Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1899-08-04
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS
ACTS AND OPINIONS GATHERED
FROM CONTEMPORARIES.
THE TRUTH FROM MANILA.

Nearly all the trustworthy ln1Ormatlon
he American people have received from
Manila since the beginning of the war on
he fifth of February has come by way
Pf Hong Kong, to which place it was
muggled on vessels by newspaper cor
les pondents and others. What news
General Otis has sent or permitted others
o send direct by the cable has been de-
eptive and misleading. Whether he
has been grossly ignorant of the sit
lation and utterly unable to give an
opinion that was worth anything, or has
deliberately planned to deceive his
ountrymen in order to reconcile them to
he forcible retention of the volunteers
ong after their terms of enlistment eX-
,ired and to fill them with false hopes
nd expectations, that they might not
ebel against the sacrifices they were
alled upon to make, matters little.
With the exception of his reports of
he fighting, which are probably correct,
rom the time of the first battle, when
be proclaimed that he had nearly an
INFLATED Aguinaldo's army and would
finish the instruction in three weeks,
Down to the date of his recent dispatch,
which he said the rebel forces had
)een reduced to a few scattered bands,
hat the natives had gladly accepted
american rule, that the health of his
men was excellent and that he had all
ne needed, nothing has turned out as he
las promised and nothing has been as he
has given us to understand ii was.
Whatever he has said or allowed others
o say for publication had much better
nave been left unsaid so far as the en-
ightment of the people of the United
States was concerned.
But at last the remnants of the volun-
eer regiments he has commanded are
,omng home and from them, when their
Ups are unsealed by their discharge. we
hall get the truth from Manila. The
irst installment is already at hand. The
transports Newport and Ohio reached
san Francisco last Wednesday, bringing
200 Oregon and California volunteers,
md the papers of that city have since
published many columns of interviews
With the soldiers, hundreds of whom
we're asked the following questions
by reporters who were sent on board the
-essels to interview them
First-Do you think the Philippines
worth fighting for?
Second-How long do you think it
would take to conquer the rebels?
Third-Would you live there if you
ould?
Fourth-What do you think of the
latives?
On the first question the sentiment of
he men was overwhelmingly in the
Negative. The First Oregon regiment is
body of picked men above the average
n intelligence. 1t was the opinion of
our-fifths of them that Uncle Sam
made big mistake when he set about to
&nnex the eastern archipelago.
The veterans varied in their views as
the length of time that would be re-
Iuired to conquer the Filipinos. OF the
Held officers and men per cent were of
The opinion that subiugation could be
Effected within one year if the campaign
vas in the hands of competent men; G2
Der cent placed the maximum limit at
live years, Is per cent at 10 years, and of
he rest some believed that it would
mean an intermittent warfare for
generations, and others that the island
RIDES could never be entirely pacfied.
The volunteers were practically unani-
nous in saying that the Filipinos would
never make good citizens, that the bene-
| its of civilization would be wasted upon
hem, and that the Americanization of
he islands would necessitate the eXter-
nination of the Malay as the American
indian was exterminated.
Few of the soldiers would care to re-
urn to the Philippines to live. The
majority declared that white man
could never become acclmated there,
and of the handful who expressed desire
to 60 back nearly all admitted that they
were actuated by the belief that fortunes
might be made during the boom follow
Ing American supremacy.
Not one man could be found on the
transports who cared to re-enlist.
The men are very bitter in their COM
ments regarding the conduct of the cam
paign around Manila. AS they had not
been mustered out, the most of them
were guarded in their criticisms, but
their "wait until we are mustered OUT
had significant ring. However, there
were many holder ones who spoke frank
ly, and what they said had the unanim-
Gus sanction of their comrades.
The Oregonians declare that Major
General Otis is failure, and the cam.
pagn will be futile so long as the gov
eminent delays sending out competent
general. They expressed the belief that
the war was being permitted to drag
along in order that a clique Of high Of
fcers might win rapid promotion, and
asserted that the situation around Manila
was worse for the Americans when they
left than it was on the day of the frs
insurgent attack upon our lines.
These men also say that very large
proportion of the soldiers now defending
Manila, as high as 20 per cent in some
regiments, are incapacitated for service
by disease and are anxious to get HON,