The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-08-22
rHE CRITICS M OTIS.

"a q 9o0Q 0eRl OF exClteu tNIk WHlcH ~
inspired hy a more or less indefinite and
hazy state Of affairs. And this indefin.
iteness and uncertainty has been Great.
cd BY the opponents and critics Of the
administration aud Of General Otis. II
II eaay, however, to reach n definite
opinion oil established facts, aud when
q Gala, and sane view Of conditions 10
taken, the conclusion Ia inevitable that
the war against Agulnaldo, has been
waged with all the effectiveness per-
mitted by military conditions Que to
the ineficienoy Of congress. The pres.
ident has sent to General Otis all the
troops available-that Ia. all the troops
that could be possibly spared from dnties
In Cuba and Puerto Rico. We do not
include Hawaii, because very few
troops are needed there; nor do we In.
clude the United States, because the
army posts and Notifications here have
been nearly stripped OF neil. 10 such
an extent Ia this true that unless con-.
gress provides for a very material in.
crease In the artillery branch of the
service, our forts and our new guns are
likely to he greatly damaged for mere
lack Of ordinary care. II congress had
done its duty aud had increased the
regular army to 100, 900 or 10000
men, General Otis might at least have
had a sufficient number Of troops long
before this, and he and the country
would not now be facing the necessity
of q new campaign, to be opened ut the
end Of the rainy season, with a few
seasoned veterans who will be left to
him after tho discharged volunteers
come home, and with the raw troops
now being enlisted for him.
The truth Ia that prudence pointed
out the advantage to be gained BY fin.
isbing the war In the Philippines, II it
wero possible, with the force in hand.
Congress refused to take action o., the
military needs Of the government until
thel last moment, and when u adjourn.
cd the president knew that he would be
without an adequate force ~ soon ~
Spain ratified the treaty Of peace; tor
under the terms Of enlistment the term
Of service Of both the additional zegu.
lars and volunteers expired with that
event. The president was therefor con.
tslnplating the possibility that any day
the signature Of Spain to the treaty,
which had already been ratified on 0ur
part. might leave him with only the
regular army Of u little more than 49,.
900 men with which to carry on the
war against A~guinaldo, garrison Cuba
and repress the mutinous Cuban army,
maintain order In Puerto Rico, and
man the posts AZ home and III Hawaii.
He had az an alternative the power TO
enlist 81 1000 regulars and 3d. 900 vol.
unteers, this extra force to serve for nc
more than two years and tour months.
The splendid loyalty Of the volun.
teers and additional regulars who were
In the Philippines, and the brilliant
success OF our arms which followed the
breaking out Of the war III February,
undoubtedly led the president. as 1t led
the military authorities at Manila, to
believe that the revolt would be put
down without the necessity Of resorting
to the tardy and niggardly grant Of
men by congress, Certainly II IL true
that II the new men were needed the
war wonld be greatly prolonged while
they were being enlisted, equipped and
drilled. Ii may be answered that time
has proved the necessity Of additional
forces, and therefore six months that
might have been utilized have been
lost. This IL not exactly true, for we
fancy that the impression already made
upon Aguinaldo his forces will render
the remainder of the army's task much
less ardu0ua than 1t has been, and that
the mere enlistment and despatohing OF
the new volunteers will be as good az
several victories In the field,
The president has done the best he
could with the means that congress put
into hts hands, II any mistake has
been made ~ to the number Of troops
required TO put down the natives; 1T
lies nj the doors Of congress, and il due
10 its refusal 10 increase the regular
army to 100, 900 men AZ tbs outbreak Of
thu WA with Spain, A. 70 the general
olAeess md tho navy under them, there
A.. "a -. -lS-Ak~ n~AAunAa thaf than