Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-01-04
REPORT OF OTIS.
The HoiIo Situation Is Well in Hand
American Troops Are
Restless.

| American Troops Are
| Restless.
| MANILA Jan. 3.-Advices just received
| from Iloilo say the rebels at a meeting on
| Saturday ratified the action of delegation
| which assured the Americans that they
might land unarmed, but that if the latter
| landed armed the natives would be uncon-
| trollable
| 1t is further said that every preparation
| is being made for resistance upon the part
| of the rebels and that reiuforcementS are
| arriving from Negros and the neighboring
| islands in spite of the efforts of the United
| States cruiser Baltimore and the gunboat
| Arizona to scare them with searchlights
| The Spanish gunboat FL Cano is still at
| lloilo but as her status is not defined. she
| has not been molested. 1t is understood that
she is destined to go to Zamboagang.a town
! of the Philippine islands on the southwest
| ern extremity OF the island Of Mindanao.
| The American troops are restless. The
rebels are drilling on the beach evening and
! morning. in full view OF the American eX-
| pedition, which is still atloat.
| The California volunteers were embarked
on four transports to-day. Their destina
| ton is unknown.
The natives here are quiescent but watch
| full.
| The American expedition at 1loilo con-
| sists of signal detachment. battery G.
of the Sixth artillery. the Eighteenth reg
u!arS and Seventeenth Iowa regiment. 1t
! is commanded by General Miller, a veteran
| fighter and arrived off llOilo December IS
! ou board the transports Pennsylvania,
| Arizona and Newport. The expedition was
| conveyed by the United States cruiser Bal
timore and an auxiliary gunboat.
| WASHINGTON. Jan. 3.-General Otis.
commanding at Manila, has cabled the war
| department that in his opinion General Mil
| Ter has the situation well in hand at lloiio.
and that he fully understands the purpose
of the president not to crowd the insur
gents unduly. 1t is highly desirable mat
hostile collision between the American
| forces and the insurgents he avoided at all
hazards. at least pending the ratification of
the peace treaty. and as General Miller un-
derstands now this purpose on the part of
the president, he will be guided by it and
may be relied upon to resort to force only
under absolute compulsion.
The officials here are now fully satisfied
that the trouble at Hello may be traced di
rectly back to the Spanish colonel who
was the senior Spanish army officer in the
Philippine group, and directly in command
of the Nisayas group, including the prin--
cipal island OF Panay and the. city and
garrison of lloilo; General Otis reports
show that, though besleged with his 500
soldiers in lloilo by superior force. the
position of the Spanish was thoroughly
of the insurgents and had inflicted great
loss upon the latter, and aitogether there
Ma o 9 Why Tf[ zh9gd Ms a2 haYs
the case in view of the knowledge on the
part of the Spaniards that by the terms
of the treaty the United States government
had undertaken to carry them back to
Spain, involving, of course, their release
from the siege at the earliest practicable
moment. 1t is significant that Rios delayed
the evacuation of Iloilo until he became
informed that the Americans were coming,
and there is curiosity here to learn how
that important information reached ltoiio
in advance of the movements of the
American transports and in the absence of
cable connections. Undoubtedly il was con-
veyed ,by a vessel, and there may be
question raised To the Legitimacy OF
the transmission of the intentions of the
American troops in advance in this fashion.
One feature of General Otis report that
has escaped mention far is his notice
OF the approaching meeting of the so-called
Filipino parliament, which is to sether
on the island of LuZon. Thursday next. \
good deal Of interest is attached to this
meeting as General Otis reports that by
the attendance the strength of AquinaldUS :
party can be gauged. That this is waning
rapidly is not doubted and General Otis
feels that when The attempt is made TO
convene the parliament II viii he found
that Aguinaldo has lost his control of the
majority and cannot command even Il
working coalition. Such state of affairs
would tend to nake easier the task of the
military authorities of the United States
of establishing peacefully a temporary form
command the support of the people and re-
ceiVe the approval of the civilized world.
General Otis has not yet published the
proclamation by President Mckinley,
which was cabled from Washington to him
about a week ago. Feeling full confidence
in his judgment. the officials here are not
disposed to question his withholding the
proclamation from the FilipinOs. though it
would seem that the animating purpose in
preparing and cabling it to sootne
and satisfy the Eilipines, and counteract
the insidiouS attacks the Spanish elem anL
has been making upon the integrity of The
Americans intentions respecting the Phil
ppines
Admiral Dewey was heard from by cable
at the navy department to-day. but made
no reference to the political situation IN
the islands. He reported that he had
found building suitable for a naval hos
| pital at Cavte, and asked authority from
| the department to establish it at once.
| 1t was not gathered that there is an I'M
usual amount of sickness among the AmerI-
| can sailors. but. realizing that the naval
occuption of Manila by is to be of Il per-
| manent character, Admiral Dewey wishes
| TO establish a shore hospital.
Secretary Long called upon Surgeon Gem
eral Van Reypcn. and, after consultation
| they cabled Admiral Dewey authority 10
| establish the hospital. Medical Inspector
| Remus c. Parsons selected to take
| charge of the new hospital. and has been
ordered 20 start at once from New York
| The necessary assistants will be selected
| from among the medical officers of Adj
| r,iral Dewey's fleet.