The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1900-05-09

first bloody battle, in which at
least 5000 Filipinos lost their
lives, Gen. Otis in a dispatch
to the war department put the
feeling in this way: ''Belief of
old residents that Aguinaldo
will be unable to gather in
future any considerable force. :"
Washington became very sure
by March II that the end was
near, for a dispatch of that date
reads: ':The officials believe
that the climax may occur at
any hour. The indications are
that hostilities may end within
a very short time.''
For some reason the ''climax"
did not just then occur, but on
March "a it was given out at
Washington: ';Itis is believed
that afterGen Otis has delivered
his next blow the insurgent
army will have ceased to exist. ;"
Gen. Otis himself was very
buoyant in his dispatch Of April
3: s'Present indications denote
insurgent government in peril
Gus condition; its army defeated,
discouraged and scattered. In
surgents returning to their
homes.
The next day the war depart
ment assured the country of it's
"'conviction" that "the back
bone of the insurrection is
broken, and that the main body
of troops will surrender" Dur
ing April. Gen. Otis was conf
dent that only $4,000 American
soldiers would be necessary to
control the situation. He rather
scorned theid of having more
troops sent to him. Then came
these dispatches from Otis in the
usual optimistic vein:
manila. April 29.-Believe
insurgents tired of war
Manila, May s.-Signs Of in
surgent weakness more apparent
daily
"Manila, May 1l.-Signs of
insurgent disintegration daily
manifested"
The war department again
took a hand in the public conf
dence game on May IS: "The
(omciaD belief was expressed
that the end of the insurrection
was at hand
President Mckinley, it was
announced on August -, "be-
lieves that Aguinaldo is making
his last play, and that the war
will be over by November l.
He firmly credits this
During the summer, however,
it was decided to raise another
army of 10000 men to fight the
Filipinos, and this army was
sent to Gen. Otis, making his
total force about $4,000 men.
About the same time Secretary
Root announced (and most peo-
pie believed HIM that such war
as there might be in the Philip
pines was confined to one-tenth
of l per cent. of one tribe in the
one island of Luzon. Prof. Dean
C. Worcester explained the large
army under Otis as compelled
not so much by the fact that
there was any war as that the
United States was carrying on
the most humane military
operations known to mankind.
And the majority of people be-
lieved him also. The rainy sea-
son ended, and Otis's army of
over 10000 men started out, in
October last, to deal the final
crushing blows to the Tagal in
surrection. On November q
Gen. Otis seemed to have the
pretty we'll "done for
He wired to Washington:
'Their generals and troops in
small band scattered through
the provinces acting as banditti
Or dispersed
We had now reached the E:rob-
ber band' stage. 1t was re-
ported officially from Washing
ton on December y: "Organ-
lied rebellion no longer exists,
and our troops are actively pur-
suing robber bands.
On January I'd, Gen. Otis be-
gan the glad new year of 1900
by wiring to Washington: ':It
is believed that the Insurgents
are widely dispersed. The coun-
try is now covered by troops,
and our forces occupy Santa
Cruz"
Such is the story of great ey-