The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-07-20
PLATT DEFENDS M'K|NLEY
The Presidents Conduct of the
War Is Duly Praised.
HE KNOWS WHAT'S WHAT
An Intimation That the Newspaper Cor
respondents Are Sen sational and Ig-
norant of the Fscts-An Inter-
view That's Inspired"

New York, July Ex-senator Platt
gave out a carefully prepared state
ment tonight on the war in the Phil
ippines in which he says: 'It should
be borne in mind in the first place,
that the governments means of infor-
nation concerning what has occurred
in the Philippines are not confined to
General Otis. The navy department
has its agents there. The president
is directly represented by Mr.. DENLY,
who was for IA years our minister to
China, and by Professor Worcester,
who resided in the Philippines for four
or five years, and who knows the ma
tive character and habits. The Phil
ippine campaign is receiving the pres
ident's constant personal attention. He
is in direct cable communication with
Manila and receives daily reports from
all sources.
THE possibility of his being m'sled
about the facts in the case is scarcely
worth consideration. The precise fact,
as he obtains it, not only from General
OTIS, but from each of a dozen or more
OF MS ofhcial informants, is that for
distance of so miles north of Manila
and of 20 miles south of Manila, and
eastward into Lasuna province, our
armies hold the territory, so that the
insurgents are scattered beyond our
lines in bands of from SO to 500, and
that only an inconsiderable force con-
sisting of about 1900 men, who are en-
camped in Northern Pampanga. The
southern army of the insurgents, posi-
bly, 1000 strong, is badly demoralized
by recent defeats.
THE presidents adVireS represent to
him that in number of cities within
the American lines local governments
have been formed, which are discharg-
ing their functions competently and
to the satisfaction of the people; that
the mass of the people desire peace
and American protection; that they no
longer flee on the approach of our
troops, but heartily welcome them;
that the population within the Amari-
can lines grows larger. Land cult
walton grows steadily.
THE president is advised, and on this
point his information comes unan NOUS
ly from all the able men whose official
obligation is to keep the government
accurately informed, that the only hope
of the insurgents lies in the efforts that
are making to convince the people that
a change of government is about to oc-
cur in the United States favorable t1
the insurgent cause; that there is gem
eral opposition among the American
people to the prosecution of the war
and a fixed purpose on the part of thai
political party about to come into power
to withdraw the American army and to
recognize the government of Aguinal-
do. This idea is being aSSiduouSly cui-
tivated by the insurgent leaders, and it
SO far serves their purpose as to enable
them to maintain their forces lin fairly
strong array.
There can be no question of the sub
i'll -.
formation. 1t comes from too many
different sources and from sources high
and honorable in character to admit OF
doubt, and not even the testimony of
the newspaper correspondents who re-
sent the interference of General Otis
unimaginative blue pencil through their
sensational stories can stand against
the official representatives of the pres
ident's civil and military advisers.
Nor is it a specially optimistic view
of the situation. 1t shows, indeed, that
a great work has yet to be done, and
leads back to the question why more
has not been accomplished and the
question whether the preparations now
going forward will possibly insure the
creation of force sufficiently powerful
for the work that remains.
1T is perfectly easy to explain why
the government did not have great
army at Manila when the Filipinos
cause it could not. 1t was restrained
by two circumstances-good faith with
Spain and the laws of congress under
which the army had been created. 1t
must be remembered that the Ameri-
can people were not thinking of the
Philippines when they went to war
with Spain. They were concerned
with the affairs of Cuba. The period
of actual warfare, moreover. was short
and the French ambassador had APP
peared at the white house with pro-
posal to end the war almost before the
army had been equipped to take the
field. Now at that time, in July, 1898,
we had sent to the Philippines nearly
&c, 900 men. Commodore Dewey had ad-
vised the government that 5000 would
be sufficient 1t was General Miles
opinion that 10000 were surely enough
but the president acting on his own
wise Judgment, had dispatched 10000.
The only work then expected of them
was to fight and defeat the Spaniards