Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-09-28
i, REMARKABLE INTERVIEW.

I'm an interview with General OTIS, ca
bled 10 the New York Sun by its Mania
correspondent. the General is quoted as
saving that the question is whether al
ter all. IL would be wise to hasten the
ending of the insurrection; for with the
execution of a few robbers and adVeh-
turers. the people grow sicker and more
diseusted with independence every DAY
they have 1t. II believe" continued Ous'
CHAT II the instruction is not ended
too soon. the Filipinos will be so heartily
sick of independence that there VIII
never be any more trouble on that
score"
Then. after declaring that independence
"vas a craze with the Filipnos,' the
doughty General went on TO advise that
the President recommend noD-acuon on
the part OF Congress in Philippine al
fairs. adding that ''if Congress passes
resolution that there shall be no legisla-
ton concerning the Philippines until the
insurrection is ended by absolute and I'M
conditional surrender, that will be the
death-b,ow TO the insurgent cause
What General Otis says about the ad-
visibility of not Fastening the ending OF
the 'insurrection" IS puzzling and mud
ding. Considering the botch he has
made of the Philippine campaign, we
can well understand his desire to ineul-
cate the impression that 1t would be wise
10 spin it out. 1t would be very good
thing for Otis's reputation If the Ameri-
can public could be befooled into believ'
ing that there was method In his not
having done what it has been shown he
WAS incompetent to do--that is, bring the
insurrectlon to a speedy termination. i
seems natural that he should strive t
Dut the American public under the spell
Of the halucination that what has beer
criticised as his laundering was strategy
and that behind 1t was far-seeing mill
,ary genius and craftsmanship. From
this viewpoint we are justified in saying
that General Otis intended by implica
ton TO state that he, hasn't ended tn
philippine war because he didn't wan
10.
But. on the other hand and here tn
puzzle and the muddling process comes In
Il is very certain that failure to en-
the war before now has materially In
tured Mr.. McKinley's political prospects
and that the result Of delaying the Ell
much longer may wreck them. tn
administration appears 10 make no Sc
cret OF a recognition OF the latter fac
What is more, the masses in this coun
try irrespective of party, are demandin
that the war be speedily ended. The
are getting tired OF the burdens II ha
already imposed, and are becomin
alarmed at the prospect of those 1t wi
continue 10 pile up pro rata with II
lengthening out. Otis Is concede
fayorite and confidant OF the admins
tration's. Ills utterances have come I
be accepted as having been inspired froi
washington. II is known that he Ia
always responded with alacrity to an
suggestions from that quarter as TO wha
reports he should make or the views
should express in the interest OF NJ
Mckinley. Hence, his language toucf
ing the question Of ending the war
calculated 70 place the President In II
light OF not wanting TO end 1t. Nhe
we take into account the conditions an
circumstances that surround the admir-
istration, and the trend of popular sent
rnent, that particular part OF the intel
view under discussion is almost incon
prehensible. IL can only be explainc
upon the hypothesis that Otis has mil
understood hints. or in an unguarde
moment has been guilty Of the indiscr
ton OF the parrot, which led to its d.
featherlng al the hands OF the monke
And. Ia any event. We cannot seq no
Mr.. Mckinley. n he has due regard Il
his own Interest. can avoid slightly d
fea'hering Otis by calling him down.
As FOR the rest OF the interview, 81
very clear. 1t contains what is tant,
mount 10 an admission that the admit
sHtration never contemplated Fillpir
Independence" virtually says to Co
Ssess that Il would be presumption {