Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1899-07-23
MAY DISPLACE Otis.
Some Other Officer Nay Re Placed
in Command Of the Troops.
PRESIDENT WORRIED
SO Mach Talk Against Otis Has Stirred
the President and u i Believed
lie viii Act Before Hos.
Utilities Are Resumed.

issued by the newspaper correspond
enis at Manila. despite the studied effort
d the administration 10 ignore il. has
made serious impression throughout
the country. and It il almost sure that
when the rainy season ends in the
Philippines aud the campaign Is renew
ed. General Otis will DO restricted 10
discharging the administrative functions
Of governor general, while another
army officer. probably Lawton. will be
in command Of the field operations
The sentiments reaching the president
by word or mouth, by telegram. by let
ter and from army officers Of discretion
who are writing privately to their
friends In the service here complaining
Of Otis vacillation. lack Of decision and
apparent inability to grasp the full mil
itary situation, are having influence.
The criticisms Of returning volunteers
are perhaps the most potential influences
operating on the presidential mind
These men have relatives and friends.
and they talk. They may not be able
TO explain the technical reasons which
influenced the general 10 capture terri
tory and give It up TO DO reconQuered
subsequently, or to keep the volunteers
at the firing line while reserving the reg
nlars for home guard
They merely disapprove Of Otis as in
competent and say so. and when asked
why they did not reenlist. being also
offered bounty Of s45O to DO 30 they
would not reenlist with him in com.
mand
Several Of the writers have suggested
that Otis was harricd. driven almost 10
distraction by fool instructions from
Washington. This has reached the
presidents ears and whether or not
true. he does not like the imputation
The general opinion Is that the CORE
spondents would not have made such a
charge unless they knew II represented
the sentiment Of majority Of the Off
GERS and men in Luzon.
aThe volunteer regiment Of cavalry au-
.horized Friday and the chartering Of
seven transports are indications that the
administration has concluded that
further trifing in the Philippines must
De stopped
The war department has issued a
statement quoting certain dispatches
from General Otis in answer to the
press correspondents kick.
The general says In substance that
the correspondents wish TO send state
ments that imperil operations. and that
hey had no specification 10 support
heir charges against him. He denies
that he minimizes the work Of the navy
and quotes from naval dispatches 10 jus
dfy his statement
The text Of the statement Ia as follows
General Otis in n dispatch under
date Of July 20 says that the press cor.
respondents demanded permission "a
cable that official reports misrepresented
conditions. This was denied They
then demand the privilege to send with.
out reservation facts found by them and
their opinion. This was granted II
public interests were not imperiled.
The answer was not satisfactory and
hey therefore sent by mail TO Hob0
Kong. General Otis says he Is not con.
'cious Of sending Misrepresentation,
put thinks that his dispatches at times
nave been too conservative The press
affair appeared TO DO threat When
correspondents were asked 10 be in
formed wherein General Otis dispatches
we're misleading they offered tangibl,
exceptions that his conclusions were un
warranted. When told that they wer,
,lisregarding military authority II wal
apparent that they court martyrdom
which II was unwise 10 give them"
In later dispatch General Otis says
that charges made by the correspondent
are untrue Ho adds that most har
nonious relations exist between th,
4rmy and navy.