The record-union., 1899-07-26
Trouble in the Philippines Liable to
Continue for Some Time,
According to a Correspondent Of a London
Paper Who is at Manila.
Says the Press Censorship Is So
Strict That It is Impossible to
Write About the True Situation
Also Asserts That the Volun-
teers Are on the Verge of
Mutiny.

LONDON, July pa private letter
received here to-day from a war cor
respondent at Manila nd dated June
18th, says:
There seems to be no end of the war
in sight. The censorship is constantly
becoming more troublesome. General
Otis recently established rule that
anything relating to the navy must be
taken to the commander of the fleet for
his approval and afterward submitted
to the military censor thus adding to
our difficulties For some reason, which
the censor would not explain, General
Otis refused to allow us to send the
death of the Monadnocks Captain
(Nichols) for two days after its occur
renee. The General also refused to let
us send news of the disappearance Of
Captain Rockefeller (April 2Sth) on the
ground that it would worry his family
the killing of Captain Tilley of the
Signal Corps until the next day The
correspondents are all very tired of
this arrangement. which simply means
that they must go out and run large
chances of getting shot several times
without being able to make regulations,
because their stories must always re-
fleet Otis views.
1T is impossible to write the truth
about the situation. The resources and
fighting qualities of the natives are
quite misunderstood by the American
papers, and we cannot write the facts
without being accused of treason; nor
can we tell of the practically unani-
nous objection to and dislike of the
war among the American troops The
volunteers, or at least portion OF
them, were at one time on the verge
of mutiny, and Unless General Otis had
begun sending them homewards there
would have been sensational develop
ments.
I'VE have been absolutely refused all
hospital figures
OTIS NOT TO BE RELIEVED.
NEW YORK, July pa special
from Washington says: -
The President has no intention of re.
lieving General Otis from the military
command in the Philippines. He had
thought seriously at one time of as
signing an officer of high rank to COM
mand the forces in the field, leaving
General Otis to perform the admins
trative duties of Governor General. The
President had two propositions before
iliiil, Ollt " Law lOll tllt COlH-
manding officer of the fighting forces,
and the other to send Merritt back to
his old place The latter appointment
would mean the subordination of Cen
eral Otis as Governor General to Gen
eral Merritt, who outranks him by reg
ular as well as volunteer title. Both
these ideas have now been abandoned
Speaking for the President, a Cabinet
officer said:
why should General Otis be relieved
unless he had some reason for asking
to be sent back to the United States?
The President has had no reason to find
fault with his work. 1t is true he has
not ended the war, but he has certainly
made much progress and has shown
himself equal to every emergency He
has certainly taken good care of the
troops and by the manner in which ne
has provided for his army has SHOWN
himself capable of handling large bod
les of men. He has made known his
general plans of the operations when
the campaign begins in the fall, and
the experts here, together with the
President consider that he has a thor
ough and practical program mapped out
for his future work.
ITO relieve him now would be an ad
mission that he had failed. We cannot
admit this, for certainly the official dis
patches from the Philippines show g
material extension of our line far be-
yond the points controlled by spain.
To place new commander in control
and make him independent of General
Otis would cause no end of friction.
There can be but one intrusted with
plenary powers. and ! can repeat that
the President is well satisfied to trust
General Otis with those powers"
Notwithstanding this administrative
view favorable to General Otis. it can
be stated that some officials here have
private information which tend to con-
firm the press reports of the unpopu
larity of General Otis with many Off
GERS of his command. One official show
ed me a letter to-day indicating a de-
cided lack of harmony between Cen
eral Otis and the division commanders.
One of the principal differences of opin-
ion related to the number of men re-
quired to subdue the rebellion. Most
of the division commanders thought
that there ought to be more troops than
the 10000 called for by General Otis,
and this doubtless accounts for the fact
that the President finally decided to
pTONluS Will til dilliy VI H''VN'
men.
BOIES CONDEMNS THE WAR.
CHICAGO, July pa Chronicle"
special from Waterloo, Ia, says:
Ex-Governor Boies. who is in the city,
was asked for his opinion regarding the
proper man for the Democratic stand
ard bearer for next year. He replied
that he did not care to express him
caJf oy, that DOjpt at raraCppt
What, In your opinion, should be the
cardinal plank in the Democratic plat
form for 19007' was asked
1.-The money question will undoubted-
ly be the main issue in the coming cam
paign. To win, Democrats must come
together on some basis on this ques-
ton, and being united on this and op,
posing a continuance of the slaughter
now being carried on in the Philippines,
we will certainly carry the day shud-
der when my mind turns to those poor
Filipinos whom we went to meet as
friends and are now shooting down like