The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-06-08
PRESTIGE LOST.
Otis Says AguinaldO No Longer
Has Confidence of His People.

Chicago, June S.-Major General z.
S. Otis Of the United States army ar
rived at 7:20 this morning from San
Francisco and Manila, and left at 10:30
for Washington. Mrs. Otis and daugh-
ter arrived in Chicago last night from
New York and the general and his
wife AMI daughter spent the hours be-
tween trains together, the ending of
a separa ton of two years.
General Otis declined to enter into a
detailed interview, saying it would not
be consistent with his position as an
officer to enter into any extended dis
course regarding the situation in the
Philippines before reaching Washing
ton. He said he was perfectly willing
to talk IL a general way, however. The
general was apparently IN the best of
health and confirmed his appearance
by saying he had not been i'll a day
since he left for the Philippines and at
the present was enjoying the best of
health.
L left the Philippine situation in the
best of hands, he said. The officers
are ali able men and we'll qualified to
cope with the different questions and
situations that may arise The war is
over This guerilla warfare cannot last
| long. To be sure we will have to re-
press those people for a number of
years, but there is no organized force
of F'ilipinos. The depredatiOns that
are now going on are conducted by
robbers and ladrones. The United
States troops are now engaged in de-
Tending the inhabitants of the Philip
/ pines against robbery and murder COM
| mitLed by their own people. But the
| conditions are generally improving, and
! in some parts are better than they have
| ever beer.
I'VE have 55, 900 effective troops under
arms in the Philippines; estimates re-
! garding the number of inhabitants in
/ the islands are all wild but the number
/ is considered to be between six and sew
4 en- million. The great majority of the
| people desire peace and wish to again
/ take up their business pursuits. Bust
/ ness in Manila has again resumed ac-
/ tivity and the inhabitants are peaceful
! ly pursuing their aVocations-
Il do not know where Aguinaldo is. I
/ never saw him personally. 1t is posi-
! bic but not probable that Aguinaldo is
! in the Cagayan sections of northern Lu-
ION. It is a rough, mountainous country
and very sparsely settled. At first he
| was regarded by his people as a leader,
| but of late he is losing prestige and is
not held in such high regard.
Funston is now in the BuIacan sec
! ton. I will say I am not going into
any personalities whatever. The off
GERS in charge are all capable men,
Stories have been circulated about
| depredations committed by men of our
! army, but they have been false. Our
men have been held under close re-
straint and have conducted themselves
like soldiers.
Il can't see that the administration
| or our distinguished secretary of war
has made any mistakes in this cam
| paign. We may have made mistakes
| over there, but if so they have been the
result of human liability to comHit
error.
Official reports of the warfare have
! not been exaggerated especially of late
/ am not cOnversant with the newspaper
reports. Although I received American
newspapers, had not the time to perust
them. The censorship has not been rigi(
and we assisted the newspaper eorrespon
dents all we could. OF course some sen
satiOnal kilograms were sent, as it wa,
very difficult for newspaper men to Sc
cure correct versions regarding our oper
atoms, as they were SO extended, but W,
helped them wherever we could.
I have no idea as to my course aftel
I reach Washington. I have received NJ
orders and I simply await the command.
of my superiOrs.
My wife and daughter will not accom-
pany me to Washington They will re
turn to New York today and / will joil
see them as this is the first time [ hay.
seen them in two years"
Regarding the situation in China, Gen
eral Otis said:
Il know very little about the Chimes
question. ] left Manila early in May be
| fore the recent complications in that coun
| try had reached the present critical stat
/ and 1 know very little about it. The sit
I uatiOn seems to be developing very gen
orally and all European nations are in
terested in it."