Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-10-24

Expected That the Rebellion Will
Be Crushed Promotion For
Gen. Lawton.
Washington, Oct 24.-Secretary Root
hopes the campaign in the Philippines
may be opened all along the line with
in the next three or four weeks. AL
though there have been some military
operations recently. he says the cam
paign is not fairly on yet. Gen. Law
ton has been sent north to occupy San
Isidro because of Its strategic import
ance, but this is only preliminary to the
regular campaign. Most of the other re-
cent engagements are likened to the
action of a man In brushing away pes
tiferous insects that are annoying
rather than dangerous.
Secretary Root has been informed
that the rainy season is about over, but
the country is still suffering from its
saturation. There are many inunda-
tons and the soil generally is SO soft as
to make military operations exceeding
ly difficult Army officers vary from
three to six weeks in their estimates of
the length of time it will take for the
country to dry sufficiently for the
American forces to move with reason-
able facility.
The plans of the war department are
matured for active work as soon as it
is possible to advance with ease and
the American lines will be pushed in all
directions against the Filipinos. 1t will
be possible to maintain this movement
because of the steady stream of volun-
teers that are to be poured Into Manila
as reinforcements.
In explanation OF some of the recent
operations Secretary Root says that
owing to the extreme dampness of she
country II has been necessary to pro-
vide barracks for the soldiers Around
the barracks the American lines have
been established. The rebels persist in
occupying positions in the immediate
vicinity of the camps and by their re-
peated acts of hostility so harass the
soldiers that Gen. Otis has had no other
alternative than to send out frequent
expeditions to drive the enemy back
The American forces are compelled to
storm some of the towns in which the
rebels have fortified themselves but as
these places contain no suitable quar-
ters for the soldiers it is necessary tc
evacuate them and return to the bar
racks in and around Manila
Gen. OTIS is opposed To the policy of
taking town and then evacuating IL.
but he is forced to adopt this method in
order TO put stop To the annoyance
caused by the presence of the rebels in
the vicinity of the American lines.
| Mucn attention has been given ia
making provisions for the sick and
wounded. The present hospitals have
accommodation for about 1000 pa
tients. and Col. Woodruff reports only
ls41 beds occupied by patients, includ-
ling convalescents The war department
| is making arrangements to have ac-
Communications for 5000 patients. which
IS believed to be more than ample even
TOR the enlarged army in an active
campaign. That VIII be a provision for
about II per cent Of the full strength OF
the army While there We're predictions
! that at least 20 per cent of the army
would be on the sick list, the physical
1 stamina of the American soldiers has
| been such that their disabled list has
never reached that percentage. Col
Woodhulls report shows it is only
Iabout per cent after a long and ex.
Icepuonally bad rainy season.
/ Secretary Root is satisfied the medi
cal bureau has anticipated every posi-
/ Bile call, so there should be no reaso,
FOR complaint on that score during III,
coming campaign. There are nearl,
900 hospital corps men already in tn,
Philippines for field work and the,
viii be increased to $500. The medica
staff is to be increased by thirteen com
missioned officers and forty acting as
sistant surgeons Thirty additional fe
! naie nurses will leave New York in
Few days for Manila. The Missouri an,
Relief will be floating hospitals witt
beds for 500. Supplies have been shippe,
: by the hundreds of tons, and the medi
cal department is equipped as 1t neve
was before.
Gen. II w Lawton, the fighter i
2 slated for the brigadier generalship ii
the regular army made vacant by tn
retirement of Gen. Shafter. Lawton /
colonel in the Inspector generals de
partment. and holds the rank of majo
: general in the volunteer army. Thi
promotion VIII transfer Lawton fror
the staff to the line. and 1t is possibl
he Will rise to the position of command
g ing general OF the RAINY after the re
! tirement of Gen. Miles. The recent in
I crease in the army made it possible 70
2 the president To appoint an additions
$ major general of volunteers and tw
5 more brigadier generals. 1t is possibl
< Gen. John c. Bates will be made tn
. major general. He Is colonel of tn
4 Second Infantry in the regular servic
: and brigadier general in the voluntee
: service. He saw service in the civil wa
{ and in the Santiago and Porto Rio
: campaigns. His most recent feat
I note was in making the treaty with tn
sultan of Sulu. Gen. Funston has bee
!, given one of the brigadier generalship
$ Gen. Macarthur, who has also mac
I: a great record as campaigner in II
e Philippines, is booked for a brigade
d generalship in the regular service.
II is said the way will be made open II
a his promotion when Gen. Thomas
N | A Anderson rofireS Can c