Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-06-22
MAY CALL FOR MORE VOLUNTEERS.
IL Otis Says He Needs More Men,
Mckinley Will Issue n Call.

Mckinley Will Issue Call.
Washington, June 21.-"The slight
est lntimation from General Otis that
he wants more troops in addition to
| those he now has with him and those
| who are to be sent to him under the
recent order will be followed by a
| prompt call for volunteers. There will
he no further parleying with Aguinal-
do and his followers and no let-up in
the aggressive campaign which Cen
eral Otis is conducting"
So spoke one OF the most influential
members of the cabinet. He said the
country was ready to support the
president with all the troops he might
need.
1T is the intention of the president"
said he, ito use every means in his
power TO put down the rebellion in
the Philippines as promptly as possi-
bic just before the president went
away this subject was frequently dis
cnssed at cabinet meetings, and there
was no conflict of opinion as to the
ippines. The president is determined
to restore peace and order throughout
the islands il it takes ten times as
to the present time there has not been
a word or suggestion from General
Otis and the ranking officers of his
command indicating that the force
there is insufficient.
"l'hc president stands ready to call
for as many volunteers as may be nee
cssary to subdue the Filipinos, and
there is every reason to believe that
he can secure without delay all the
volunteers he may call for. This is
the true situation so far as the admin
istratIon is concerned, and il is unfair
and unjust to charge the president
with want of aggressivencss In deal
ing with this subject
Continuing, the cabinet officer said:
1.-The official and unofficial reports of
the engagements in the Philippines
have agreed in the statement that in
every encounter the American forces
have been victorious. With victory
upon victory reported from headquar
ters ii was fair to assume that the en-
envy would eventually become weary
of being thrashcd and finally recog-
nizc the powers and determination of
the American forces. Under the cir
cumstances there has thus far been
nothing TO Justify the president in
calling for more troops"
The official then made the statement
which begins this dispatch.
Why Mckinley Has Hesitated.
Thus far the president has hesitated
to use the power conferred upon him
by congress toaenlist $4,000 volunteers,
for the reason that he fears such
course would subject him to criticism
from those who see menace to free
institutions in every additional man
enlisted in the army, and who would
attribute to him imperialistic motives
il he should increase the effective
fighting force of the country to 100000
men. Being prcdisposed, for political
reasons to keep the army down to a
minimum, Mr.. Mckinley was con-
tirmed in his determination to avoid
calling for volunteers by the estimate
OF the force needed sent by Major Gem
eral Otis, especially as certain high Of
tcers of the army, ON whose advice the
president is accustomed to rely, were
of the opinion that General Otis had
put his figures high enough.
Recent events have shown that Gem
eral Otis, who has shown himself TO be
a capable officer in the management of
the Philippine campaign, has made a
serious mistake in estimating the
strength and endurance OF Asuinnl-
dos forces, and. with few exceptions,
the officers of the army ON duty in
Washington are of the opinion that it
would be a serious blundcr for the adj
ministration to delay giving General
Otis substantial reinforcements just
rs rapidly as men can be sent out on.
the transports. Even from a political
point of view it is believed that it
would be The part of wisdom for the
president to act promptly in calling
for more troops and sending General
Otis enough men to bring matters i'm
the Philippines 10 a conclusion in a
few weeks by administering to the
insurgents a succession of crushing de-