Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1899-07-26
TRUTH KEPT SECRET.
GEN. OTIS is ACCUSED OF HID.
ING FACTS
Newspaper Men at Manila File a
Formal Protest Against Distortion
of Their Press TeIegrams-Dispat
Via Hong Kons. startles WasIingt ton
Washington special.

Washington special:
The protest received at Washington by
cable via Hong Kong, from newspaper
correspondents i'll Manila against the CEN
sorship established by Gen. Otis has
caused a profound sensation In Govern
ment circles
The protest sets forth that news has
been suppressed and that the newspaper
men have been compelled Ito participate
IN Misrepresentation" by the action of the
censor in ''excising or altering uncontro-
verted statements of fact" 1ne protest
is signed by John =. Dunning, Robert NJ
Collins and l.. Jones of the Associated
Press: Il. S. Keene of the Scripps- McRae
Association, Oscar X. Davis and F. G..
Mcdonnell of the New York Sun, John
f. Bass and Will Dinwiddie of he New
York Herald, John L. McCutchcon and
Harry Arm strong of the Chicago Record,
and Richard Ill. Little of the Chicago
Tribune
That the telegraphic reports of Gen.
Otis We're censored at the War Depart
ment was well known, but the impression
has been that newspaper correspondents
We're permitted to send about what they
wanted to, provided they avoided men
tioning future military movements.
The disclosures of the extent to which
Gen. Otis has deprived the country of
proper information have confirmed a
quiet belief that the general in command
was afraid to have the truth known, and
1t is believed his official dispatches have
been distorted to conceal his mistakes in
the belief that the censorship would pre-
vent the press correspondents from send
ing the facts
1T has been general maxim among
army men that newspaper correspondents
are privileged to give actual results of
battles i'll their own language, the censor
snip being restricted to the prevention of
the news of future military movements
from reaching the enemy.
Otis hapes the News
Gen. Otis has apparently proceeded far
beyond this, and has assumed to dictate
what shall be sent and how the story
shall be told. 1t seems to be well under
stood about the department that Gen.
Otis has made serious blunder in at
tempting to deceive the people of the
United States as TO the situation in the
Philippines, for now even his truthful
pie will naturally think the conditions on
the island much worse IAN they really
are
1t has been painfully felt at the War
Department that Gen. Otis made Il mis-
take III not getting out to the firing line
now and then, but as the insurgents were
north, south and east of Manila it was
supposed that he felt he could best direct
operations from the city. The failure of
one strategical movement after another
was plainly evident, and yet the general
continued to send in the most optimistic
reports.
The result of the formal protest by the
correspondents has been to cast suspicion
on the official reports of Gen. Otis as to
the situation, and it is admitted that now
the only course will be for the President
to interfere and modify the censorship at
Manila, so that the correspondents may
be permitted to describe the situation as
it is, which will be a salutary check on
the commanding general
1t would not be at all surprising if the
explosion should result in the recall of
Gen. Otis before the rainy season ends.
1t is recognized that his usefulness will
be destroyed as soon as the people learn
that he has Systematically deceived them
as to the situation in Luzon.
Army men say the published protest
will do a vast amount of harm, and they
think the correspondents should have ca
bled the President direct, and thus have
avoided scandal.
Ignore Round Robin.
AT the regular semi-weekly cabinet
meeting Tuesday an extraordinary prob
lem of the Philippine war presented it
self The newspaper correspondents
''round robin" was by far the most per-
picking question the President and his
cabinet had met in many days. The cabi-
net was divided as to the manner of deal
ing with it. The members condemned it
to man in private conversation Two
members expressed opinions in favor of
deporting the correspondents. But in all
these expressions there was sober ad-
mission that public opinion as to the
rights and limitations of the press in war
have greatly changed since Gen. ''Tecum-
seh' Sherman disciplined Whitelaw Reid
and Gen. Jeff G. Davis sent the late
Joe" McCullagA out of camp in a rag
ing snowstorm one night.
1t was stated at the War Department
Tuesday that no attention whatever
would be pad to the ''round robin" of the
Manila correspondents. The protest was
not sent to Gen Otis, and it is said win
not be- and Gen Otis will not be called
upon for an explanation. In addition to
this it was intimated that very encour-
aging news had been received from the
Philippines,