The age-herald., 1902-03-19
NATIVE OFFICERS
 CAN'T BE TRUSTED
General Otis Hasn't Much Con
 fidence in FiIipinoS
BEFORE SENATE COMMITTEE
Says They Received Lot of Arms From Hong Kong Shipped Aboard an American Vessel Which
 Landed at Bataneas.

Washington, March 1S.-Major General Otis again appeared before the Senate committee on the Philippines today. When he left the Philippines in May, 1900, General Otis said that the army had dis posed of all of Aguinaldo's army. Quiet prevailed during the months of May and June. and hardly a shot was fred It was safe to go to all parts of Luzon and other islands. and a very large trade had been set up; also the Supreme Court and courts of first instance in seven of the ninteen provinces of Luzon.
 General Otis, answering a question by Senator Culberson, said he never trusted native officers because they were too trust their loyalty, but they treated their captives with. too much cruelty. "They were as bad as the insurgents" said he
 War Has Ceased.
 When he left the Philippines, he said, "the 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 force he declared to be very necessary, and he said there was no peace in Manila until the native rolice was organized. General Otis said that when he left Manila he apprehend- ed further trouble because there was a certain element which dominated the ignorant class.
 Asked by Senator Hale where the sup niles a of the insurgents came from. General Otis said they receiV- cd 25O0 rifles from Admiral Dewey, and they also -ecol ] from Hong Kong cer- tain arms shipped aboard an American vessel which landed at Batangas. They had received some arms from Japan and had captured some from the Spaniards at small garrisons which they attack ed. He said the merchants gave him more trouble than the insurgents them selves.
 The troops of the United States, he said, had tpeated the Filipinos with the great est kindness. Every statement of harsh treatment he heard of had been investi- gated.
 '1n fact" said he. we were laughed at by the Spaniards and the European army officers for the humanity we exer- cised."
 Unfit for Freedom.
 As to the capacity of the Fiipinos for government, he said that Aguinaldo's former secretary of state had told him that 1t would take one hundred years to accomplish this. General Otis said the Filipinos were not capable of self-govern- ment. The Filipinos. he said, understand that they must have protection because other nations would divide up the islands. but they were desirous of making the best possible terms they could with the Uni ted States. Their idea was to have control of the internal affairs of the island, but protection outside.
 General Otis testified, in response to questions by Senator Rawlins, that he between General Merritt and Aguinaldo, but he recalled Aguinaldos reply to a communication to an agreement that the insurgent forces should withdraw to a certain designated place.
 He had himself directed -Aguinaldo to withdraw to the suburbs of Manila out side of the American defenses, according to the terms of the protocol with Spain. This was not only a military necessity but in accordance with right and duty. No country 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 with drawal was made solely in the interest of peace. The actual occupancy of Manila, General Otis said he considered danger ous. He based his whole action on the protocol as he understood it.