The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-07-21
CORRESPONDENTS REVOLT.
Newspaper Men Protest Against
General Otis Rigid Censorship.

Manila, July 1.-Via Hong Kong,
July 1.-THE constantly increasing
strlctness of the censorship of press
dispatches from Manila, which has
prevented the cabling to the United
States of anything that did not reflect
official views of important events and
conditions, resulted in a united effort
on the part of correspondents here to
secure an abatement of
the rigor of the censorship. The in
itiative in this direction was taken a
month ago, and resulted in the framing
of a statement, which was presented
on Sunday, July 9, to Major General
Otis, commanding the military forces
of the United States in the Philippine
Islands, with request to telegraph it
to the United States. The correspond
dents also asked that they be permit
ted to telegraph to their respective
papers all facts and the different
phases of events as they transpired
here.
The correspondents had two long
interviews with General Otis, in the
course of which they complained that
the purpose of the censorship
was not to keep information from the
enemy, but to keep from the public
knowledge of the real condition of af-
fairs here. 1t is also asserted by the
correspondents that newspapers print
ed in Manila, which reach the enemy
quickly, are permitted to publish state
ments similar to those which the cor
respondents are forbidden to cable. 1t
was made clear to General Otis that
the objection was to the system, and
not to the censor.
| General Otis finally promised greater
liberality, agreeing to pass all matter
that he might consider not detrimental
to the interests of the United States.
General Otis appointed Captain Green,
of his staff, censor.
The statement of the correspondents
is as follows:
The undersigned, being all staff cor
respondents of American newspapers
stationed at Manila, unite in the follow
ing statement:
We believe that, owing to official dis
patches from Manila. made public at
Washington, the people of the United
States have not received a correct i'm
preston of the situation in the Philip
Ipines, but that these dispatches have
presented an ultra-Optimistic view that
is not shared by the general officers in
the field.
We believe that the dispatches incor-
rectly represented the existing condi-
tions among the Philippines in respect
to dissensiOn and decentralization
resulting from the American campaign
and the brigand character of their
army.
We believe the dispatches err in the
declaration that ''the situation is well
in hand" +" and the assumption that the
IinsurrectiOn can be speedily ended
without a greatly increased force.
We think the tenacity of the Filipino
purpose has been underestimated, and
that the statements are unfounded that
volunteers are willing to engage in
further service.
| IHe censorship HAS cOmpeilcu uS W
participate in this Misrepresentation
by excising or altering uncontroverted
statements of facts, on the plea, as
General Otis stated, that ''they would
alarm the people at home," or ''have
the people of the United States by the
ears"
| Specifications of this are: Prohibi-
tion of hospital reports, suppression OF
full reports of field operations in the
event of failure, number of heat pros
trations in the field, systematic minim-
ization of naval operations and suppress
sion of complete reports of the situation.
JOHN T. MoCUTCHEON.
HARRY ARMSTRONG.
Chicago Record.
Il OSCAR K. DAVIS,
P. G. MCDONNELL,
New York Sum-.
ROBERT M. COLLINS,
JOHN P. DUNNING,
II L. JOGES,
(The Associated Press,
JOHN F. BASS,
WILL DINWIDDIE,
New York Herald.
. ED. S. KEENE,