The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1899-06-08
SMALL ARMY NEEDED
Otis Will Be Satisfied With
Thirty Thousand Men.
PRESS REPORTS ARE UNTRUE
President Does Not Share In the Anx.
lefty Created by tho Dis
patches.

HsesAoent Does Not Share In the Anx.
Lefty Created by tho Dis
patches.
Washington, June 1.-The Post SAYS:
General Otis has informed the war
department that he will be satisfied if
the army under his command is kept at
p maximum of 10000. The president
will give him this number.
1.-The situation in the Philippines
was the subject of an extended confer
ence today between the president and
Adjutant-0eneral COrbin. In view Of
he more or less alarming reports
which have been sent to the United
etates from Manila, it is important to
know that the president does not share
in the anxiety which these dispatches
have created.
General Otis has kept in close touch
with the authorities here, and if he
was in tight position. which the
press reports seem to indicate, it is
felt that he would not hesitate about
making his dilemma known. On the
contrary, the advices received flom him
show that he is not in need of largely
increased army. He has cabled that
press reports of activity of the insur-
gents south of Manila have been great
ly exaggerated, and he thinks 10000
men will be amply abundant to meet
all requirements.
The present strength of the army
in the Philippines, including volun-
teers who are still in the service. is
1000. When the volunteers return,
some $4,000 regulars will remain, or
1000 less than the number estimated
as necessary by General Otis. The re-
Inducements now en- route to Manila
or under orders to depart will bring
the total regulars up to the required
figure; but, as there will be consider
able loss through sickness, it is pro-
posed to decrease the companies now
stationed in garrisons in this country
to the minimum and increase the
companies in the Philippines to the
maximum. It is believed that this
arrangement will give General Otis all
the men he requires, without disar-
ranging the army, as it is at present
distributed.
at can be stated on authority that
if General Otis asks for an additional
force there will be no enlargement OF
the army, even to the extent of recruit
ing the $4,000 volunteers provided for
in the army reorganization bill which
passed the last congress"
May Have All He Wants.
Washington, June 1.-"General Otis
will be given all the men necessary to
successfully carry out the plan adopted
in the Philippians, said Secretary Of
War Alger tonight. General Otis
needs at least 100000 men. and $1,000
would better meet the exigencies of
the situation IN the Philippines. Mr..
Mckinley wants to avoid call for
more volunteers, and yet he can see no
way of escaping it. General Otis needs
at least 10000 more men, and the
other 5000 of the force Of $4,000 vol
unteers which the president may call
for without further action of congress.
are needed in the United States.
''It is not now question of whether
81, 900 volunteers are to be enlisted"
said an authority tonight. ut is only
question of how soon the call shall be
issued. Whether the president shall
issue the call now, so that the men
may be enlisted and put in shape for
service by the close of the rainy season,
or whether it shall be delayed two or
three months and the campaign in the
Philippines dragged into the next GEN.
tu1y, are points the president must de-
eide"
Alger's Cable to Otis.
Washington. June LIS ecretary AL
ger tonight cable General Otis to ad-
wise him at once what further REIN
forcements he may need after the ar
rival of all the regular troops to be dis
patched to the Philippines to replace
the volunteers whose time is out. Sec.
rotary Alger has furnished General
Otis detailed information as to the
plan of assignment of regiments to his
command. Pending General Otis re-
port, final decision on further augmen-
tation of Otis report will be deferred.
Ran Into . HandCar.
Marietta, O., June LA handcar on
the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern
railroad was struck by an extra through
freight near Colville today. and was
thrown high in the air with its four
occupants. section hands. Two OF
them. William Bashnell and Otis
Dodd, were instantly killed. Thomas
Flaherty, section foreman, was proba-
biy fatally injured. The other man was
severely injured. Fog prevented the
men from seeing the train in time to
escape.
Indian Agent Calls for Troops.
Anaconda. Mont, June la spe-
c;al to the Standard from Miles City.
Mont, says: Agent Clifford. at the
cheyenne reservation, has called for
additional troops. and 80 men have
been sent from Fort KeoRh. The OH
GERS will not talk. and the cause OF the
reouisitlon is not known.
Troops for Alaska.
Chicago. June l.-Under direction
from the war department. BrigadieT-
C-.., - n AvdoraOn c0mmandino