Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-03-15
WILL Be UPHELD.
The Whole United States Will
Back General Otis
In Whatever Demands He Makes on
Spaniards and FiIipinos.
Spanish Prisoners Must so Remain Until
Filipinos Cease Fighting.

Washington, March 14.-Gen. Otis, in
forbidding further negotiations be-
tween the Spanish at Manila and the
insurgents. touching the surrender of
the Spanish prisoners held by the lat
ter. acted upon his own authority. The
government had not sent him any in
structions upon this point, but it will
unquestiona bly, support him to the ex
treme in any action of that kind he
may take.
1t is said at the state department
that there have been some exchanges
between the United States and Spain
through indirect channels, touching
these particular prisoners, dating back
to the signature of the protocol, last
August. The United States govern
menut undertook finally to secure the
release of the prisoners. 1t never con-
te'aplated trying to secure their release
by ransom, but simply through the
suppression of the insurrectiOn. and
cannot be held by any requirement of
International law to do more than has
been done to secure the release of the
prisoners.
There will be no relaxation of the eff
United States campaign in the Philip
pines is being conducted with all the
energy possible and as the release of
the prisoners depends upon the issue
of that campaign, there can be no conf
plant of failure on the part of the
United States to meet it's obligations.
In preventing the Spanish govern
ment from negotiating directly with
. III I, hot
Otis undoubtedly was correct in his at
titude. Inasmuch as the ratification of
the peace treaty has not been effected,
the United States and Spain are still
technically in a state of war. qualified
only by the operation of the protocol
suspending hostilities.
In this condition there is no authority
on the part of the Spaniards to nego-
tiate with the insurgents without the
explicit consent of the United States.
Under the rules OF war alone there
would still be ample warrant for any
action Gen. Otis might take calculated
to prevent the insurgents from receiv
ing supplies of food. clothing, NUM-
tons of war or money. for the latter
could always. With more or less diff
Guilty, be resolved into the former, even
in the fact of a blockade.
If the Spanish minister of foreign af-
fairs feels called upon to address him
self respecting this subject to the state
department directly or indirectly he
undoubtedly would be informed that
Gen. Otis must be sustained. though
treasured as to the intentions of the
United States to use all proper efforts
TO carry out its undertakings.
The attention of the officials at the war
department having been called to the re-
port from Manila that Gen. Otis had re-
fused to allow the retiring Spanish troops
to carry arms to the Caroinas. it was
learned that this refusal was in strict
pursuance of the terms of the protocol,
which govern in the absence of the rati-
iication of the peace treaty.
Under the technical suspension of hos
tilities, it could not be permitted that
Spain should change the status quo to the
extent of terrifying any strongly garri-
soned points heretofore unprotected as
was to be the case in the Carolinas. Ii
is gathered that Gen. Otis refusal applied
To the removal of cannon rather than to
the small arms of the troops, although
these also may have been included
When Gen. Rios. The senior Spanish
army officer in the Philippines, evacuated
lloilo he carried the Spanish garrison Of
the town directly to the port of Zambo-
anga, on the south coast Oh the island OF
Miandao. taking with them as much of
the cannon and munitions OF the place as
his ships could carry. and it is these
stores and guns that Rios desires to take
to the Carolinas. The officials here are d
little puzzled on account of this desire on
the part of Spain to garrison and fortify
the Carolnas, for it has been assumed
that the negotiations Of Spain and Ger
many looking toward a sale of the group
to Germany would be consummated.
1t Is suggested with some plausibilty
that Germany. has required Spain in case
of a sale to turn over the group in such
condition as will not require an effort
ON Germany's part to suppress an insur-
rection such as the United States author
tiles faced in the Philippines.