Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-01
THE PHILIPPINE WAR
Senator Burrows Warning Note No
Surprise Here.
WHAT THE PRESIDENT BELIEVES
When Active Operations Are Re-
sumed They Will Be Vigorous.
OTIS POSITION DISCUSSED

The warning note sounded by Senator
Burrows as to the ACCESSIBILITY of speedily
crushing the insurrection in the Philip
pines does not come as a surprise to MEM
lers of tie administration. All the points
made by Senator Burrows have suggested
themselves 10 the President and to men,
bers Of his cabinet. These points have
been considered wegh;y. The President
himself believes that the country Will soon
tire of campaign in the Philippines and
will demand that the war be put to an end
without delaying much longer.
What the President Believes.
AT the same time, the President believes
that the country will be satisfied If the war
can be ended before the beginning Of an
other hot season. April l, 1890. He is con-
ident IL is said on the best authority. that
he country understands the difficulties and
will make full allowance. He is. therefore
rot afraid of the results. The first OF De-
cember will demonstrate to the Presidents
mind whether the insurrection can soon be
crushed. If there is then no satisfactory
outlook the most prompt means will be
TAKEN More troops, aggregatlng many
thousand. with probably a new commander
Will be sent forward. and the insurrection
Will be crushed, if mere force and might
VIII do II. But the President now has
doubts whether ii is a question Of large
number Of men. He is inclined to follow
Gen. Otis suggestions and reports. II he
finds that Gen. Otis is wrong then the
Philippine commander will suffer.
No Prejudice Against OILS Now.
1t can be stated on unquestioned author
ity that for some time there was a preju-
dice in certain cabinet circles against the
selection of Gen. Otis to command II Ma
Mia. This prejudice has now worn away.
and th6 entire AZ ra- ion hae ii
dence in the campaign and program Of
Gen. Otis. He is said to be broad and COM
prehensive, a lawyer well as soldier,
and a mal' of great breadth of knowledge
and capacity to handle men and affairs.
He is at his headquarters at o'clock each
morning and does not leave until 6 in the
afternoon. a member of the cabinet said
tCday that Gen. Otis had been criticised for
attention to details, but he thought this
showed a grasp of the situation which was
complimentary instead of dispara ging.
This detailed information, he said. will be
of immense value in the final settlement
which will be administered to the Filipinos.
A Cabinet Members Views.
cabinet member who was spoken to to-
day was asked the question, what course
could the President have pursued except
the one advised and proposed by General
Otis? He went on to say:
Gen. Otis has from the first said that he
WOulQ De aDle 10 crush me lnSurreclCn with
10000 effective men. If the President had
taken the situation in his own hands and
profesSed to know more than the men on
the field, Gen. Otis would have had the
right to say that his plans had all been dis
arranged and that he was not responsible
for the failure TO crush the insurgents. IL
the President had decided to send 100000
men to Gen. Otis the latter could have said
that they We're perfectly useless, and that
100000 raw men were dangerous. He might
have pointed out that this number of men
would have brought disease and suffering
TO a maximum. while with the number he
desired the danger of deaths from disease
would have been reduced to a minimum.
Gen. Otis has been represented to the Pres
ident a man eminently qualified for his
position"
The Withdrawing of Soldiers.
The official in question then went on to
point out that Gen. Otis would probably
have ended the instruction before s.is, but
for the necessity of withdrawing the vol
Unteers and replacing them with regular
soldiers. He believed that this had done
much to encourage the Filipinos They un-
doubtedly know everything that is done in
Manila, he said. They have seen trans
ports leaving with soldiers, and not many
rew ones coming in. They know that many
other soldiers are to be withdrawn. That
has been telegraphed from this country.
Aguinaldo and his followers have industrf-
ously circulated the story that the Ameri-
leans were whipped and were retiring. This
has resulted in sustaining the insurrection.
which was undoubtedly petering out it is
asserted. The Filipinos will not learn for
several months that they have been mis-
taken and that fresh men are to take the
place of those Withdrawn, in addition to
new forces. When the fighting is resumed
at hot pace they will soon tire. with the
result that the fighting will cease before
Congress ends its coming session. and be-
fore the next presidential campaign begins.
The administration supporters calculate
that this will allay all dissatisfaction and
that no issue will be afforded the democrats
which might be successful.