Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1899-07-20
THE TRUTH OUT AT LAST
OTIS CAMPAIGN In THE
PHILIPPINES A FAIL.
URE.

URE.
Newspaper Correspondents In 8
Ground Robin Say the truth
About The Philippine
War Has not Been
Told In Official
Dispatches.
Manila, July 12(via Hong Kong
July ~ The long struggle OF
the newspaper correspondents at
Manila against the injustice of
The censorship exercised by Cen
eral Otis over news cablegrams
has resulted in a united effort on
the part of the correspondents to
secure notifications from the
American commandant of the
rules applied in censoring press
matter. A statement was drawn
up carefully and signed by all
the correspondents. This was
presented to General Otis.
The correspondents had two
long interviews with General
OOis. in the course of which they
complained that the evident pur-
pose of the censorship was not
to keep information from the
enemy, but to keep from the
| public a knowledge of the real
condition of affairs here.
It was also asserted by the
correspondents that newspapers
printed in Manila; which2 reach
the enemy quickly. are permitted
to publish statements similar to
those which correspondents are
forbidden to cable. It was made
clear to General Otis that the OBJ
lection was to the system and
not to the censor.
The outcome Of the matter has
been that General Otis still ms
sists on modifying the statement
made in news cablegrams when
ever he desires to do so for any
reason. However, he gave some
assurances that he would be-more
reasonable in regard to the CEN
sorship in future. He had ap-
pointed Captain Greep,a member
of his staff, censor of cable mat
ter,
The statement of the CORE
spondents is as follows:
"1he undersigned, being all
staff correspondents of American
newspapers stationed in Manila,
unite in the following statements:
"We believe that, owing to offs
fetal dispatches from Manila
made public in Washington, the
people of the United States have
not received a correct impress
ion of the situation in the Phil
ippines, but that these dispatches
have presented an ultra-optimis-
tic view that is not shared by
the general officers in the field.
eve believe the dispatches in
correctly represent the existing
conditions among the Philip
pines in respect to dissension
and decentralization resulting
from the American campaign and
the brigand character of their
enemy.
"We believe that the dispatches
err in the declaration that the
situation is we'll in hand and in
the assumption that the insurrec
rection a be speedily ended
without a greatly increased force.
"We think the tenacity of the
Filipino purpose has been under
estimated and that the state
ments are unfounded that volun-
teers are willing to engage in
further service.
"The censorship has compelled
us to participate in this misres
presentation by excising or alter
ing uncontroverted statements of
facts on the plea, as General Otis
stated, that sthey would alsrm
the people at home,' or have the
people of the United States byI
the ears.
of
hospital reports. suppression of
full reports of field operations in
the event of failure, numbers of
heat prostrations in the field,
systematic INTIMIDATION of naval
operations and suppression of
complete reports of the stu a.
tion."
John 2. McCutcheop, Harry
Armstrong, Philad elphia Times
and Chicago Record.