The times., 1899-06-16
PRESS OPINION.
Views of Leading Newspapers on
War Department subterfuges
and Meud1cfty

| war Department Subterfuges
and MendRcity.
The New York Tribune offers a few
remarks on the proper way to conduct ne
gotiations with savages. 1t says:
| In spite OF the sending Of civil Commissioners
| to the Philippines with power TO negotiate and
IN spite OF the 'eonciliatory' policy and optris-
| tic reports of Prot. SchurInan the rebellion
| which was to end in few days. according TO
continual rosy outgIvings from somebody at the
war Department, seems to have been prolonged
TINS IS perhaps due to the idea of the Tagais that
| Americans were ready TO make liberal conCcs-
sions in order TO end the fighting. 1t can hard
| " be doubted that emphatic and unqualified
withdrawal OF all proposals made or assurances
| given, on the ground that they have not been
| accepted would give greatly added force 10
| the vigorous efforts Of General Otis When the
insurgents learn that there can be no NOR. talk
ing except with those who first surrender uncon-
ditlonaily, their minds will be better prepared
TO choose between the mercy Of foes who have
shown themselves merciful and fighting with foes
who never lose battle fail to take a posi-
| ton assailcd. With savages the beginning Of
peace Is the conviction that their choice is peace
or DEATH
Aguinaldo and Washington.
The New York Journal" speaks TN
kindly of the Hosr-Atkinson- Eliot Godkin-
Cleveland hero:
The assassination Of General Luna by the per
| that chiefs orders is incident that will az
| ford our anti-expansionists material for more
| rhapsodies on the character Of the Washington
| of the Philippines" This is a feat to which
nothing in the career OF Washington offers
I parallel. Lafayette, another great man Of our
| Revolutionary era, with whom Aguinaldo is often
compared, wss equally deficient in this direction
Indeed, there is nobody among the fathers Of our
! Republic who cultivated assassination as
] fine art.
Our GarrisOns and Godkius will be proud to
remember, however, that our later history is not
entirely barren of heroes worthy 10 be set beside
| Aguinaldo. We have had our Wilkes Booth and
our Guteau-
Department QuibbIing
| The Philadelphia Record" is not en-
thusiastic over the War Department plans
1t says:
The way in which the War Department pro
poses 10 go about the reinforcement Of our
manifestly inadequate army in the Philippines
is quite characteristic. Including the volunteer
regiments. which are TO be sent home. General
Otis has total force Of approximately
5000 men at his disposal OF course, large
proportion of these are inyalided by sickness
and wounds, and the effective strength, of our
army on the islands is probably not greatly in
excess of 1000 men, Now, it is the purpose OF
the department strengthen the army under
the command Of General Otis that by the be-
ginning OF the dry season he will have total
Of 5000 troops-exactly the total number which
he has. month Of hard campaigning
would probably bring the effective strength Of
this army down to very neaT the present figure,
or to about 90. 600 men; that the net result
Of the War Office will be NIL
The official explanations of the department
plans consist Of mere quhblings with figures. The
effort to fool the public by transparent subter
fuges will be usavailing. The plain truth is that
General Otis needs army for campaigning
which must be kept up TO effective strength
Of 35, coo men. and probably an equal number
to hold the territory captured by the troops
the firing line. The additional force needed
can be obtained in no other manner than by a
call for $500 one-year volunteers provided for
by Congress in the Army Appropriation act.
The Administration has no choice but TO subdue
the Fiiipinos: the time for discussing alterna-
tives has long since passed by. This being so.
adequate-nay overwhelming should
be employed to crush opposition and establish
our authority. half hearted prosecution Of the
would be full Of peril 10 our decimated
army and of unkindness toward the natives All
is cruel. hut the most cruel is that which
is unnecessarily prolonged
Call Out the Volunteers.
The st Paul Dispatch" demands more
men for the suppression of the TagaI mu-
tiny:
Every report from the scene of action in Luzon
demonstrates the utter inadequacy Of the force
Of men engaged on the part Of the United States
TO subdue the natives and secure peace. In the
last engagement, the rebels were in such posi-
tion that strong force Of the American troops
blow at the rebellion. Instead Of this, how
ever. the attacking force could only succeed
in driving the natives from their stronsholds,
killing few, woundng 4 good many, capturing
a score so, but permitting the main body TO
escape to the jungles.
The public is becoming more and more con
vinced Of the absolute necessity Of an invading
force sufficient to crush the rebels, and force
an early surrender and cessation Of h0stilities.
Our troops performing prodigics Of valor and
doing all that brave men may do 10 bring the war
10 close, but they insufficient in numbers
10 occupy the island and overcome the natives.
Our troops are outnumbered in unknown ratio,
and the topography Of the country is such as TO
give the natives every advantage in their guerrilla
plan OF warfare.
More Troops Needed.
The Rochester Post-ExpTess'' warns the
Administration that the rebels are learn
ing the art of war and that the sooner
they are suppressed the fewer lives will
be lost in the effort. 1t continues:
The battle of Las Pinas ought TO remove all
doubt about the need of troops in Luzon.
1t ought to convince the most skeptical that the
insurrection is not TO be put down by mere rose
wa ter methods.
Inc reluctance shown about taking the steps
that the situation created last February required
has, believe, iei to- an increase OF difficulties
and a postponement of paciication- The fighting
at Las Pinas indicates that the insurgents are not
simply determined as ever to realize their
vain delusion in regard TO independence and self
government; they much better fighters than
they have appeared TO be on any previous occa-
sion Heretofore they have been unable to with
stand for any considerable length OF time the
furious onslaught OF the American forces They
have fed almost their adversaries
came in sight. At Las Pinas, however, they
fought all dsy with unexpected and unprecedent-
ed ohstinacy The battle the most hoty
contested of any since the outbreak Of hostili-
ties.
1t is evident that the insurgents are making
considerable progress in the art of war. The
greater the delay in suppressing them the
greater will be the difficulty in achieving that OBJ
ject.
Tired of War Editing.
The Cleveland Plaindealer'' is Inclined
to deal plainly with the mendacious edi-
torial department OF the War Office:
The significant part of the story is the con-
cluding paragraph of the official despatch from
General Otis: ''lnsurgents in this southern see
tion not mOlested until threatened attack in
strong force on Manila; now scattered and re-
treat; doubtful il they make further stand.
Just fourteen weeks ago the with the
Filipinos began Three days later General Otis
cabled the War Department THE situation is
rapidly improving; the Filipino army disintc-
lagos"
From time to time during those fourteen weeks
dispatches from General Otis. given TO the pub
lie by the War Department after careful editing.
have announced with an itcIation that has be-
come very wearsome by its monotony that the
Filipino army has been dispersed, would De
tomorrow. A month ago Secretary Alger said
he was Cooking for the surrender of the Fiipnos
daily and that the dispatches Of General Otis
Df mt