Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-06-12
President McKinley and His Advis-

PRESIDENT Mckinley anu HIS AdVls.
ers Loud in Praise Of Former
Commander.
Washington, June l2-Gen. Otis arr
rived in Washington yesterday and paid
his respects to the president soon after
reaching the city.
President Mckinley congratulated the
general upon his conduct Of affairs in
the Philippines, thanked him personally
and in the name of the government for
his distinguished services and enjoyed
an interview with him lasting nearly an
hour.
Not only the president, but all of the
high officials here who met Gen. Otis,
extended Fluctuations upon his success
in bringing order out of chaos IN the
Philippines In such a mastery manner
The general left for New York and
West Point last night, and after the.
great reception in Rochester on Friday
Will return to Washington and prepare
a formal report on affairs in our new
Oriental territory.
In the absence of Secretary of War
Root the general was welcomed by Adj
Gen. Corbin and Assistant Secretary OF
War Meiklejohn. Gems. Otis and Corbin
took luncheon together after they had
visited the white house.
Gen. Otis granted an interview last
evening. II was desired especially to
question him on the reports printed,
comprising resume of the situation by
a correspondent at Manila and dwelling
at length on the alleged unsa tisfactory
conditions now existing in Luzon and
neighboring islands.
There has been much comment in the
capital because of the strange coinci-
dence Of the arrival of Gen. Otis here
and the publication of this uncompli-
mentary correspondence concerning the
success of his work n.the Philippines. 1t
is understood the writer Of the article is
the leader of the famous round robin
episode in the Philippines a year or so
ago. he is no friend Of Gen. Otis, and If
his long letter published was meant to
injure the general this object was not
attained.
Gen. Otis said he knew the writer and
took the whole matter az an incident
that was not sufficiently important TO
Worry about.
Why" said he, anybody can go out
on the streets Of Manila and get any
kind Of story he likes. 1t is the east
sest thing in the world.
He talked freely of the allegation
made by the correspondent relative to
the existence of a secret organization
whose controlling power is said to be
vested in iunta whose headquarters
are mystery. He read that part of
the letter which said that this secret
organization amounts almost 10 gov
ernment, which exercises powers to
some extent and eilforces its DEGREES
over all of Luzon and most of the 9th
ier islands, which collects taxes here in
Manila and even gives receipts for du-
ties paid on the cargoes of native boats
This is no news to me" said the gem
ieral With a smile, land these secret or
EXAMINATIONS formed one of the earliest
obstacles With which we had to COM
pete. This was particularly so of A,e
khatapunan society mentioned in that
letter. We have been perfectly informed
about its organization and its work in
all of the islands. / know very we'll the
leader of the organization in Manila and
saw him frequently. We used to have
long talks, and / learned many things OF
lhe organization in this and other ways.
The society and its outgrowth re-
ferred to as having an unknown junta
| in command OF 1t are no more
TO be feared. They exist. to
be sure but we are in pos
session of perfect knowledge OF
their power and know full we'll how
when and where they operate. We hav,
been slowly undoing 1T, and while We
have not entirely crushed 1t out OF ex.
listenoe, it on longer Is the great power
THAT the khatapunan organization once
was. This society had wide organiza.
ton and was in the beginning grea'
and mysterious force among the Filipi
4 nos. We have clipped its wings and i
4 is simply absurd to contend that it 1!
4 now a menace to American authority.
4 The Fillpinos, Gen. Otis continued
4 ARE anxious to become Americanlzed
! tiieii leaders develop this tendency al
4 most as soon as they get within our in
3l5huence Their secretary OF state is nov
a first-rate speaker Of English and Is al
.|enthusinstic student of all things Amer
5I.ican. This is true with allsthe people
they are ambitious to learn and to i'm
prove themselves.
4 Asked about the probable length o
i time that large forces Of troops woul,
have to be kept in the Philippines. Ger
A Otis said:
u can not answer that question sat
! isfactorily. 1t takes a long time to com
Z pletely degenerate q foreign people an
\ accustom them To our new civilization
We have to do this In many ways an
with much care and thought. Their
are now 55 1000 troops in the Philippine.
I and suppose that as many as this wi
q have to be kept there for year o
& more l can not say, but there is N
way of being exact in determining no,
long it will lake to carry out redeveloI
Z ment. The majority OF the natives az
anxious for peace and prosperity, an
I the gradual subsistence of the guerrlll
warfare will bring about this deslrabl
end"
The general was askeu about Agul
naldo and said that that gentleman ha
been well-nigh forgotten. in 80 far a
!, his influence is concerned. He said tina
/ Aguinaldo had not any organizatio
about him FOR many months and tina
, there is no reason why that worth