The Portland daily press., 1899-12-04
WAR A GOOD LESSON.
Gen. Otis Thinks IL Just As Well
Fuipinos Were Beaten At Once.

wsship gton, Dsosmber 2.-Ths report Of
Gen. OTIS on the Opera tions In the Phil
ippines up to August 3ist last has besn
made public BY the war department.. 1t
Ia volume Of 27s pages with an appendix
OF minor reports almost as large. Tie
report 10 q chronological reoapitulation
OF events In the island since Gen. Otis
took command. One of the most interest
Ing features 10 the Immense amount of
detail involved In Gen. Otis's admins.
tratiou Of the affairs of the island.
Gen. OTIS throws some light on his
Chinese exclusion act, declaring 1t mat
ter OF public policy. He goes at some
length into the racial difficulties between
the Filipinos and the Chinese, explaining
that strong prejudice against the Chinese
prevailed among the natives because OF
the success and INSCRIPTIONS dealing Of
the Cinnamon In all trade matters. Gen.
Otis says that In view Of the race hatred
between the Cinnamon and the natives,
as well as the factional differences amon2
the Cinnamon Themselves, which some
times broke out In open riot and blood
shed, he deemed Ii expedient to apply the
American immigration laws to the isl
and. This was done and arrangements
have been made for Identifying such
Cinnamon az have rights Of prior resi-
dence In the islands so that no unnecessary
hardships may be worked.
The correspondence BETWEEN Gen. Otis
and Agninaldo before the outbreak of
active hostilities occupies space and mo re
is taken up with the detailed accounts
of the various engagement. In oonneo
ton with the Filipino uprising In the
suburbs of Manila, on the night of Feb
ruary q. Gen. Otis prints the translation
of zone Of Aguinsldo's proclsmations
which melted this demonstration. The
paper fortunately was discovered on the
18th and the plans Of the insurgents were
check mated. 1t called for the assem-
bling of the Manila militia In the rear
Of the American outpOsts. At the sounu
OF attack from outside the insurgents in
the city were to fall ON and butcher the
whole of the foreign population, respect
ing nothing but native Filipino families.
All :hs jail prisoners were TO be released
and armed to assist In the massacre.
The plan was successful In 90 fur as about
1000 armed insurgents assembled behind
the American line. In the light of that
night and the following day about 800 OF
these were killed.
Gen. Otis relates infinitely the Difficult
ties encountered in dealing with foreign
merchants, whose business was utter
fered with by the war. the outlining OF
plans of revenues and customs; the uego-
tiations with the Sultan of Sulu, from
whom. he says. Gen. Bates secured more
concession in month than Spain had
been abls to secure In 800 yea!s; the in
stitution of town governments. the estab-
lishment of schools and caring for a large
number of prisoners both Spanish and
native.
In concluding his report Gen. Otis says
that it may prove fortunate that AguinRl-
dos insurreotion was not stamped out
instanter upon lite inception. He states
that the natives throughout the island
have peacefully and even gladly accepted
American occupation Of their towns
whenever the American troops appeared
and that they have learned by experiences
that the insurgents have made special
ty of murder, outrage and robbery under