The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1899-07-19
Round Robin Of Manila CORES
pOndents AsiOurds the At-
minIstratIon.
OTIS MAY BG RECALLED
General Dissatisfaction Win Ills Re-
ports Oh iae condItiOR Of AZ
fairs In tAe Philippines.

NEW YORK, July ia special to the
Tribune from washlasion say: What
every army ofiecr IN Washington has
long feared, bu, ior obvious reasons de-
clined 10 discuss In public and wha, c'yil'
ans we're beginning, unwilling IN most
instances. 10 believe s. precisely con-
armed by The remarkable cable dispatch
from Hongk5ng. which viii lake rank as
war paper with the celebrated Round
Robin OF Iaat summer.
Ia the war department for more than a
month tae feeling existing among the
higher officials tha, General ous was ms.
placed Ia command a, Manila has been
growing irreprcssible. HIS consequent of'
nolai rcporta were seen TO bc non-corroo-
oratiyc. aud even tho president was no
longer aware Of the dls,rusiful sentimcn,
affecting soldiers IN Msni'a or on duty
here or passing through Washington to
Jon commands elsewhere
The goyernmcn, was compelled 10 de-
pend for later news OF the philippine slii-
aution wholly on the brief cable reports
from ne general. It having been notice
able that tho press dispatches wnleh had
been 90 fua and satisfactory TO the au-
thor4tles earlier In tho campaign. had
practically ceased 70 come since the early
par, Of June, tho inference being that the
corrcspondcnis had been driven from the
field By the rainy season.
Tue anxiety was increased by the ap.
parent reluctance OF General ous 20 give
desired information. his grudging replies
to queries antou, the men ne would need
IN ;he fail and his Stubborn rclteration
iha, 5000 men would be enough for all
purposca That was his estimate six
months aSo; yet for the succeeding four
mOnlhs his force aggregated over 1000
and hardy an Inch Of ground was
gained from the insurgents after May l.
For four nonths official telegrams had
como from General OTIS, eRnsing to his
belief Iha, he rebellion was over and
only now when events have justified none
q thu series Of rory predictions, 1, is b.
ginning to be openly admitted that Gen.
cral otis haa no, known wha, was going
ON In the country under his control, and
,ha, he has Nailed to form any adequate
Idea Of Filipino character. Al last It Is
bcginning to be realized among the civil
authorities as n had already become a
profound conviction among military men,
experienced In Indian control In the west
uhat the war In Luzon might not have be.
gun. and In any event would have been
quickly ended had General Merritt re-
inclined In command or had General OTIS
come home las, summer
There Is no disposition in the army to
declars unqualIaedly that General Otis
Is incapable OF doing some things in Ma.
utla better than any other officer near
the top OF the army list His ability as
an administrator Is widely recognized, He
Is unusually systematic about his Office
affairs and has enjoyed an enviable repu-
tation for discipline, particularly In his
dealings with transgressors of civil ard
military law He has long been an au-
uhorlty ON drlll regulations and his in-
terest In the efficiency OF the army or
gaiLza ION was shown in his establish
msnt OF the cavalry school But since
the clvn war his field service was never
noticeable and his friends are reticent
about It,
For that reason Generals Law.on,
Young, whee,er and schwan, as wei as
others. have been sent to him as express
~ stated by the war department, IN or
der mat General Otis might be relieved
Of muon of the responsibility in the aetu-
al campaign, to devote more time in ad-
mlnistering affairsln the rest Gf the
islands"
The reyalauons now made about the
censorship astound the leading officials
here When complaints were recently
made about tho way dispatches were be-
ing stopped and mangled at Manlla, the
war department was satisfied with an
explanation OF General Otis that great
Hbeality was now being allowed, with
only sush resJristions as prevented ad-
vance information q military operations
from becoming known to the enemy
The president has frequently remarked
to visitors Who broached the subject that
he was anxious to have the fullest
knowledge o. Philippine affairs dissem-
rated and that he was disposed to have
the widest latitude commensurate with
military necessity given to the American
correspondents throughout the isands
When the latest disclosures regarding ths
petty annoyances correspondents have