The evening times., 1899-04-20

= a . - l.
campaign than distant strategists who de-
for this reason that the War Department
has left General Otis free to plan his own
movements. But 1t seems clear that while
he has whipped the rebels on every occa-
sion and scattered them beyond the possi-
bility of an attack on our lines in force,
he has not cut of their source Of supplies.
II, in addition. they are allowed to capture
posts where the Spaniards have been. seiz-
ing arms and ammunition. General Otis
has not accomplished all he should.
1t is to be considered that he was satis-
fed with the number OF men he had II he
had thought he needed more to carry out
his purpose, he could have had them. It Is
true that he made a grievous mistake as
to the possibility of pocketing the main
body Of Aguinaldos forces, because Of the
nature Of the ground. and perhaps the er-
ror was not blamable. Yet it seems strange
that he should have staked everything on
that one movement, of the success OF which
he could not be sure because of his igno-
rance of the swamps which made it i'm
practicable. From a military point OF view,
campaign remarkable for the courage and
efficiency of the army has failed simply be-
cause a single flank movement was i'm
possible There seems to be nothing left
but to guard the ground We want to hold
until the rains cease or peace negotiations
succeed.
1t is not known why General Otis. appar-
emily satisfied with the number of his
troops. and with the navy to help him,
should have let the posts garrisoned by
Spaniards fall into rebel hands, as at
Baler, where Dewey had Just lost a num-
Der of officers and men. He made an advance
only on Iloilo, though there are several
others. The Spaniards at zamboanga dis
banded, but kept their guns or turned them
over to the insurgents. 1t looks as though
all the Mausers and the ammunition in
possession of the Spanish garrisons will be-
come the property of the natives for use
against the Americans.
However. while the military situation is
not such as it should be after the superb
work of our army. the prospect Of the early
pacification of the Filipinos improves every
day. The message of General Otis gives
reasons for hoping for an early settlement.
The insurgent army is badly demoralized
and Mr.. Barrett. ex-Minister to Siam, who
has reached London from Manila, adds his
testimony to that of others, that when the
rainy season is over it will be easy to es-
tablish order throughout LuzoD. When
Aguinaldos influence is removed. there
will be no opposition to American rule. all
the other islands, according to Mr.. Bar
rett, being favorable to this country. From
this there is no dissent by anybody who
has had any opportunity 10 learn the truth
of the situation. Therefore, we may rest
in the belief that whenever Aguinaldo
loses his control Of his followers, or when
the rebels learn that the Americans do not
intend to kill them, or when they shall
have suffered hunger long enough, the war
will cease. If General Otis can only pre-
vent supplies reaching the insurgents, a
general surrender must follow. At any
rate the trouble is virtually confined to
the Tagals of Luzon who constitute fifth |
CT the entire population of the Philip |
pines.