The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-05-03
Otis Will Have More Fighting
to Do.
A MOST SERIOUS ERROR
Misunderstanding With Aguinaldo-A Prop
osition to Pay the Insureents-Grand
Record OF the American Volunteer.
VIII Make Porto Rico State.
Washington Bureau of the Standard,
No. 1l45 G. Street n, w

taHt beHeTdl Corbfn SAID TO your cor
respondent this afternoon that the
question of recruiting volunteer army
of $1,000 men had not been considered
by the officials of the war department
II have heard nothing about it, he
said, Except from persons who want
commissions and in the newspa-
pers."
There is no reason to doubt this en-
tirely frank statement by the adjutant
gneral. The administration has not
been at all DESTROYS of calling out this
large number of troops. although the
military exigencies of the situation
have seemed to demand an extensive in
crease in the army if the purpose to
hold the Philippines continues a part
of the administration policy. This
large increase in the army in the Phil
ippines seems essential, whether the in
surgent war continues or not, for what
ever the course taken by the leaders
there will probably be bands of insur-
gents operating in guerrilla warfare for
many years. notably in the southern
part of the archipelago never actually
held by the Spaniards and under the
dominion of the Mussulman sultan of
Sulu.
asked a cessation of hostlities. it has
been said that promises of compensa-
ton to the Philippine soldiers as they
disband may be made, something along
the line of the arrangement made with
General Gomez in Cuba. In the case
Il of the Filipinos, however, this compen-
sation, if paid, would take on a very
different color from the sums given to
the Cuban commander. However lit
tie assistance Gomez and his men may
have been to the American army in
Cuba, they We're oStensibly at least as
ISOLATED with the Americans in the de-
feat of the Spanards. 1t is only by
coneeding that Aguinaldo was really an
ally of the Americans after Dewey s
battle at Manila that any arrangement
with his lieutenants or his men could
be justly compared with that made
with Gomez. And this course taken
would be practically a confession that
the failure to recognize Aguinaldo,
which led to the series of battles in the
Philippines, was a serious error on the
part of our government
The amount of money which might
he employed in disbanding the Philip
pine army has been estimated at about
the same as that to be distributed
among the followers of Gomez. Aguin-
aldos army. although more effective
than that of the Cuban leader is
hardly as numerous. The final esti-
mates are that Gomez's army contained
something like 10000 men. 1t is not be-
lieved that the Philippine chieftain had
to exceed 30,000-e~at any time under
arms. -....
The propriety of the use of money
If it is employed in connection with
the Filipino negotiations. may be ques-
X toned as a matter of morals, but there
is no doubt that it would be along the
lines of the dealings of England, Rus
STA and France in settling controversies
with Oriental peoples. England has al
ways been credited with using vast
funds and they have at times been
quite as effective as her splendid sol
diery in settling difficulties with abor-
iginal people
If it costs 81, 900, 900 to get the Aguin-
aldo army dispersed. it may be money
well expended in saving the lives OF
American soldiers and the result will
probably be gratefully received by the
relatives and friends of the regiments
now in the Philippines. regardless OF
what the final judgment of the people
may be as to methods employed il
ending the war.
No soldiers ever bore themselves With
more daring or gave more evidences Of
dashing valor than the American regu'
lars and volunteers in the Philippines
The fact that the actual conquest anC
domination of those islands would have
taken years and a largely increased
army conveys no rejection upon the
gallantry of our soldiers or the success
that attended their every battle with
the insurgents. With only a fraction OF
the number of men that England EN-
ployed to subdue Burmah or France tC
take Madagascar the small American
army has been ever victorious over al
insurgent force fighting on the defen'
sive and containing fully twice the
number of electives that were en-
3 braced in the American army. Con
trasttng this exploit with England's
long and bitter experience in the Sou
dan and the still unfinished task which
France has in Tonquin, it will be seer
+ that the American soldier has done his
full duty in the matter of colonial eX-
pansion, and If the propriety of the
policy and its continuancy shall be mat
ters of severe controversy in the mex
campaign, no sort of reflection upoI
these soldiers will be thought or i'm
Z piled. They have done their full duty
whatever may be said of the policy o
( expansion for which they fought or thu
administration which sent them to bat
y tie in the far off Oriental jungles
III With the practical closing of extern
sive operations in the islands the ques
ton of the time for the return of noun
tain volunteers again comes uppermost
1t is not probable that they can com
home any earlier than has been pre-
viouSly suggested. 1t VIII take aDou
GO DAYS for the reinforcementS to arriv
for the relief of the volunteer regi
ments. But the cessation of hostilitie
WILL of course, operate to render certain
the return of the volunteers.
1t is no secret that the republican
leaders have a project to add Port
Rico (and perhaps HawaiD to the uniol
of states at the next session of con
gress The Porto Rico proposition i
pretty well defined. The island will b
first given an experimental govern
ment something like the very queer O.!
existing in the District of Columbia
After a year or so of this sort of gov
eminent Gin which the people are d
utterly voiceless as in any imperia
despotism on earth) it is believed III
island may be prepared for statehoo'
and for allegiance to the republican
party. That party is already organized
in the island, and carpet-baggers cal
we'll expect to have fine time of ii
as Porto Rico would be entitled to tWl