Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-11
COMING MPAIGN
Operations Against the 1nsurgent
Filipinos.
NO CHANGE IN COMMAND TO Be MADE
Otis to Have an Available Force
of $4,000 Men.
FULL CONFIDENCE IN HIM

While the President may have no policy
with respect 10 the future government of
the Philippines, there is question that
he has Il strong and decided policy with
respect to tho present situation. Briefly
stated. the insurrection Is to be suppressed
and the sovereignty of the United States
firmly established throughout the archipela-
go, and the entire war strength of the
government is to be devoted to the &C
Complshment OF that result in the short
es; space of time necessary for its achieve
nent. Vigorous aggressive operations will
b. instituted at the earliest possible mo-
meut. and the entire machinery of the
War and Navy Departments is actively en-
gagged in preparations to that end. All the
available Warships are already at the seat
of trouble and renforCements of and
munitions of war are being sent there 5
rapidly as the conditions will permit. The
naval fleet in the Philippines is stronger
than ever before and includes several light
draft gunboats capable of much effective
work in the numerous shallow waters of
the islands near which the insurgents have
been hitherto practically secure from at
tack by the navy.
Entire Strength of the Army.
1t is in tn" purely military preparations,
however. that the firm purpose of crushing
out the instruction is most clearly mani
Tested. Having learned by costly expert
enCe that the insurgents are in dead earn
est and cannot be conquered by a small
army, composed it was of the bravest
and best soldiers in the world, the admin
istration has arranged to put into the field
the entire strength of its army not needed
at home and in Cuba and Porto Rico, with
the admitted purpose of bringing the in
surrection 10 an end early in the coming
winter, in order that the important ques-
ton of the future government of the new
possessions in the far east may be pre-
scented to the consideration OF Congress at
its next session Although IL was thought
at first that a small army would suffice
for the complete Subjugation of the insur-
gents, IL is now realized that the govern
ment has a serious task before it, and one
that will put the full military strength of
the country to a severe test, owing to the
climatic and typographical difficulties to be
sUrnOunted, TO say nothing of the acknowl-
edged disadvantages of conducting mill
etary operations in a strange and tropical
country many thousand miles from home.
Accomplished All That Was Possible.
Unbiased military experts admit that Gen.
OTIS and his able assistants, Gems. Lawton
and Macarthur, accomplished all that was
possible under the circumstances. and that
they were no more To blame in supposing
that they had force enough for the purpose
of putting down the rebellion than were
TrcSident Nj kinley, Secretary Alger and
the others III authority at the time. Nor
were they alone III the opinion that the in
surrectiOn would be only short-iVed and
that the army in the Philippines was suf
fcicnt for the purpose; for, as d matter of
fact, that was then the general impression
OF press and public throughout the country.
That it was mistaken impression has
been clearly shown by the progress of
events, and in no way has President Nc
kiHley shown his courage and manhood
sponsibiity for the conduct of the Philip
pine campaign under Gen. Otis, which he
did in his recent address to the returned
Pennsylvania volunteers at Pittsburg. That
uttcranCe made him Stanch friends through
out the rank and file OF the army and Will
inspire every individual soldier to do his
fun duty in the coming campaign, i'll the
firm conviction that the cornmander-in
chief will stand by him in the faithful exc
cution of orders regardless of the result.
Otis Available Force.
According to the present plans of the de-
partment, Gen. Otis will resume aggressive
operations in the fall with an effective
fighting force of nearly $1,000, which will
be increased to about ia O0o men by the 1s-
of January next. The forward movement
against the enemy will begin a. soon the
climatic conditions Will permit. The rainy
season in the Philippines varies in extent,
and while II usually extends until the list
OF November, It sometimes is of shorter
duration The present wear NAV he a short
season ana in that event the 20 rnnaiqn will
on.n Some time uext month Cen oils. in
siructions are to take adysntape of the
earliest ornortunittee for action and ba
may he relied ,,nop To take he tieId as snor,
as fba ground will iustify, rho rno,.arnen, Of
troons
y" 'hahEe III command.
Despite all reports TO the contrary there
is TO likelihood whatever of a change in the
-, .,,t.u 9. 49,,
va N 40 ''ie mn
H'l'''-ts- fr'7i'1eilt -icf>4ilIeS ana secretary
Root have each expressed the utmost con-
fd.uce IN Gen Otis and ii is said are
c -isdad thar ba is tho host ,,.a;1ebi MOI,
- - - " a. - - No.
s-r,,,,s tI,s. ,,,,,I,tr,- ard r. ~, ha - fht
i,t. h.,t.r INV nv otbar ,njrar af FL.
- IL 80 -, - III M M
-, - - - ~ - ~ "t, 49,
~, -, - y.ifI ~ -. IN i
t al, n -f,I' i, - ~ "a 80,
Itrtitr.ss for me niace Vitb ~ go ~.
ti ~ tilc Pt"'g' WIN inc ioIc~
prct"d that the complete supremacy of the
tH!tv" states VIII De quickly established,
-, 90 - nc. - ""uiu ne hitthilesI-
the r,rnspert Of a srccessfI,l ,.srinli.,, 80
near at hand His only superiors in rank
IL the regular army are Generals Miles
W.. 1 -.