The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-06-13
OTIS SAYS WAR IS OVER.
NOTHING But ROBBER BANDS
ARE LEFT
Aguinaldo cuts 40 Ice. and Is Gener-
ally iscredited-Great Success I'm se-
curing Filipino Arms-Other Views.

SAN FRANCISCO, June 5.-Gen. El-
well Stephen Otis was released from
quarantine on board the transport
Meade yesterday. and was escorted
ashore by General Shafter
OF the state of affairs there he said:
"The insurrection in the Philippines
has been over for some months, and
there is no danger of another rebellion,
for the simple reason that the rebel
army has been completely shattered
and all the leading rebels captured or
killed. 1t is true that there are a NUM-
Der of armed bands of thieves in vari-
Gus parts of the islands whom the in
surrectionists claim to be still loyal to
the Filipino cause, but that this is not
so is proved by the fact that the natives
themselves in many instances, ask us
for protection from their raids and law
lessness. Even these bands are on the
run, however, and we are keeping after
them and gradually stamping them out
Of existence. The so-called Filipino
government has ceased to exist for a
long time, and we are now engaged in
protecting those who demand from us
immunity from the outrages perpe-
trated upon them. Peace has been prac-
tically restored all through the ISLANDS
and the Filipinos generally have re-
turned to their Vocations, thoroughly
content to submit to the authority Of
the United States. Trade conditions are
gradually being restored to their normal
state and there is d much better feel
ing everywhere. OF course, much re-
mains still to be done before we can
afford to rest upon our oars, but there
is every indication that the worst is over
and that a new era is dawning for the
people Of our distant possessions. That
they, too, feel this is evident from the
manner in which they are cooperating
in our efforts to better their condition.
The most encouraging sign, in my
opinion, is that for the past few months
the natives themselves have been Civ
ing us information for the purpose of
helping us to break up the bands of
ladrones and robbers who have infested
the country since the Filipino army was
disbanded Formerly we could not get
a native to tell us anything, and were
consequently badly handicapped. Re-
Gently, however they have begun to
realize that it is to their best interests
to put a stop to the frequent raids Of
these bands of marauders, and they
have shown a disposition to aid us to
attain that end. Within the past three
months owing to this cause, we have
captured more arms than during the
whole of the campaign up to that date.
In almost every instance the informa-
ton as to where they were secreted
came lIOlll lIltHulN natives. fOI almost
two years the Filipinos refused to be-
lieVe in the promises which we made
to protect them against the insurrec-
tOs; but once the rebel army was scat
tered and our supremacy became as
sured, they readily understood what
was best for their interests, and acted
accordingly. There are a few outlying
districts still in which the ladrOnes have
so terroriZed the natives that they are
afraid to follow the dictates of their
common sense, but these are rapidly be-
ing cleaned out, and it is only a ques-
ton of a few months before our troops
will have all the arms gathered in and
the ladrones scattered to the four
Winds"
Speaking Of Aguinaldo and the dis
patch published to the effect that the
rebel leader had been killed by a de-
tachment OF the Thirty-third Infantry
under Major March last month, General
Otis said: "Aguinaldo does not cut any
figure in the rebellion any longer, and
his life or death are matters OF perfect
Indifference, so far rs the ultimate re-
suit is concerned. He has been politi-
cally dead ever since the backbone of
the rebellion was broken. He never did
amount to anything in my opinion; for
he was only the figurehead of such men
as Mabini and Buencamino, who were
the real brains of the insurrectionists.
BY the way, Buencamno wanted to
come over here with me, but l declined
to bring him along"