The Mena star., 1899-03-01
NO ALARM FELT.
Nothing at Manila to Cause Wash
 ington Officials Uneasiness.
Spanish Col. Rios May Be Touched Up for His Hostile Reports to Madrld-Rein- forcements Will Be sent-Otis
 Acting with Propricty.

Washington, Feb. 2S There is noth- ing in the situation at Manila to cause alarm for the safety of the American troops, in the opinion of well-informed administration officials. Since Gen. Otis cabled Saturday to this effect, there has come no word tending to qualify the statement in any sense. Admiral Dewey has not been heard from further, according to Secretary Long, and from the absence of positive news the officials draw the conclusion that nothing has happened to warrant apprehension.
 Some notice is beginning to be taken here of the markedly hostile reports that are being cabled to Madrid by Col. Rios, the ranking Spanish officer at Manila, and if he persists in this course he may be caNed to account by Gen. Otis, who probably does not un- derstand what the officer is doing. Technically Rios is prisoner of war and his actions are subject to the com plete control of the United States off cers ut Muniia. fiis representations, it is said in official circles here, have been uniformly misstatements of facts or gross distortions of them, with the plain purpose of giving false impress sion of the weakness of the American position in the Philippines, perhaps with a deliberate purpose to justify some of the powers to recognize the belligerency of the insurgents. The latter are believed to be suffering from the lack of war supplies and such rec ognition at the hands of even one of the nations whose possessions border on the China sea would be of the greatest importance to their cause.
 Touching Gen. Otis position at Ma nila, it is stated at the war department that the truth is that not for mo- ment has he had any doubt as to his ability to main tain his position, though his lines are so long and thin, the esti- mates being that they extend over 25 miles, over the worst kind of country, that without considerable reinforce ments he is not ablessto carry on the aggressive warfare that he feels the situation demands
 With the approach of the wet season, the necessity increases for dispersion of the insurgents from the height bor- hood of Manila and this can be done only with the aid of endorsements
 Gen. Otis Acting with Propriety.
 Washington, Feb 2S.-The officials at the war department were asked why Gen. Otis had refused to recog- nize the commissioners who had come to Manila from the insurgent head quarters at Malalos when they came to seek peace. The reply was that Gen. Otis was acting with the greatest proprietyin in this matter. He was careful not to commit his government to any recognition of Aguinaldo that would make precedent, and then there was always the best reason for withhold ing confidence in every act of the in- surgents where the placing of trust would imperil American lives and interest. The Filipino insurgents will have no difficulty in securing amnesty. it is said. If they lay down their arms and submit un- conditionally, for there is no purpose on the part of the American command CTS to wreak venge canoe upon sub- missive foe. Tn addition to the military reasons why Gen. Otis should be very cautious into entering into any entangling negotiations with the'insurgents, there is the ever present danger that he might. by fail ing to be cautious in this particular. give to some jealous foreign power a pretext for formal recognition of the insurrection with all the embarrass- ing consequences likely to follow.