The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1899-07-20
SENATOR PLATTs VIEWS
The Famous New York Writes
About the Philippines.

II propose her~in Co answer cettaii
criticisms which are being directed a
the conduct Of the war In the Philippines
do not refer 20 the criticisms Of thos,
| who. Ina the uame Of liberty and philan
trophy. are advocating a policy OF nation
al cowardice and dishonor Their ugll
ness obtrudes from everything they say
| To make an end OF the rebellion. to brin.
| about condition OF order and peace a.
the Philippines, Is not their object Or
the contrary. nothing Is clearer than thl
fact that they want their countrys arm.
TO be defeaed Every little difficulty
every little disaster is Go them a source
Of imm0derate satisfaction and the char
acter OF the work they are doing ap.
pears in Aguinaldo's latest proclamation
where he tells the Flpinos that some
states Of the American union have al
ready risen la our favor To argue with
these people would be like ooddhug a cop
psrhead.
but there are other critics, who. en-
tirely convinced of our duty and responsi-
blllty IN tho Philippines are appreheu-
sive lest the government has not appre-
ciated the size OF its undertaking. They
Z
forget the limitations OF authority from
congress and Of good faith 20 Spain, by
which The government has been ombar-
rassed They are inquirlng why General
Otis has not had a larger army at hts
back. They want TO know why there ls
not sufficient force present In the Is
land Of Luzon 10 crush out the rebel
lion upon It's FIRST appearance And.
stirred by sensational newspaper stories
and by the recent round robin of tho
offended correspondents they are asking
whether the situation Is even as good as
had been reported whether the govern
ment has not allowed itself to be mlsled
and wether the military forces now be-
ing enlisted Will be great enough for the
which l propose TO submit an answer.
task ln hand These are the Inquiries to
SOURCE OF INFORMATION
IL should be borne I'm mind that tho
governments means Of Information con
cernlng what has occurred in the Phil
ippines are not confined TO General Otis.
The navy department has IT, agents there
Tro president ia directely represented by
Mr. DENLY. who was for fourteen year
our minister 20 China and by prlf. Wor
cester. who resided inthe Phlupp' es flr
four or i've years. and who knows ;ne
native character and habits. The pnll-
ippine campaign Is receiving the prcsi-
dents constant personal oytoution. lie
IA I'm ditoc. cable communication with Ma
MIA
"'rhe possibility OF his being maed
about the facts In the case are scarcely
worth considering. The precise fact as
nr obtains It. not only rom General Otis.
Vat fro each OF a dozen or more OF hts
pniclal informants. ls that for a dis
tance Of ffty miles north OF Manila and
of twenty miles south Of Manila and east
ward into Laguna province our armies
hold the territory that insurgents are
scattered beyond our tines IN bands OF
frrm nfty TO 500. their only considerable
foru- consisting OF about 4 900 men. who
are cncamped In northern Pampana. The
southern army OF tho insurgents, posst
blv 1000 strong Is badly demorall2ed b'
recent defeats The presidents advice
| report TO him that ina a number of elite
within tho American lines local govern
| ments have been formed which lrc dis
charging their functions compotenuy ant
10 the satisfaction Of the people. that "a.
mass OF the people desire peace aH,
American protection.
"The president ig advised. and on thu
point his Information comes unanimously
from an the able men whose official OBJ
legation i8 10 kee the government accu.
rately informed that the only hope OF
the insugents lies I'm the efforts thar am.
making to convince the people shat
! change Of government s about 10 occll
| Ina the Unue1 states favorable to th,
insurgent cause, that there ls genera
| opposition among the American peopi,
| TO the prosecution OF .hcir war auJ
fixed purpose on tho part of that p1liu
cal party about 20 come into power u
recogze the government Of Agwnaldo
| This Idea is being assducuNly cultivate'
| by the insurgent leader and a. so ri
| serves their purpose as to enable tuen
10 maintain their forces IN fairy eua
array.
There can be no question OF the sub
stantial truth and accuracy oil this nfor
nation II comes from 100 many diner
ent sources and from sources high an,
honorable in character 60 admit Of doub
and not even the testimony OF uewapa
per correspondents who resent the inter
ference of General OTIS unimagnativ
blue pencil with their sensational storle
can stand against the official represents
lives OF the president clvll ana mnltar
advisers
PRESENT PREPARATIONS.
"E0r Is q su especially optm sue viel
OF the situation II shows iodeod. shat
great work is yet 20 be- done ANA lead
back TO the question why more has ~
been accomplished and the question whe
ther the preparations now COINS fJrwar
VIII insure the creation of force sun
cicnly powerful Tor thc owrk -hat go
mains
"It is perfectly easy 90 explain why th
government did not have great army a
| Manila when tho Fllpu05 made tne
first attack IL did not because 10 coul
not II was restrained by two circum
stances-go0d faith With Spain and u
laws OF congress under which the arm
aad been cre5ed. 10 must De remam
bsred that tho American people weT
thinking of the Philippine when the
went 90 war with Spain. They were con
| cerned with the affairs OF cuba. IN
period OF actual war, moreover. W.
short. and the French Ambassador ha
appeared at the white House with pr
posal 10 end the war almost Before n
| army had heen equipped 10 take q
field NOW az mat time, in July ls.
We had sent 10 the Philippines nearly q
60 men Commodore Dewey had advs.
% the government that s 900 would be- sun
cient II was General Miles opinion th'
1900 would surely be enough ,Dui q