The evening times., 1899-06-10
Philippine Suppressions.


There is suggestiveness in the fact that,
in these days, whenever General Otis sends
a cablegram to the War Department, ask
ing when the Government will have its
translation OF the catechism into Spanish
ready, or making requisition for two new
typewriters, there is an immediate hurry
call sent out, and the Acting Secretary and
the Adjutant General break record time in
getting over to the Executive Mansion.
Perhaps this is only evidence of the in
tense devotion of these officers to their
duty. even in its smallest details. But the
public is always apt to put two and two
together and the further fact that Otis
reports are being vigorously suppressed,
unfortunately tends TO create an impress
sion that all is not champagne. peace COM
missoners and roses in Manila.
What little we are allowed to learn from
that quarter speaks eloquently of a very
serious situation. 1t is evident that our
troops are almost necessarily engaged OH
Otis line of defence. The statement that
the cavalry from the Manila garrison and
the North Dakota regiment were yester-
day employed in throwing up entrench-
ments. instead of hearing woreester's lee
ture on Church and State" or taking
run across country in chase of flying Fill
pinos. is not reassuring. In fact the Ad-
ministration is unable altogether to con-
ceal its uneasiness ever the conditions as
ii knows them to be.
Yet none of them need have OBJ
tained if the probabilities had been 1ea-
sonably discounted and the views of Otis
and all competent military men had been
adopted two or three months ago, instead
of the peace calumet dreams OF doddering
ineiiiciepts like Schoolmasters Schurman
and Worcester, and the advice of persons of
unknowable purposes. like Denby But it
all comes around to the original PROPOSE
uon-that if Mr. Mckinley honestly in
tends TO keep faith with the American peo-
pie and hold the Philippines. he will be
compelled to call out the provisional army
at once.
This. OF course, is matter of such self
evident necessity that there would be no
hesitation about ii, were the Administra-
ton not afraid that a call for volunteers
would raise the ghost of Algerism in an
uncomfortable way. But that evil could
be avoided by mastering Alger out Then
all difficulties in the way Of getting thirty
five thousand, or three hundred thousand.
citizen soldiers would disappear. We are
afraid, however, that nothing of the kind
is in contemplation. The Secretary of War
seems to hold his Chief in grasp OF steel
AS an alternative to such risky move
ment as a call for volunteers, the Admin
istration is bending its energies to accom-
plish the same thing through recruiting
offices on the quiet; but We do not believe
that resort will yield results either large
or fast enough. Otis must have at least
sixty thousand men at his command to
suppress the rebellion and hold the mutt
neers in subjection after surrender Pos
sibly he may be able to keep his present
line with his present force until the au-
tumn. We do not know how imminent |
the danger of another outbreak of fire and |
massacre in Manila may be. 1t may be
considered as serious, however. Denby's |
"friendlies" have been entering the city |
in hordes and 1t is not a safe conclusion |
that they have come in for the single pur- |
pose of receiving instruction in the science |
Of political economy. |
At the very best, it will take all the |
time that can be wrested from the re-
naming weeks of summer to organize, |
arm, equip, and drill the new troops, and |
to prepare their transportation across the |
Pacific. If Mr.. Mckinley does not bear |
this in mind and act promptly he will be |
inviting disaster, for which, if it should |
come. the whole country would hold Lin |