The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-04-28
Gen. OTIS ARMY
Commander al Manila Does Not
DECISION OF THE CABINET
Decision Of the Administration =
Effective Force of p OOO-
Lawton and Shafter.

WASHINGTON, April ia confer
ence held at the White House today,
between the President, Secretaries AL
ger and Long, and Adjutant Corbin re-
suited in the confirmation of the orig
inal decision of the Administration to
at present refrain from availing itself
of the authorization conferred by Con-
gress to organize a volunteer army OF
50, 600 soldiers in addition to the pres
ent regular army.
Gen. Otis latest cablegram descrip-
tive of the conditions in the Philip
pines was carefully considered and it
was concluded to accept his estimate of
the military needs of the case, so that
as he has already indicated his present
army is sufficient for the purposes, he
has in view, the decision is tantamount
to resolve to avoid recourse to the adj
ditional volunteers.
A cablegram was sent TO Gen. Otis,
however, calling forth the necessity
for withdrawing the state volunteers
from the Philippines, again asking him
whether he would need more men after
he has received the relnforcementS
now on the way to Manila or under
orders to embark as soon as tranSpor-
tation can be secured.
Otis now has a force believed to ag-
gregate about $4,000 effective men.
Secretary Alger informed him that
L. r h,o criXy
him an army of about 10000 men after
allowing for the return of the state
volunteers. This is believed at the
War Department to meet all Of the
needs of the summer season. 1t is in
tended to withdraw one regiment from
Porto Rico and send three regiments
now in this country to the Philippines
as soon as they can be equipped and
transported there, though it is not
believed that they will reach Manila
for two or three months. 1t is also
stated that the conditions in Cuba are
such that it is quite probable some
troops can be withdrawn from that
island for service in the Philippines.
The matter of returning the volun
teers was also discussed. The depart
ment is arranging for their return to
the United States as soon as the nee
eSSary transportation can be secured.
To General Otis has been left the selec-
ton of the organizations to be sent
home first, and, it is expected that he
will follow the plan that he has out
lined of relieving first the men who
have been longest in the Philippines.
CHICAGO, April 1S-Maj Gen.
Shafter passed through Chicago today
en- route to his brothers home in Syca-
more, Ill.
Discussing the Philippine war he
said: eff Gen. Lawton says 100000
men are needed in the Philippines in
order to effectually end hostilities and
bring the natives to terms I should
say that undoubtedly an army of such
proportions is required We of the
army have supreme confidence in Gen.
LawtOn's judgment, and it is his prac-
tice to underestimate rather than ex-
aggerate when passing upon existing
conditions.
Il don't know Otis-never saw him."
the general added. 81 think Lawton
had a right to criticize the tactics OF
the commanding general if he believed
them to be unwise.
"The Filipino is a suspicious fellow,
just like the Cuban. He can't see the
good intentions of this Government
him with powder and ball.
Il have said before that it may be
necessary to kill half the population
of the islands in order that the remain
ing half may be lifted from their semi
barbarity to the civilization we are
ready to give them
And let me tell you" General Shat
ter concluded, impressively, that l do
not believe our troubles in Cuba are
over by any means
SYCAMORE, ILL.,, April 1S.-Gen.
Smarter is at his brothers home in this
city suffering from an attack of ma
larlal fever. His physician says the
attack is not serious and hopes to see
Gen. Shafter we'll enough to go to San
Francisco in two or three days.
NEW YORK, April lS-A special to
the Sun from Washington saws. Sec
rotary Alger said to a Sun renorter
this evening that 5000 Of the volunteer
troops in the Philippines will sail at
once for San Francisco on the trans
ports now at Manila. lust what VOL
unteer organizations will be sent homo
at .thls time the Secretary does NOT
know, but he expects to be Informed
by Gen. Otis within day or two.
OMAHA, April 1S-Capt. Baxton of
the Quartermaster's Department. has
awarded the contract for Transporting
the sixteenth Infantry to San Fran
cisco. The battalion at Fort Crook
will go by the Burlington, and the bat.
talon at Jefferson Barracks and Fort
Leavenworth will be divided between
the Missouri Pacific, Santa Fe and
Rock Island