The Irish standard., 1900-05-12
GENERAL OTIS COMING HOME.

the united states transport Meade. 1t
is unnecessary to say that on his ar
rival he will not be greeted as "a con-
quering hero" like Admiral Dewey
There was no regret at his departure
from the Philippines by American SOL
diers but it is safe to say that the in
surgents heaved deep sigh when they
heard of his leaving for home, for they
were able to play hide-and-seek will,
him to their hearts content. His sue
cessor, Major-General Macarthur, will
be apt to keep them more on the run.
In dispatch from Washington we are
told that President Mckinley is proud
of Otis. If he is, he stands almost
alone in his admiration of him. The
order issued by the war department re-
lieving Otis of his command states that
"t!le president directs that this order re-
cord his high appreciation of that Of
fcer's distinguished and successful SER
eyices in the Philippines in both civil and
military administration, and they entitle
him to gratitude and honor from his
country" We think the president over
estimates his services. He merely car
ried out to the best of his ability the
instructions received from Washington,
and the discharge of his prescribed du-
ties may entitle him to the gratitude OF
his masters, but certainly not to the
honor of his country.
Ensign Fred Perkins, of the United
States navy, who arrived in San Fran
cisco on the same day that Otis left
Manila, does not agree with the presi-
dent in his high estimate OF this mill
tary satrap. He says that officers in
the Philippines are resigning by the
hundreds, but that Otis sent only few
of the designations to Washington.
There are, according to Ensign Perkins,
between 500 and 600 volunteer officers
now at the front who desired to come
home for the reason that it is sure death
from disease to remain in the islands
under existing conditions.
''The trouble u.s." said the young Off
Ger, that the boys are not permitted to
go after the enemy and finish them, as
is generally understood to be the thing
in warfare. They have to do a sort of
police duty and that means lying in
rain-soaked camps and only occasional
ly having brush with the enemy. Death
from disease always stares them in the
face. When man gets sick he is sent
to hospital and gets excellent treat
ment, but when he becomes GONZALES
cent and needs to be built up he has no
chance. A run up to Kobe or Yoko-
hama would give him fresh air and a
change and brace him up, but he can
not get it, The hospital ship that
| ought to be there for that work lies here
in harbor and has been here for months.
The men want either to fight or to
come home"
General Otis would not permit them
to do one thing or the other, but kept
them against their will to die in the
breeding swamps of the volcanic
islands of the Pacific. Is it for this
service that Otis is entitled to the graft
tude and honor of his country? What
has he done from first to last to deserve
anything but contempt from the Amer
lean people? He ought to have been
removed for incompetency long time
ago.
General Macarthur, who succeeds
him, IS the youngest n1ajor-general OF
the line, and a superior man to Otis in
every respect. He is born fighter who
won his spurs in the fercest battle of
the Civil War. AS adjutant of the
Twenty-fourth Wisconsin, or Milwau-
llee regiment, he rapidly made name
for himself. He was in the thickest of
Sheridan's fight at Stone river, and on
that occasion it was commanded by the
major of the regiment, assisted by Ad-
jutant Macarthur. The brigade of
which the regiment formed a part was
attacked in the rear on account of the
turning of the right flank of the Union
line. General Joshua Sill, the brigade
commander, was killed at the beginning
of the battle, and during the course Of
the day the brigade formed in line I'M
der fire seven times. The Twenty
fourth Wisconsin lost half its men, but
Macarthur came through without a
scratch, and his daring work made him
the hero of the regiment from that time
forward. In his official report of the
battle Major Hubbard said: "To the
adjutant of the regiment am more than
indebted for his aid and efficient service
rendered during the engagements. be-
speak for him an honorable military
career"
At the battle of Missionary Ridge the
Twenty-fourth Wisconsin advanced up
a steep hill in a charge to which that OF
San Juan has been likcned. The ground
was so rough and broken that the men
could not maintain their line, and they
were exposed to raking fire from the
enemy's guns, but they carried the
heights. MacArthur's part in that af-
fair is related by record in the war
department, which reads: Medal Of
honor awarded to Arthur Macarthur fol-