The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-07-22
KICK ON GEN.. OTIS:
NEWSPAPER CORRESPONDENTS Or
JECT TO THE CENSORSHIP.
People OF the United states Deceived
\. to the Real Condition of Affairs
Declaration That the Situation
IL ssWell in Hand0 IL Erroneous
Gen. Otis Ultra-Optimistic Dis
i, patches and the Doctored Stories
of the Correspondents Have Mis-
represented the Conditions.

Manila, July II, via Hongkong, July
19.-The constantly increasing strict
ness of the censorship Of press dis
patches from Manila which has pre-
vented the cabling to the United!
States of anything that did not reflect
official views of important events and
conditions, resulted in a united effort
on the part of correspondents here to
secure an abatement Nof the rigor Of
the censorship. The initiative in this
direction was taken a month ago and
has resulted in the framing of a state.
mcnt which was presented on Sunday,
July 8, to Maj. Gen. Otis, with a re-
quest for permission to telegraph it to-
the United States. The correspondents
also asked that they be SLOWED to
cable to their respective papers all
facts and the different phases of
events as they %transpired here. The
correspondents had two long inter
views with Gen. Otis, in the course Of
which they comploined that the evil
dent purpose of the censorship was not
to keep information from the enemy,
but to keep from the public a knowl-
edge of the real condition of affairs
here. 1t was also asserted by the cor
respondents that newspapers printed
i'll Manila, which reach the enemy
quickly, are permitted to publish
statements similar to those which cor
respondents are forbidden to cable. 1t.
was made clear to Gen. Otis that the
objection vas to the system and not to
the censor. Gen. Otis finally promised
greater liberality, agreeing to pass ALI
matter that he might consider not
detrimental to the interests Of the
United States. Gen. Otis appointed
Capt. Green, of his staff, censor. The
statement of the correspondents is as
follows:
The undersigned. being all staff correspond
ents at American newspapers. stationed at
manila, unite in the following statement:
We believe that owing to official dispatches
from Manila made public in Washington the
people of the United States have not received
a correct impression of the situation in the
Philippines. but that these dispatches have
shared hr = a erug', omcer. IN the ! a q rs not
We believe that the dispatches incorrectly
represent the existing conditions among the
moralizatien resulting from the American cam
paign and to the brigand character of their
army.
We believe the dispatches err In the declara-
tion that 1.-THE situation is well in hand and
the assumption that the insurrection can be
speedily ended without a greatly increased
lOTCe.
We think the tenactiy of the Filipino purpose
has been underestimate. and that the state
ments are unfounded that volunteers are will
ing to engage in further service.
The censorship has compelled US to particle
pate In these Misrepresentation by excising
or altering uncontroverted OH the
plea, as Gen. Otis stated, that they would
alarm the people at home or have the peo-
pie of the United States by the ears"
Specifications: Prohibition of hospital reports;
suppression of full reports of field operations in
the event Of failure; numbers of heat pros
t~rations in the field: systematic intimidation
of naval operations and suppression of COM
plete reports of the situation.
John T. McCutcheon.
Harry Armstrong, Chicago Record.
Oscar X. Davis.
p. G. Mcdonnell, New York Sum-.
Robert NJ. Collins. -.
John p. Dunning.
Il. Jones. The Associated Press.
John F. Bass.
Will Dinwiddie. New York Herald.
Ed. S. Keene. Scripps-McRae Assn.
Richard Little. Chicago Tribune.