Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-07-01

FOR PEACE Al ALLHAzARDs.


New York. July IA special 10 the
world from Washington states that IN
response TO request Cor an Interview
on the Philippine situation. Postmaster
General Chas. Emory Smith said
Tho situation In the Philippines is the
most important and absorbing public
question just at present ! am well
aware that there BE- some roatlcasncaB
on the matter and In some quarters no
little impoucuce. There iH notion
that the administration should have
been moro energetic and when the
FiupInos prolonged their warfare
should have called f0r and sent fJr-
ward moro troops. nut those who make
this criticism do not know that tho al-
minirtutian has recruited nearly two
thousand men week right ALONG since
They ip NOT kauw that with these Co..
pfuIt4 and with Che fU.onllftmontH "a
force OF NEARLY 5000 men has been
raised Wiihlt that time.
They do not know that the army bin
which passed on March End practically
compelled the reconciliation Of "a new
army nearly "a fourth ~ large uH That
which was raised fOf the spanish war
They DO not know that under the law
authorizing the creation Of the army
for the spanish war ull % tho regulars
above 1900 uF well ua all of the vol
untcprH had to be- mustered out at the
ratification OF the peace treaty and
that while the new army blll provides
Tor a force Of sl1ty-nvc thousand men,
the whole number above 1900 had to
BE- raised nfrvah.
ON the ratification OF peace with
Spain. The Presidents problem was TO
reconstruct the army up 90 the maxi
mum number OF regulars permitted.
viz. rlNty-nye thousand mon. lie began
that work Immediately.
About 5000 men have now been
added 90 the force ana Of tho recruits
fully 20 Per cent were IN the service
durinr tho Spanish war This fact
aIguifcs two thinFH. First that they
who served had mo- terrura u what
they had gone through and were ready
second. that the force thus recruited
was Injured 90 the service ana able Co
stand ltH hltdHhips Besides, no mar
ricd man a. taken. The highest physical
standard la enforced. No person APP
plying with any physical defect or
weakness ia accepted IN this way the
largest efficiency a. obtained II might
have been possible to call Tor volunteers
to have had the hurry and tho po-si-
hlltioH OF mistakes which came with
the shnrp action at tho beginning of
the Spanish war. but even II this had
been done. troops could not actually
have been sent 60 the Philippines faster
than they have been. ana they would
not have been anything Ike us effective.
Within two weeks i've thousand ud-
dltiunal men will be- IN tho Philippines
or on their way. and by August i. be-
fore the close Of the rainy season, there
will be- $4,000 regulars or more az the
disposal OF Otis. and with this force he
will certainly be- able 20 cope with the
situation. N there should be- need Tot
more by September they will be there.
General Otis has managed affairs
In the Philippines with nlill and judE-
mcnt lie has never Indicated "a be-
lief that De- needed more than $4,000
effective troops.
There is no trouble IN the Philip
pines outside the island OF Luzon. Az
grpaslve lighting o. now restricted for
about three months, because OF the
rainy season, but uH soon us aggressive
operations can be resumed, short work
will he made OF the conflict
without Understanding the dlf-
nculuos. u may be- accepted that our
government viii be equal 20 the de-
mands OF the situation II may be all
30 accepted that n an additional force
should prove tu be- required, there would
be no hesitation IN using a.
The Philippines are not our enemies,
one tribe only out of many H. ~ re-
volt
What should be- done IN the Philip
pines when this rebellion % single
tribe "a subdurd o. 70 question on which
] ought not Co speak The final de-
termination OF our policy rests with
Congress.
Meanwhile the President win hold
tho islands for the American people unl
win give tho inhabitants the largest
amount 90 freedom and SELF government
consistent with the recognition N our
sovereignty and the maintenance Of
peace. order and lawful administration
In tho arrhiuringo. The exact forms
and measures cannot o. defined. how
ever. at present, they viii be subjects
OF conference,
Tho nrrt business e. 20 establish
peace. and that win be done at an
hazards.