The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-05

SAN FRANCISCO. June 4.-Mai. Gen.
Elwell S. Otis landed today after be-
ing on the transport Meade twenty five
days and for five days close prisoner ct
the Angel Island quarantine station.
After few hours rest, he boarded tie
Eastern Overland. and at 6 o'clock started
on his trip to Washington. He was es-
corted from the quarantine station by
Major General Shafter and his aide. Lielt.
Eugene Wilson, of the Third Artillery.
In response to an enquiry whether lie
thought We ought to hold the Philip
pines. he said:
Hold them? Why, of course. We could
not let go now if We wanted to-"
AS to whether they were worth the
amount expended on them he was still
more positive.
Why" he said there is no question
about it The Philippines are immensely
rich and from a strictly commercial stand
point they are sure to be paying invest
ment. Just as soon as capital becomes in
terested l expect to see an immense
amount OF trade with the islands,"
he said:
The insurrection has been over for sew
eral months, and there is no danger of an
other rebellion, for the simple reason that
the rebel army has been completely shat
tered and all the leading rebels killed or
captured. 1t is true many armed bands of
thieves invest various parts of the islands,
whom the insurrectionists claim to be still
loyal to the Philippine cause. But that
this is not 50 is proven by the fact that tne
natives themselves in many cases ask US
for protection from these raids and law
lessness.
Even these bands are on the run, how
ever. and we are keeping after them and
gradually stamping them out of existence
The so-called Filipino government haA
ceased to exist for long time. Peace has
been practically restored all through thc
islands, and the Filipinos generally hare
returned to their avocations. thoroughly
content to submit to American authority
The most encouraging sign. in my
opinion. is that for the past few months
natives themselves have been giving us
information for the purpose Of helping US
bers who have infested the country since
the Filipino army was disbanded.
Within the past three months. owing
to this cause, We have captured more arms
than during the whole of the campaign
to that date. In almost every case the
Information as to where they were
secreted came from friendly natives. For
almost two years the Filipinos refused to
believe in the promise which We made
TO protect them against the Instruction
lists. But once the rebel army was scat
tered and our supremacy became assured
they readily understood what was hest
for their interests and acted accordingly.
There are a few outlying districts in
which the ladrones have SO terrorized tie
natives that they are afraid to follow tn =
dictates Of their common sense, but these
are rapidly being cleaned out. II Is only
question of a few months before cur
troops will have all the arms gathered in
and the ladrones scattered tc the four
wi;ds.
Considered as whole. the present sit
uation is eminently satisfactory. The
northern provinces have been Almost
cleared OF the Tagalos and the natives
there not only welcome the Americans, but
lend them every assistance in their pow er
The establishment of military government
east and west of the mountains will in the
near future be followed by that of a pro-
vincial civil government.
Reconstruction has already begun in
some provinces and will be in others very
shortly. Outside of Luzon there is de-
ci9ed tendency for the better everywhere
and everybody is anxiously awaiting the
time when American methods will oper-
ate without fear of Interruption
Speaking Of Aguinaldo and the despatch
published TO the effect that the rebel lead
er had been killed by detachment 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
as the ultimate result is concerned. He
had been politically dead since the back
bone of the revolution has been broken
He never did amount to anything in my
opinion. for he was only the fgurehead
for such men as Mabini and Buencamna,
who were the real brains of the insurre.-
tionists BY the way, Buencamino wan,.
ed to come over here with me, but de-
clined to bring him along"