The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-04-29
PLEA FROM CHAFFEE.
Urges That He Be Permitted to Push
Campaign Against Moros.
Sends Report That Advance Has AL
ready Begun-President at First
Decides to Stop the Movement,
But Changes His Mind.

ready BeEun-President at First
Decides to- Stop the Movement,
But Changes His Mind.
Washington. April 80. = President
Roosevelt has decided to push vigor-
ously the military operations against
the Moros of Mindanao unless they
comply with Gen. Chaffees demand
for the surrender of the Moros who
murdered an American soldier. This
determination was reached at a con-
ference Tuesday between President
Roosevelt, Assistant Secretary of War
Sanger and Gen. Corbin. President
Roosevelt has decided that Chaffee's
plans for military expedition of 200
men into the interior of Mindanao
We're premature. Orders were accord
tngly forwarded to Manila recalling the
troops and directing that no further
military steps be taken until every pa
cific course had been exhausted The
president felt that war with the Mo-
hammedan tribes of N1indanao might
be averted.
Order Came Too Late.
President Roosevelt's order, how
ever. reached Mindanao too late. Gen.
Chaffee promptly cabled them to Brig.
Gen. Davis, who is in command in Min
danao, but Lieut.. Col. Baldwin and an
advance force of men had already left
the coast and had two small engage
ments with the Moros, in which seven
of the latter were killed. Gen. Davis,
backed by Gen. Chaffee, Immediately
cabled an energetic protest to the war
department, and theirmessages formed
the subject of the conference at the
war department Tuesday night. Gen.
Chaffee declared: "The withdrawal of
our forces will remove our prestige;
to withdraw part of the force would be
,, dangerous" He further intimated
, no disposition to withdraw his troops
unless he should have additional in
structions to do so.
Decides to support Chafee
When his cablegram was laid before
the president Tuesday night it was i'm
mediately decided that, as aggressive
operations had begun, it would be in
advisable to interfere with Gen. Chat
fees plan of campaign, and that he
should be given every support in his
efforts to bring the Moros to terms.
A cablegram will be sent to Gen.
! Chaffee to-day telling him to push the
campaign vigorously and assuring him
, of the earnest support of the officials
! Of
avoiding war with the Moros and
hoped that the matter might be peace
ably adjusted, but it has become evil
dent from Gen. Chaffee's report that
nothing but aggressive conduct will
bring these people to terms.
Chafree Tells of Advance.
Washington, April 23.-Adjt. Gen
Corbin has made public the following
!; telegram. received late Tuesday from
! Gen. Chaffee:
Manila, April 22.-Adjutant General.
Washington: With reference to my tele-
gram of the 18th and yours of the 2lst:
/ When at Malabang, 1 authorized Baldwin
! to continue clearing the trail toward the
lake if not opposed. but he was not to move
in force until the expedition was fully pre-
pared, which l expected to accomplish by
the 18th. On the 18th he pushed his adj
vance from his camp eight miles OUT, with
orders to clear the blockaded trail and
halt when 1t reached sufficient water, which
was not found until the second crossing OF
the Malilang river where it issues from
Lake Dapao. The advance consisted OF one
battalion OF the Twenty-seventh infantry
under MAJ Scott. He reached Dapao
without opposltion. put 1ouna the traii
paoly oostructed py lallen timber; Bald
win arrived at the same pace on ,ne moor,
OF the zoth with moore pattaiion ana
a mounted battery. IN oroer 10 linu ue.
1enslTe camp ana grazing 10 ,he hoIln OIL
hlm' ne sent FORWARD moore pat.aiioli
with one gun. moore was ilreu on from
the mus IN front ana 10 ms lelt' ne re-
turned the hre, put olu not advance.
Bala@ln Drought forward the resi- OF ths
battery ana three infantry COMPANIES ana
grove on tne assallants' nrlng at alslahce
OF i'Vo 10 l,ooV Satos. hNcelient nrins py