The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-07-25
OTIS MUST GO.
Before the Philippine War Will
End, Say Regulars.
Troops Are Disguised and Talk
Plainly.
LAYTON OR MILES.
Words "What's the
Use of Doing Any thing
With Such a Man Over You"
Heard by Soldiers.

Heard by Soldiers
San Francisco. July 25.-The United
States transport Indiana has arrived
from Manila, bringing a large number
of soldiers, returning home. Most Of
them are regulars, and their condem-
nation of Gen. Otis as a commander
was unanimous and no less vehement
than the criticisms of the volunteers.
Many Of the men expressed themselves
freely. Sergeant Wheeler, troop c,
Fourth cavalry. said:
The campaign has made but little
progress. More troops are needed to
garrison and hold captured territory.
Otis has lost standing with his officers
and men He should give way to an
older general if the war is to be
brought to a successful close in the
near future. He is certainly not the
right man for the place"
J. NJ. FutreIl, company E, Eighteenth
United States infantry:
I'VE have made no Roadway in the
Philippines whatever. We have no
general and not enough men, and those
we have are not allowed to fight, so
what can you expect? I tell you the
boys were Disguised when, by quick
work, Gen. Lawton surrounded a body
of insurgents and had them at his mer-
cy; then orders came from Otis to
come back. Otis is the man to blame.
The English language contains no word
which expresses his incompetency ade-
quately. Send a general to the island
if you would conquer Them
Martin Hendeck, company f, United
States infantry:
"Otis is a dead one, and we have not
enough men in the Philippines. With
Gen. LaWtOn in command we would
not, after a years fighting, be in a
worse position than at the beginning
of the campaign"
John W. Half, Thirteenth infantry:
Every private in the Eighth corps
will tell you the same tale about this
man Otis. The boys want to fight and
they simply go frantic when they get a
chance at the FilipinOs. But Otis won't
let them fight, and they must obey or
ders. LaWtOn is the man wanted at the
head of the Philippines"
Clarence 5. Curtis, Utah battery:
Almost every American in the Phil
ippines believes that Otis is the wrong
man for the job
John Felger, Eighteenth United States
infantry:
Everything seems to be at a stand
still. The enemy is always ready, and
our boys can go outside their tents and
pick up a fight almost any day. Otis
won't allow us to advance and he does
not want to end the war, it appears"
y.
tillery:
"Otis has Disguised both officers and
men. If the war is to be ended soon
President Mckinley will have to get 2.
better man than Otis to do the job.
The men have lost all respect for Otis,
who seems TO be a rank counterfeit"
c. w. Speis, Fourteenth United States
infantry:
bad as it could be. The boys are dis
satisfied because Otis viii not allow
them to fight the F1IipinOs Otis has
miSrepresented the situation entirely.
We have accomplished nothing. Some
thing must be done if we are going to
conquer the islands"
P. L. Baxter, Twelfth United States
infantry:
Il am sorry to say that our campaign
in the Philippines has been a total fail
ure. We have accomplished nothing.
and Aguinaldo is gaining ground daily.
We will not quell the Instruction in so
years at the present rate. I blame Otis
for the condition there, as he will not
let the boys treat the natives as they
deserve, but insists on treating them as
friends who are to be paci1ed rather
than fought. He is neither one thing
nor the other, but dilly-dallies around"
George Baker, company f, Second
Oregon volunteers:
otis is to blame. Send Miles or Law
ton there to take command and the war
will be ended speedily; otherwise it will
drang along for years.
Joseph S. Walthall, Twenty Uni
ted States infantry:
4 was with Gen. Lawton on the fir
ing line one day when we had about l.,
500 FilipinOS hemmed in and at our
mercy. Gen. LawtOn was just about to
give orders to charge, when an orderly
rode up with a dispatch for him. Gen.
LaWtOn read it and then said to one Of
his staff: Otis orders US to retreat to
Manila This is the third time he did
so when I had the gOogOOs caught.
What's the use of doing anything when
you have such a man over yOu?' Gen.
LaWtOn hit the nail on the head. Otis
is afraid something viii be done. He
must be relieved before we can beat the
Filipinos."
Luther Davidson. Fourteenth United
States infantry:
we are making no Roadway in the
Philippines. and 1 think the condition of
affairs is due to Otis incOmpetency. We
need a great many more men to garri-
son the towns we capture"
W. r. BurTier, Eighteenth United
States infantry:
L am glad to get to my native land,
away from a bungling, egotistical ass
such as Otis. His management of the
Filipino campaign has been criminal.
He should be recalled, and if they dared
our officers would say the same thing
w. F. Striegeler, Eighteenth United
States infantry;
"Otis is hardly competent to COM
mand regiment, and TO put in charge
of a campaign in a foreign land is
criminal. Many lives have been sacri-
feed because he would not tear himself
away from his dinner table and hustle
Send 10O, geo men and Gen Miles to Ma
Mia, and the insurrectiOn will be Quelr-
ed in three months. But the politicians
seem to want to drag the war along a
little while longer
J H. Spain, First Colorado:
'Al the troops are disguised at the
puerile conduct of the Filipino cam
paign Otis is not making any pro-
gress toward subjugating the islands