Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-03-20
PHILIPPINE WAR IS
DECLARED OVER
GENERAL OTIS SAYS PHILIPPINES
ARE IN STATE OF PERFECT
QUIET.

WASHINGTON, March 1S.-Major Cen
eral Otis again appeared before the senate
committee on the Philippines today. When
he left the Philippines in May, 1900. Gen
eral Otis said that the army had disposed
of all Aguinaldo's army, quiet prevailed
during the months of May and June, and
hardly a shot was fired. 1t was safe to
go to all parts of Luzon and other. islands,
and a very large trade had been estab-
lished. A civil government had been set
up. also the supreme court and courts OF
first instance in seven or the nineteen
provinces of Luzon.
General Otis, answering a question by
Senator Culberson,. said he never trusted
native officers because they were too cruel
TO their men. He sal he could trust their
| LOYALTY but they treated their capt1Ves
with too much cruelty. "They were as
bad as the insurgents" said he.
When he left the Philippines he says
the war; as war, had ceased
Answering a question by Senator Hale,
General Otis said he saw no difficulty in
Withdrawing a material number Of troops
from the islands. The native forces he
declared, TO be very necessary, and he
said there was no peace in Manila until
the native police was organized. General
Otis said that when he left Manila he
apprehended further trouble because there
was q certain element which dominated
the ignorant classes. The great major
ity, however, wanted peace, No armed
bands of any Importance, he said, were
opposed to the United States at that time.
Asked by Senator Hale where the sup
plies, money, arms, etc, of the insurgents
came from, General Otis said they receiv-
ed $500 rifles from Admiral Dewey and
they also received from Hong Kong GER
tain arms, shipped aboard an American
vessel, which landed at Batangas. They
had received some arms of a Japan and
had captured some from the Spaniards
at small garrisons which they attacked.
He said the merchants gave him more
trouble than the insurgents themselves.
The troops of the United States had
treated the Filipinos with the greatest
kindness. Every statement of harsh
treatment he heard Of had been inves-
tigated.
I'm fact" said he I'VE were laughed at
by the Spaniards and the European army
officers for the humanity exercised
AS to the capacity OF the Filipinos for
self government. he said that Aguinaldo' s
former secretary of state had told him
that II would take one hundred years to
accomplish this General Otis said that
the Filipinos were not capable of self
government. The Filipinos, he said, I'M
derstand that they must have protection,
because without 1t other nations would
divide up the island, but they were de-
they could with the United States. Their
idea was to have control of the internal
affairs of the island, but protection out
side.
General Otis testified, in response to
questions by Senator Rawlins, that he
knew very little of the correspondence
between Merritt and Aguinaldo, but he
recalled Aguinaldo's reply to a communt-
cation referring to an agreement that the
insurgent forces should withdraw to a GER
tain point designated. He had himself d.
.rected Aguinaldo to withdraw to the sub
urbs of Manila, outside the American dc
lenses, according to the terms of the pro-
tocoI with Spain. This was not only q
military necessity, but In accordance with
right and duty No nation in the world,
said he, except, the United States, would
have allowed those people to have hemmed
us in the way they did. The order for
their withdrawal was made solely in the
interests of peace.
The dual occupancy of Manila. General
Otis said, he considered dangerous. Hc
based his whole action, he said, on the
| protocol, as he understood 1t.