Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-09-18
Special washington Correspondence.

campaign in the Philippines will be
conducted with sole reference to the
campaign in Ohio. OF the two perhaps
the latter is the more important as af-
fecting the political future of the Presi-
dent, but the Luzon campaign is
source of sufficient anxiety in. itself.
The problem now in hand is the subiu-
cation of the insurgents to the point of
surrender at some time in October,
reaching a dramatic climax on the eve
of the elections From the administra-
ton point of view this is the consum-
nation devoutly to be wished. Posi-
bly, the wish is father to the thought,
but there prevails about the War De-
partment and the White House the be-
lief that when the Tagals hear of our
preparations to ''crush" them they will
abandon their warfare, so that not over
one-half the reinforcements it is pro-
posed to send Otis will be needed. Just
what real ground exists for this be
lief is not known, unless it is President
Schurmans statement that most of the
natives are friendly to the United
States and are willing to submit to our
government. If this be true the war
like preparations going on in this coun-
try would seem to be wholly unneces-
sary, for all we have to do is to go in
and possess the land. No soldiers are
needed where people are ready to sub
NIT to civil rule, and the policy to be
adopted in that case is obviously to
supply the native with the government
they are said to want so badly The
truth is, howver, that the President, as
usual, is hating between two fires. He
wants the insurrection ended as quick
ly as possible at whatever cost, and yet
he would like to avoid the great expense
of sending an army of $4,000 men to
the Philippines. If only the pesky Fill
pinos would surrender without further
struggle, so as to supply some badly
needed campaign thunder in Ohio!
There are no signs that Otis is to be
replaced with an officer competent to
deal with the situation. Doubtless
Otis extreme care to censorize anything
that would hurt the administration and
his delicious anxiety not to aid the
cause of Bryan by letting the word
silver creep into press dispatches have
much commended him to the President.
Surely, there has never been a more
touching case of political fidelity than
that of the grim warrior Otis editing
the administration wire from Manila
Nevertheless the anti-navy policy of
Otis has been rebuked and overturned,
and we are now informed that in the
new campaign against the natives the
navy viii play a larger part than here
tofore. The navy is to be intrusted
with the duty of capturing the ports
now held by the insurgents and through
which they receive supplies from ex-
ternal sources. This ought to have
been done long ago. 1t could have
been done easily enough, but for Otis
insane jealousy of the navy. There
are a number of important ports still
unoccupied by our forces, the occupa-
ton of which would give us possession
of the most desirable provinces of the
archipelago, and largely reduce the area
of the disaffeetion Indeed, there is ex-
cellent reason to believe that if we had
occupid all the ports and allowed the
interior to take care of itself we would
have been able to cope with the situa-
ton without any military operations
Of consequence and without using force
of more than $4,000 men. Evidence
multiplies that Otis has shown total in
ability to deal with the business con-
fided in him. and that he is allowed
to stay is due not so much to the Pres
idents confidence in his military
henchman as to the executives fear
of the political effect of change of
commanders.
Congress at its coming session will
have to deal with many complex prob
lens arising out of our new colonial
policy There is practically no admin
istration policy concerning our new
possessions, except the very obvious
one of holding all we have grabbed.
We hear now and then that the Pres
ident has come to such and such con-
illusions respecting Cuba, Porto Rico
and the Philippines, but if he has done
SO he has flown in the face of all his
former mental habits. Evidence of a
lack of policy as to Cuba appears in
the proclamation announcing that a
census of the island would be taken.
which was interpreted in Havana as
meaning both annexation and indie
pendence. A close reading of it shows
that it is purposely ambiguous and
means whatever you've mind to read |
into it. 1t would not be at all sur
prising If the Presidents annual mes
sage should be of much the same char