Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-06-29
OTIS PROMISED HELP.
WAR DEPARTMENT. PLANS TO
SEND RE- ENroRoEMENTs.
Gem m ander Teiegraphs He Nesds 30,-
900 Men Fin the Field" IT Once
Surgeon McQusitlp Thinks IL wiii
Require Over 100000 Troops-

President Mckinley 10 reported by
Washington correspondents to have come
to q realization OF fhe serious situation. OF
the American troops in the philippines,
and, as the result Of a telegram which Is
said to. have been received at the War
Department from Gen. Otis. he is con-
templating sending ten regiments instead
Of three. as+was formerly intended. The
strongest argument, and the one that Is
believed to have turned the balance, Is
said to have been a dispatch recently re-
ceived from Gen. Otis, in which the lat
ter explained that his dispatches had been
misunderstood. He does not think that
1000 men, including sick, wounded, nom
combatants and garrison troops, would
be sufficient, but that 10000 lin the field"
over and above all drains for other SER
vice would be. When he captures town
he wants men to garrison Ii without
weakening his fighting force. That is to
say, he really wants $4,000 or GO,OOO men
in all.
Preparations are being made for re
cruiting many more for service at the
Philippines. Some have expressed
dread fear that the Americans are being
forced back to Manila by the climate, and
receiving news Of some disaster. Anoth-
err cause given for the Presidents alleged
change of front is the testimony Of Sur
geon McQuestin, which caused so much
excitement at the War Department. Sur
geon McQuestin declares, like all other
returned officers, that the force of soldiers
necessary to subdue and hold the islands
has been greatly underestimate; that it
will require from 100000 to 10000 men
to accomplish the task. Last accounts
few weeks ago tell Of the insurgents fore
ing their way between McArthur's and
Otis forces. The enemy was Mt that time
reported to have been repulsed with loss.
Since that time no news has been made
public of what has happened to Near
thurs forces. 1t is evident that the in
surgents are not so thoroughly disorgan-
lied as the first dispatches would indi-
cate.
Should the regiments spoken of be re-
cruited, all the regular troops now in the
United States might be sent at once TO
Manila. This would give Otis about So
600 men, instead Of the $4,000 which will
be at his disposal when the volunteers
shall have returned. 1t is suggested that
to send all the regulars to the Philippines
States dangerously; but the plan proposed
at the War Department is to use the 1O,-
600 troops OF the provisional army for
garrison purposes here, and to call on the
Governors Of States for regiments of mi
litia for temporary service in case Of
emergency. This would be strictly in ac-
cordance with the law, and at the same
time it would give Otis the very best kind
of men for his purposes.
There are 1900 troops now at San
Francisco awaiting transportation to the
Philippines. OF these 5000 regulars,
$500 are raw recruits. The troops will
not be sent by organizations. A battalion
of seasoned regulars, for instance, will go
on the same transport with lot of I'M
trained recruits, so that the time preced-
ing the arrival at Manila may be devoted
profitably to putting the new men into
shape. ~