The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-03-06
MIR. LODGE ALSO OBJECTS
Taft Tells of Slavery in the
 Philippines.
The Commission Has Not Yet At tempted Any Legislation to Bring
 About Reform In This
 Regard.

Washington. March 5.-In reply to s series of questions by Senator Patterson and other minority members of the Sen. ate Committee on the Philippine today General Hughes said the Filipino forces could have been of but little assistance if 1t had been necessary to capture Ma nila from the Spanish by assault.
 The capture of that city was by pre- arrangement between General Merritt and Admiral Dewey and the Spanish commander, was 1t not?" Mir. Patterson asker. y
 .T know nothing about that" responded General Hughes
 "As a military man. what is your belief. founded upon your conversation with your superiors?'' Mir. Patterson then asked.
 Senator Beveridge insisted that the question was not proper. but Senator Patterson insisted 1t was.
 Declines to Answer.
 q would ask" said the witness, eff 1t would not be much better to excuse me in answering. in view of the fact that General Merritt Is in Washington and you can get the facts from him first hand E.,
 q prefer to ask you. and you can am swer as you see fit..'
 "I do not think ougbt to answer that question" replied Geuerd Hughes. Con tinuins his reply to further questions. the witness said that the Fiiipinos had aid- ed the Ametteans materially by their knowledge of the country and the accom- modations they had supplied, but that the Filipinos have never been considered a part of the fighting force against the Spanish forces. The principal considera- tion in connection with them was to keep them out of the way, he said.i
 Tn response to further questioning. by MT Patterson, General Hughes said he certainly would. construe General otisza remark referred to in his report of Sep- tember 13. 1898. that he would use force to compel the insurgent, troops to retire to the line designated by General Merritt as meaning that he would use the United States military forces.
 Other Senators Object.
 Senator Patterson was pressing General Hughes as to the motive of General Otis for requiring the insurgents to retire to the line designated when Senators Bev- eridge, McComas and Lodge objected. saying it was unfair to the witness to ask the question General Hughes said. how ever, LndL AkulHaiuU CouPucQ WEtu tHG order, except as to one small outlying district. and at that time there was no indication of enmity on the part of the Filipinos.
 Senator Patterson, after reading from the report of General Otis in which he had stated that with the navy on one side and the insurgents on the other. Spaniards had been bottled up in Manila, remarked that this statement did not CO., incide with that of General Hughes.
 ''Why not?" sharply asked the Gen. eral.
 Mir. Beveridge vigorously objected to this line of questioning, tending, he said to put General Hughes in the attitude of criticizing a superior officer.
 General Hughes, showing some impa- tience, said: There Is no difference be- tween us No civilized man would have left Manila to the insurrectos."
 Lodge Also Irritated.
 Senator Lodge, addressing Senator Pat terson with some degree of irritability, said: You must not ask General Hughes to criticize his superior officer. his report or anything else.'
 General Hughes-General Otis is strong enough to stand criticism.
 MT. Patterson disclaimed that he was General Otis, which brought a quick retort from General Hughes, who Then you are trying to criti- cize me-"
 'I am unly trying to reconcile the diff ferences between you and General Otis" answered Senator Patterson.
 If there Is any difference between Gen eral Otis and myself and you will point them out, I will try to set them right" replied General Hughes with some warmth of feeling.
 This ended the colloquy and Senator Rawlins asked a few questions of the witness, intending to bring out an ad- that the initial outbreak oc- cured outside Manila, but General Hughes insisted that it happened inside the town.