The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-10
GENERAL Otis EXPLAINS
Minister WIS Letter Did Not
Cause Any Indignation.
Not Disturbed Because of the COM
municntiOn Read Mt n Recent Ban
auet - Reasons for His Action in
the Philippines - An Apology Made
by the Chinese Representatives

| WlLKESBARRE. Feb. S.-Maj. Gen. E. S.
| Otis, who is here today. does not consider
| as serious matter Minister Wu's rather
| curt refusal to attend the Society of the
Genesee banquet. where General Otis was
guest of honor because he thinks Otis
| was unjust to Mongolans in the Philip
| pines. General Otis says the letter has
| caused no particular indignation in the
| diplomatic circles.
AT the banquet the letter caused a
| laugh and not Indignation" he said. 81
am on the best of terms with Minister
| WI and I do not believe the Administra-
tion will find any cause for breaking off
the pleasant .elations that have always
existed between it and himself. Regard
ing my action in excluding Chinese from
the Philippines. | want to say that there
are in the city of Manila no less than 40,
coo Chinese and about $4,000 altogether In
| the Philippines. No one OF them who had
gone away at the outbreak of the trou-
bles over there and who had interests in
the islands was ever prohibited by me
from returning | was on good terms with
the Chinese Consul and he understood that
bidding new delegations to come in. 1t
was matter for serious consideration, as
there was great enmity between the ma
tves ana the Chinese"
He denounced those who are declaring
he is giving encouragement to the anti
imperialists, and said:
THE fact is that i look forward to a
happy outcome over there in the near
future. What | mean by that is this:
Early in my experience in the islands / |
found that our fiercest antagonists were
the Tagals. They are unquestionably the |
righteSt-minded of all the natives. After |
while their leaders began to realize what |
the true intention of this Government was, |
that it desired to lift the natives from |
their degraded condition into the light |
OF civilization, with all the privileges tat |
such condition involves. AS soon as the |
Tagal leaders comprehended this. they |
at once fell into line with the American |
idea and today are the strongest friends |
the American Government has in the ISL |
ands.'
VIII their influence do much toward |
establishing final peace o.
Yes. indeed. Il is being revealed every |
day. There is one man over there. Ar
reliaro, the chief justice chosen by the |
people. who is one of the brightest men I |
ever met. He knows the Spanish law as a |
child his A B C's.' He is a powerful man.
and may be depended on to help this Gov
ernment all he can.
The leaders want American protection
until they can bring about thorough I'M
Outstanding among all the natives as to
the exact designs Of this Government. AZ
ter that everything will run along smooth
" The end. of course means Self-gov-
eminent under American protection which
the intelligent people greatly desire.
THE Administration has full Informal
ton of what will follow the flag in he
Far East, and I have that confidence in it
to believe that sooner than most people
think. the followers of Asuinaldo will de-
sert his standard, peace will be estab-
lished, ard prosperity viii come to many
who are not natives. Time will bring
serene and promising conditions"
Without solicitation Minister WI Ting7
fang has made an explanation to the State
Department of his criticism of Major Gen
eral Otis for excluding Chinese from the
Philippines. and it is probable that the
incident viii be passed over without any
official action being taken.
MIR. WI has disavowed any intention to
criticise or find fault with the Government
of the United States. It is understood
that Mr.. WI believed that the policy of
excluding Chinese from the Philippines
originated with General Otis and not with
the War Department or any other branch
of the Government, and in speaking OF |
General Otis having been ill advised IL |
ID understood that there was in Mr.. Wu's
mind an idea that some local representa-
lions regarding the Philippines had oper-
ated on General Otis to induce him to cx-
clude the Chinese. Mr.. WI also explained
that he regarded as personal his letter
to the Society of the Genesee declining to
meet General Otis, and did not think 1t
would be published