The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-06-11
OTIS is THANKED.
The President COmmends His
Services to the Country.

Washington, June 11.-Major General
E. S. Otis, accompanied by his aides,
Captain Sladen and Lieutenant Stanley,
reached Washington from his home at
Rochester, n. Y, where he stopped over
to visit Mrs. Otis and his children, at
7:45 this morning. He was met at the
station by Adjutant General Corbin
and General Swami and the party was
driven directly to the Arlington hotel.
After breakfasting General Otis re-
paired to the war department where he
formally reported to Mr.. Meiklejohn, as
acting secretary. Thence, General Cor
bin, escorted him and his aides to the
White House.
The president was in his private office
in close consultation with Senator Ali
son, Senator CulIom and Justice Har-
Ian, when the party arrived. General
Otis was easily recognized from his
photographs by the throng of callers
who were waiting in the ante-rooms
and although there was no actual dem
OnStratiOn in his honor, the keeneSt
curiosity was manifested and many of
the White House visitors crowded
around to catch a glimpse of the man
whose dispatches have been read with
much interest by the American people
during the past two years. General
lately uShered into the presidential
library where Mr.. Mckinley met him
with the utmost cordiality, congratu-
lating him upon his apparent good
health and thanking him several times
for his signal services to the country
General Otis made no report to the
president in detail, although the situa-
ton in the Philippines in a general way
was almost the sole theme touched
upon. After a few minutes the presi-
dent invited General Otis into his Office
and presented him to Senators Allison
and CullOm and Justice Harlan and for
over half an hour General Otis remain
/ ed talking over the situation in the
| Philippines.
The president and his visitors were
| intensely interested in what the gen.
eraI had to say and with his opinion of
the existing situation in the archi-
pelago. When General Otis left the
| White House he was naturally reticent
| concerning the subject of his interview
| with the president. But he did not hes
| itate to reiterate his statement made
repeatedly since landing at San Fran
| cisco that the Filipino rebellion as an
| organization was dead. He spoke OF
| the insurgents who still retained their
| arms as robbers and guerillas." Wher
| his attention was called to the views OF
| Judge Taft, the president of the Philip
| pine commission. in the Manila dis
patches, he expressed the opinion thai
they We're satisfactory. He said the
| I5n1IeQ states WCuiQ D6 compelled
| maintain in the Philippines for a con
siderable period as large an army a:
was there at present.
1.-The army" said he, will be needed
as a measure of repression until the
robbers and guerillas are stamped out
The maintenance of this large force i!
necessary owing to the vast extent o
territory which we must cover. w
have established ourselves in Negroes
| Cebu, Samar and many of the Othe
islands in addition to Luzon, and ar
today actually exercising effective au
thority over more territory than Spain
ever did,
General Otis said that practically al
the leaders of the inSurTection Wer
either dead, captured or pacified- TIL
recent capture of General Pillar De
Rio he thought had probably beel
1 effected with the consent of that gen
eraI So far as Aguinaldo himself wa
concerned. General Otis was not in
clined to credit the report of his death
In his opinion, it mattered littl
whether Aguinaldo was dead or alive
as his influence had been completed.
destroyed.
..Aguinaldo.' he said. lis probably i
hiding somewhere in the mountains o
northern Luzon, but he carries ittl
more influence than any other individ
ual at large He is discredited and
dead issue"
Asked as to whether in the event 0
more acute complications in China
troops cOuld pc spared Tor service 1hefs
Gen. Otis replied Possibly, posi-
; bly,"
Gen. Otis will leave tonight for Yves
, Point. where he will report in person t
Secretary Root He is completely in tn
dark as to his future assignment t
duty He will remain at West Poin
with the secretary until after the gradu
ating exercises are over and will reeur
to Washington with the secretary al
irving here on Thursday morning. whe
he will again call on the president an
make a report in detail of the opera
lions Of the army under his comman
and submit such suggestions and recon
: mendations as shall seem TO him proper
He viii leave here again Thursday nigh
for his old home at Rochester, where ex
, tensiye preparations are being made /
/ celebrate his home coming on Friday.