Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1899-06-29
OTIS PROMISED HELP.
WAR DEPARTMENT PLANS TO
SEND RE-ENFOROEMENTS.
Com mander TeIe9raphs He Needs 3d.
600 Men Gin the Fie1d" at Once
Surgeon McQuestin Thinks It Will
Require Over 100000 Troops.

President Mckinley is reported by Q
Washington correspondent to have come
to a realization Of the serious situation Of
the American troops in the Philippines,
and, as the result of telegram which is
said to have been received at the War
Department from Gen. Otis, he is con-
templating sending ten regiments instead
Of three, as was formerly intended. The
strongest argument, and the one that is
believed to have turned the balance, is
said to have been a dispatch recently re-
ceived from Gen. Otis, in which the lat
ter explained that his dispatches had been
misunderstood. He does not think that
800 men, including sick, wounded, nom
combatantS and garrison troops, would
be sufficient, but that 80, 900 Gin the field"
over and above all drains for other SER
vice would be. When he captures town
he wants men to garrison it without
weakening his fighting force. That is to
say, he really wants $4,000 or $4,000 men
in all.
Preparations are being made for re-
cruiting many more for service at the
Philippines. Some have expressed
dread fear that the Americans are being
forced back to Manila by the climate, and
army officers are said to be in dread Of
receiving news of some disaster. Anoth-
err cause given for the Presidents alleged
change of front is the testimony Of Sur
geon McQuestin, which caused so much
excitement at the War Department. Sur
geon McQuestin declares, like all other
returned officers, that the force of soldiers
necessary to subdue and hold the islands
has been greatly underestimated; that it
will require from 100000 to 15O, 900 men
to accomplish the task. Last accounts
few weeks ago tell of the insurgents fore
ing their way between McArthur's and
Otis forces. The enemy was at that time
reported to have been repulsed with loss.
Since that time no news has been made
public Of what has happened to Near
thurs forces. 1t is evident that the in
surgents are not so thoroughly disorgan-
lied as the first dispatches would indi-
cate.
Should the regiments spoken Of be re
cruited, all the regular troops now In the
United States might be sent at once to
Manila. This would give Otis about o.
900 men, instead of the $4,000 which will
be at his disposal when the volunteers
shall have returned. 1t is suggested that
to send all the regulars to the philippines
would deplete the forces in the United
States dangerously; but the plan proposed
at the War Department is to use the TO-
600 troops of the provisional army for
garrison purposes here, and to call on the
Governors of States for regiments of mS
litia for temporary service in case OF
emergency. This would be strictly in &C
cordance with the law, and at the same
time it would give Otis the very best kind
of men for his purposes.
There are 5000 troops now at San
Francisco awaiting transportation to the
Philippines. OF these 5000 regulars,
$500 are raw recruits. The troops will
not be sent by organizations. A battalion
of seasoned regulars, for instance, will go
On the same transport with a lot of I'M
trained recruits, so that the time preced-
ing the arrival at Manila may be devoted
proftably to. putting the new men into
shape.