Missouri Valley times., 1899-06-01
ASKED HOW LARGE
A FORCE He NEEDS
Secretary AIger Queries General
Otis in Regard to Rein
forcements.
CABINET CONSIDERS QUESTION
CABINET CONSIDERS QUESTION
Washington Paper Says Otis AS.
sured the Department that as
Long as He Has 10000
He Is Satisfied. !

New York, June 1.-Secretary AT
ger last night cabled General Otis to-
advise him at once what further rein-'
forcements he may need, after the ar
rival of all the regular troops to be-
dispatched to the Philippines to re-
place the volunteers whose time is out.
Pending General Otis report final de-
clslon on further augmentation of
Otis forces we'll be deferred.
The Post this morning says: Gem
eral Otis has Informed the war depart
ment that he will be satisfied if the,
army under his command is kept at q
maximum of 10000. The president will
give him this number.
The situation in the Philippines was
the subject of an extended conference
yesterday between the president and
Adjutant General Corbin. In view of
the more or less alarming reports
which have been sent to the United
States from Manila, it is pleasant to
know that the president does not
share i'll the anxiety which these dis
patches have naturally created Gen.
cral Otis has kept in close touch with
the authorities here, and if he was in
thc tight position which the press re-
would not hesitate to make his
dilemma known. On the contrary the
advices received from him show that
he is not in need of a largely increased
army. He has cablcd that the press re-
ports of the activity of the insurgents
south of Manila have been greatly eN-.
aggerated, and he thinks that 10000
men will be ample to meet all require
ments.
The present strength of the army
i'm the Philippines, including volun-
teers who are still in the service, is
$4,000. When the volunteers return
some $4,000 regulars will remain, or
5000 less than the number estimated
as necessary by General Otis. The rel
Inducements now Ell route to Manila,
or under orders to depart, will bring
the total regulars up to the required
figure, but as there will be considers
able loss through sickness, it is pro-
posed to decrease the companies now
stationed i'm garrisons in this country
to their minimum, and increase the
companies in the Philippines to their
maximum. 1t is believed that this arr
rangement will give General Otis all
the men he requires without disar-
ranging the army as it is at present
distributed. 1T can be stated on au-
thority that until General Otis asks for
an additional force, there will be no
enlargement of the army, not even to
the extent of recruiting the $4,000 ma
tives provided for in the army reorgan4
tzation bill which passed the last conA
gress.
Won't Stop for Wet Season.
New York, June Ia Manila dis
patch to the Herald says:
General Otis says--contradicting the
general impression-that the cam-
paign against the Filipino insurgents
will be prosecuted by the American
forces with the utmost aggressiveness
possible during the rainy season. Cen
eral Lawton is of the opinion that an
early settlement of the present trou-
bles and close of hostilities depends
largely upon the Americans giving
thorough protection to the working
classes in their peaceful occupations,
while waging incessantly war against
the armed forces of the enemy from
this time forth by means of guerrilla
warfare.
| The Americans will show the in-
surgents by vigorous action on the riv-
ers, lakes and mountains that their be-
lief that they can not campaign in the
rainy season or i'm the mountains is un-
true. Later, it is possible that the
changing conditions may demand garI
risoning by districts, so that the valu!
able part of the island will be safe for
the investment of capital and the pros4
ecution of industries until Americans
are completely dominant. Quick trans
portation of the cavalry and the pack
mules is desirable as means of round-
,r nm ha c,1rrantc