Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-03-20
TESTIMONY FROM Otis
He Declares That He Deems Filipinos
Unfit For Self Government.
HOW INSURGENTS GOT ARMS.
The General Believes That = Large
Number Of Troops Can Now Be
Safely Withdrawn From
the Islanda.

Washington, March 19.-Major Gen.
eral Otis appeared before the senate
committee on Philippines during the
day. When he left the Philippines in
May, 1900, General Otis said, the
army had dispersed all of Aguinaldo's
army. Quiet prevailed during the
months of May and June, and hardly
shot was fired. 1t was safe to go to
all parts Of Luzon and other islands,
and 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 Of 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 said
he could trust their loyalty, but they
treated their captives with too much
cruelty. "They were as bad as the in
surgents." said he.
When he left the Philippines. he
said, THE war as war had ceased"
Answering query by Senator Hale,
General Otis said he saw no difficulty
in withdrawing material number of
troops from the islands. The native
forces he declared to be very neces-
sary.
Asked by Senator Hale where the
supplies, money, arms, etc, of the in
surgents came from, General Otis said
they received $500 rifles from Admiral
Dewey. and they also received from
Hongkong certain arms shipped aboard
an American vessel which landed at
Batanyas. They had received some
arms from Japan and had captured
some from the Spaniards at small gar
rsons which they attacked. He said
that the merchants gave him more
trouble than the insurgents themselves
Laughed mt For Humanity.
The troops of the United States, he
said, had treated the Filipinos with the
greatest kindness. Every statement of
harsh treatment he heard of had been
investigated. "In fact" said he, 1--WE
were laughed at by the Spaniards and
the European army officers for the hui
mainly we exercised"
As to the capacity of the Filipinos for
self government, he said that Aguinal-
dos former secretary of state had told
him that it would take hundred years
to accomplish this. General Otis con-
sidered that the Filipinos were not ca
pable of self government. The Filipi-
NOS he said, understand that they must
have protection. because without it 9th
er nations would divide up the islands,
but they were DESTROYS of making the
best possible terms they could with
the United 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
knew very little of the correspondence
between General Merritt and Aguinal-
do, but he recalled Aguinaldo's reply to
a communication referring to an agree
ment that the insurgent forces should
withdraw to certain point designated.
He had himself directed Aguinaldo to
withdraw to the suburbs of Manila out
side the American defenses, according
to the terms Of the protocol with Spain.
This was not only military necessity,
but in accordance with right and duty.