The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1899-07-26
NEWS D0CTORED.
The Public Kept in the Dark as
to the Philippines.
THEcoRREsPONDENTS KICK
They Charge that The Facts
Have Been Systematically
Suppressed by General
Otis Orders.

Suppressed Dy General
Otis Orders.
The constantly increasing strlctness
of the censorship Of press dispatches
from Manila, which has prevented the
cabling to the United States Of any
thing that did not refec, official views
of important events and conditions, re.
suited in united effort on the part Of
correspondents at Manila to secure an
abatement of the rigor of the censoi-
ship. The initiatiye in this direction
was taken month ago and resulted IN
the framing of statement which was
presented on July 9Th to Maj. Gen.
Otis, commanding the military forces
of the United States in the Philippine
island, with a request for permission to
telegraph it to the United States. The
correspondents also asked that hey be
allowed to cable to their respective pa
pers all facts and the different phases
OF events as they transpired at Manila
The correspondents had two long IN
terviews with Gen Otis, in the course
Of which tlsey complained that the evl-
dent purpose of the censorship was not
to keep information from the enemy,
but to keep from the public knowledge
Of the real condition Of affairs. 1t was
also asserted by the correspondents that
newspapers printed in Manila, which
reach the enemy quickly, are permitted
to publish statements similar to those
which correspondents are forbidden to
cable. 1t was made clear to Gen. Ous
that the objection was to the system
and not to the censor.
Gen. Otis finally promised greater
liberality, agreeing to pass all matter
that he might consider not detrimental
to the interests of the United States:
Gen, Otis appointed Capt. Green, Of
his staff, censor. The statement OF the
correspondents is as follows:
"The undersigned, being all staff
correspondents of American newspa-
pers stationed at Manila, unite IN the
following statement:
''We believe, that owing to othclaI
dispatches from Manilo made public IN
Washington, the people Of the United
States have not received correct I'M
preston Of the situation in the Philip
pines, but that these dispatches have
presented an ultra-optimistic view that
IS not shared by the general ohcers IN
the field.
''We believe that these dispatches in
correctly represent the existing conol-
tions among the Fi)ipinos in respect to
dissension and decentralization result.
ing from the American campaign and
to the briganG character Of their army.
''We believe the dispatches err in
the declaration that the situation IS
well in hand and in the assumption
that the insurrec.ion can be speedily
ended without greatly increased
force.
.sWe think the tenacity Of the Fill
Pine purpose has been underestlmateo
and that the statements are unfounded
that volunteers are willing to engage IN
further service.
.'The censorship has compelled Us to
participate in this misrepresentation by
excising or altering uncantroverted
statements Of facts on the plea, as Gen
Otis stated, that they would alarm the
people at home, or have the people OF
the United States by the ears.
''Specifcations: Prohibition Of hos
pital reports; Suppression of full reports
of field operations in the event OF fall
ure; numbers of heat prostratlons IN the
field; systematic minimization Of naval
operations and suppression OF complete
reports Of the situation.
(Signed) John T. McCutcheon,
Harry Armstrong.
Chicago Record.
Oscar K. Davis,
P. G. Mcdonnell,
New York Sun.
Robert NJ. Collins,
John ?. Dunning,
L. Jones,
The Associated Press.
John F. Bass,
VIII Dinwiddle,
New York Herald.
f. S. keene,
Scrirps. McRae Association.
Richard Little,
Chicago Tribune.
CAUSES 4 SENSATION.
The publication Of the above docu-
ment caused sensation in the depart
Tnants al Washington. Regarding the
statement that war and other news had
been censored contrary to the usual
custom, Adjutant General Corbln to-
day said:
The cepsure Of the so called cen.
sored press is without just cause; aSd
evidently made under misapprehenslon
of facts. There has been no lnforma-
ton received from Gen. Otis that has
not been given to the press promptly
on the bulletin boards in the hall OF
this Office. :,
saThe standing instructions Of the
president and secretary OF war are that
fbe public shall be given all informa-
ton we receive. This has been done
and will continue to be done. VI
course plans of campaigns that would
be Of help to AguinalGo and other re-
bells have not and will not be pro-
mulgated, but Ill facts Of events
transpired have been given IN 1uil-
ness.
ENGLISH COMMENT.
A dispatch from London says most
of the morning papers comment upon
the Joint statement OF the American
correspondents at Manila regarding the
censorship there.
The Times SAYS: Gen. Otis canrot