The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1899-03-04
NO ALARM FELT.
Nothing at Manila to Cause WASH
ington officials Uneasiness.
spanish Col. Rios MAY he Touched Up for
His Hostile Reports to Madrid-Rsin-
forcemsnts wni ne ssnt-Otis
Acting with Propriets.

Washington, Feb. 2S-There is moth
ing In the situation at Manila to cause
alarm for the safety Of the American
troops. In the opinion of well-informed
administration officials. Since Gen.
Otis cabled Saturday to this effect,
there has come no word tending to
qualify the statement in any sense.
Admiral Dewey has not been heard
from further, according to Secretary
Long, and from the absence Of positive
news the officials draw the conclusion
that nothing has happened to warrant
apprehension.
Some notice Is beginning to be taken
here OF the markedly hostile reports
that are being cabled to Madrid by
Col. Rios, the ranking Spanish officer
at Manila, and II he persists in this
course he may be called to account by
Gen. Otis, who probably does not .un.
derstand what the officer is doing.
Technically Rios is prisoner Of war
and his actions are subject to the COM
plete control OF the United States Off
GERS at Manila His representations.
1t Is said In official circles here, have
been uniformly Measurements Of facts
or gross distortions Of them, with the
plain purpose of giving false impress
sion OF the weakness Of the American
position in the Philippines, perhaps
with deliberate purpose to justify
some Of the powers to recognize the
belligerency Of the insurgents The
latter are believed to be suffering from
the lack Of war supplies and such rec
ognition at the hands Of even one Of
the nations whose possessions border
on the China sea would be Of the
greatest Importance TO their cause.
Touching Gen. Otis position at Ma
nila, It Is stated at the war department
that the truth is that not for q mo.
ment has he had any doubt as to his
ability to maintain his position, though
his lines are SO long and thin, the esti'
mates being that they extend over %
miles, over the worst kind of country,
that without considerable reinforce
ments he is not Jle to carry on the
aggressive warfdfe that he feels the
situation demands.
With the approach OF the wet season
the necessity increases for dispersion
Of the insurgents from the neighbor
hood of Manila and this can be don,
only with the aid Of reinforcements.
Gsn. Otis Acting with ProprIety.
} Washington, Feb. 2s.-The officials
at the war department were asket
why Gen. Otis had refused to recog
J nize the commissioners who had com,
, TO Manila from the insurgent head
: quarters at Malalos when they cam,
! to seek peace. The reply was tina
} Gen, Otis was acting with the creates
. propriety In this matter. He was careful
: not to commit his government to AM
| recognition Of Aguinaldo that woult
make precedent, and then there wa
always the best reason for withhold
ing confidence in every act of the in
surgents where the placing o
: trust would imperil America,
lives and interest The Filipin
insurgents will have no difficulty Il
securing amnesty. 1t Is said, II lthel
lay down their arms and submit un
conditionally, for there Is no purpos
, on the part Of the American command
ers to wreak vengeance upon sui
! missive foe. In addition to tn
, military reasons why Gen. oti
should be very cautious into enterini
into any entangling negotiation
, with the sSprgents, there Is the ever
, present danger that he might, by fai
ing to be cautious in this particular
/, give to some jealous foreign power
pretext for formal recognition OF tn
, insurrection with all the embarras'
: ing consequences likely to follow.