Ing ON Ia the country under his control,
aud that he has failed to fprm any AIDE
quatc idea " tho Fii,ii.u Clhructcr.
A. last Il IN beginning to be realized
among the civil authorities, as II had
already become d profound conviction
AMONG military men. experienced In
war In Luzon might not have begun,
ana Ia any event would have been
quickly ended. had Cen Merritt re-
malued Ia command or had Gen. Otis
come home last summer.
There " mo- disposition Ia the army
10 declare unquulincdly that Gen. OTIS
~ incapable of doing some thlu~s In
Manila better than many other officers
near the top Of the army list His
ability az an administrator ~ widely
recognized. lie " unusually systpmn-
tic about his office affairs. and has en-
joyed an cnvlahle reputation for dis
erection, particularly In his dealings
with trnnsErcssors ~ civil and military
law, lie has long been an authority ON
drill regulations ana his interest In the
efficiency Of the army organization was
shown Ia the establishment OF the cav
airy school Hut since the Civu war his
field service was never noticeable, and
his friends are rctiCeut about 10.
For that reason Generals I.awtou,
Young Wheeler and schwan, as Well
a. others, have been sent to him, as
expressly stated by the war depart
ment, TN order that Gen. Otis might
be relieved Of much Of the responsible
ny In the actual campaign, 10 devote
more time In administering affairs In
the rest VI the islands"
The revelations now made about the
censorship nstound the leading officials
here. When complaints were recently
made about the way dispatches were
being stopped and mangled NJ Manila.
the war department was satisfied with
the explanation OF Gen. Otis that great
liberty was being allowed. with only
such restrictions as prevented advance
Information OF military operations from
becoming known 10 the enemy.
The President has frequently re-
marked To visitors who preached the
subject that lN amWNAtta 80 4.
the fullest knowledge OF Philippine AZ
fairs disseminated and that he was ais.
posed TO have the widest latitude COM
mensurate with military necessity Civ.
en- 10 tho American correspondents
throughout the islands When the latest
disclosures REGARDING the petty annoy
nnces correspondents have met are Of
hciolly substantiated, and IN all proba-
buity they speedily viii be, orders from
Washington Will undoubtedly cause
their abatement
II II the impression that the gist. II
not the entire subject matter Of the
correspondents complaint will be sent
by cable to Gen otis by the war de-
pnrtment ana that he win De asked
for his version of the apccincntlons
they charge. should the rejoinder slm-
ply deny the very serious charges In
the general sterotyped sentences 10
which such Partially has been shown
general officers IN the field In I.uzon
VIII be called on directly Tor brief re-
ports OF the condition OF affnirs. Il
~ fact that none OF them have had an
opportunity 10 present any abatement
regarding the campaign there since
their accounts OF the opening OF hos-
tllitlea early last February, ana that
Gen. OTIS has permitted four months
To pass without sending a single mail
report TO the war department. prefer
ring TO connno himself 20 brief and gen
orally Indefinite cable dispatches.
SOMEBODY MUST GO.
New York. July is-The Washington
correspondent OF the Herald quotes a
memorandum 0f the cabinet M follows.
Either Major General Otis or the
newspaper correspondents must 70.
TO deport the correspondents proba-
bly, VIII be accepted at home and a.
broad us a return TO the old Spanish
method OF muzzllng the press
ITO relieve Major General OTIS Will
mean an official acknowledgement OF
his fault and a decentralization OF disol.
pllne."
The above statement was made when
a member Of the cabinet was asked to
discuss the problem which confront.
the administration as a result OF pub-
lieation OF the Newspaper correspond