Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-09-12

held public reception at River View
Park. The celebration closes with q
banquet this evening.
THINK OTIS WILL STAY.
Friends of the General Believe He
VIII Reinasn in the Philippines.
Washington, Sept. 12.-The friends
of Gen. Otis are becoming hopeful that
they will succeed in having him re-
tanned in his present command. Last
week they were deeply discouraged,
and one, a high official Of the war de-
partment, openly admitted that he be-
lieved popular clamor" would result
in his friends recall and the assign
ment of Gen. Miles or Gen. Merritt to
Manila.
The prediction is now being conf
IDENTIFY made by Gen. Otis admirers
that he will be permitted to demon
strate what he can do with larger
army before being censured for his fail
ure to make more progress during the
last campaign. The president has re-
peatedly expressed his confidence in
Gen. Otis and Secretary Root has COM
mended his reports for clearness and
conciseness But the latter official has
been inclined to the suggestion that an
officer Of high rank, the major general
commanding the army being prefer
able. should be placed at the head of
the fighting forces.
Secretary Root has viewed the situa-
tion from an unprejudiced standpoint.
and his recommendations were placed
upon Gen. Otis ability as "a soldier. He
has taken the broad ground that where
the army is there also should be the
ranking officers. He is opposed to the
proposition to permit the major general
commanding to remain at his desk per-
forming routine work, another major
general acting as military governor of
Cuba and the third as commander of
the department OF the east, while the
army Is in the Philippines under the
command Of a brigadier general, which
IL Gen. OTIS rank in the regular army.
1t 10 impossible, owing to the con-
flicting interests at work, to state posi-
lively how the contest for supremacy
will terminate. Gen. Miles friends
are as confident as are those Of Gen.
Otis, but the drift OF feeling now seems
to have turned in favor of the latter.
Plans have been adopted at the depart
ment. however. under which Gen. Law
ton and Gen. Macarthur are each to be
given responsible command of sew
eral divisions, and they will begin OPP
erations just as soon as the rainy sea-
son Is considered at an end. The cav
airy will be under command of Gen.
Lawton, while Gen. MacArthur's COM
mand will be composed principally of
infantry. One command will operate to
the north while the other will probably
cover the south.
The president has directed that the
navy cooperate with the army in the
fall campaign, but it is expected that
it's work will be generally confined tc
blockading. few of the smaller gun
boats will, however. be sent as far in
land as the conditions will permit. The
marines, too. are to play an important
part in the operations in the vicinity OF
Cavite. Within a short time nearly 700
marines will be on hand In the Philip
pines, and they will be assigned to duty,
in the southern part of the island of Lu-
zon, which is the hotbed OF the insur-
rection. A very small percentage OF
the command is sick-less than per
cent-and their military training Is far
superior to that of the army. Gen. Mac
Arthur and Gen. Lawton will be held re-
sponsible for the campaign In their ter
ritory.
Reports received at the war depart
ment show that good progress is being
made in the work OF recruiting, the en-
listments Saturday amounting to 537
men. This is q better record than was
made in recruiting the first ten volun-
teer regiments and the success Is at
tributed to the fact that the volunteer
officers appointed have been allowed to
make enlistments in the vicinity Of their
homes.
"A total OF 4.79O men have been enlist
ed to date, more than one-third of the
number required to fill the regiments.
The Eleventh volunteer cavalry has 79O
men in the United States and nearly
100 In the Philippines. AS only 1900
were needed for this organization, re-
cruiting will cease in several days. The
Philippine service unassigned has 992
men. from which two battalions are to
be organized. one each for the Thirty
ninth and Fortieth regiments. There
will still remain about 200 men who will
probably be made part of another
battalion. The records of the other
regiments are as follows: The Thirty
eighth. 4S5: Thirty-ninth. 2S1; Fortieth,
203: Forty-first, 1853: Forty-second, 399;
Forty third. 20s; Forty-fourth. 2s2: For
ty-fifth. 359; Forty-sixth. Sa5; Forty
seventh. 228.
First Lieut.. Albert c. Mcmillan, Thir-
tieth infantry, now at Fort Sheridan.
will accompany the first detachment OF
recruits to San Francisco. where he will
Ma H. ~