Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1899-07-21
Newspaper Correspondents at
Manila Claim it is Just a
Trifle Too Rigid.
THEY UNITE IN PROTEST.
Declare That the Philippines Situa-
ton is Not Fully Understood in
the United States.
The Correspondents Hold a Meeting
and Inform General Otis of Mes
sage to be Sent to Hong Kong
The General Takes Exception to
Some Portions of Dispatch.

Manila July Il. via Hongkong. July
19.-Thc conditions of the censorship
have been steadily growing worse
since the beginning of the instruction
and have finally reached n climax. A
meeting was held a month ago of all
the staff correspondents of American
newspapers stationed at Manila and a
telegram was drafted presenting the
situation according to the consensus Of
The best opoinions and submitted to
Gen. Otis. The General was angry.
JIe summoned the correspondents and
threatened to try them all by court
martial on n charge of conspiracy lie
said that the telegram accused him Of
lying. This the correspondents disa-
vowed and modified the language of
the message. but Gen. Otis refused to
pass the telegram, which is now sent
to Hongliong for transmission Gen.
Otis offered to improve the conditions
of the censorship and appoint new
censor but the correspondents explain
ed that their COMPLAINT was against
the system. not against the censor
Gen. Otis asked the correspondents
TO submit the change in the system
5SIllich they deemed essential. The cor
respondents asked permission to re-
port. first, all of the facts. and. second.
all of the phases of the situation. both
of which had heretofore been impOS-
sible. Gen otis noninally granted the
desired reforms. He modified His con-
ccSSionS. however. so that there was
slight advantage from the changes.
The activity ut the front delayed a
settlement of the matter and Gen. Otis
illness caused 4 further delay. \ final
meeting of the correspondents was
held and Con. otis was informed that
the following message would he sent
to IIOngkong:
"Thc entire staff of CORRESPONDENTS
of American newspapers at Manila.
unite in the following statement: We
believe that owing to the official de-
spatcheS from Manila made r.l,lic in
WASHINGTON thc people of the United
States have received an incorrect i'm
preston of the situation in the Philip
pines. and that those dispatches pre-
sent an Ulta-ontimietic view which is
not shared by the general officers in
the field. We believe that these de-
spatchcS Incorrectly represent the OK
listing conditions among the FiliuinOS
in respect 10 internal diSscnsonS and
Generalization resultant from the
American cHmpaign and the .hrigand
like character Of their army. 1t is he
lievcd that these dispatches err i'm the
declaration that the situation is well
in hand" and in the assumption that
the instruction will he speedily end
ed without n greatly increased force.
we think that the tcnacitv of the
Filipino purpose is underestimate
and that the statements that the volun-
tocrS are willing TO serve further are
mfoundcd. The censorship has COM
PEELED Us to pnrtirinatc in this miSrep-
reScntation by cXcisino or altering I'M
c.ntrOVcrto1 statements of facts on
tie plea. quoting Gen. Otis. that ''thny
would alarm the people at home" and
'have th' p"ople of the United States
by the ears"
iiHr specifications are: The pro-
hibition of hospital reports. the num-
hers of heat nroStrations i'm the field
the suppression of full reports of field
opera lions i'm case Of their failure the
prohibition of complete reports of the
situation and systematic minimiZa-
tion of naval operations
Gen. Otis p'rt'crlarly resented the
parts of the despatch having reference
TO the volunteers and the naval opera
tons. The correspondents cited many
proofs of their allegations II is i'm
possible to describe the censorship by
cable. Many grounds of complaints
had become intolcrable II remains to
he seen what relief the notifications
will develop.