Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-03-18
OTIS ON PHILIPPINES
Appears Before the Senate Com.
mittee and Describes Situa.
ton During His Control.
Islands We're Comparatively
Quiet and Civil Government
Was Successful.
Did Not REGARD the Filipinos as
Capable Of Self Gov.
ernment.

washington, March 1S.-Major Gen.
Otis appeared before the senate COM
mittee on Philippines today. When
Il left the Philippines in May lsoe.
Otis said the army had disposed OF all
Of Aguinaldo's army, quiet preVaiieo
during the months Of May ana June
and hardly a shot was fired. 1t was
safe to go to all parts Of Luzon and
other islands. A very large trade had
heen established. Civil government had
been set up. also supreme court and
conrts of first instance in seven OF
nineteen provinces in Luzon. He said
he never. trusted native officers because
they were SO cruel TO their men. He
could trust their loyalty, but they
treated their natives with too much
cruelty. Gen. Otis said he saw no
difficulty in Withdrawing material
number Of troops from the islands.
The native forces he declared to be
very necessary. and there was no
peace in Manila until the native police
was organized. When he left Manila
he apprehended further trouble be-
cause there was certain class OF
natives which dominated the ignorant
classes. The great majority, however,
wanted peace. No armed bands OF any
Importance, he said, were opposed to
the United States at that time. Asked
where the supplies. money. arms, ETC.,
of the insurgents came from, OTIS
said they received $500 rifles from Ad-
miral Dewey. They also received from
Hong Kong certain arms. shipped
aboard an American vessel, which
landed at Batangas.
They had received some arms from
Japan, ahd captured some from Span
iards at the small garrisons which
they attacked. He said the merchants
gave him more trouble than the In
eurgents themselves. The troops of
the United States had treated the Fill
ipinos with the greatest kindness.
Every statement of harsh treatment he
heard had been investigated. In fact
said he: 1--WE were laughed at by the
Span.ards and European army officer9
for the humanity we exercised" As
to the capacity Of the Fiiipinos Tor
self government he said Aguinaldos 8
former secretary of state had told him
that it would take hundred years
to accomplish this. Otis said the Fill
pinos were not capable OF self govern
ment. The Filipinos, he said, under
stand they. must have protection be-
cause without 1t other nations would
divide up the islands, but they were
desirous of making the best possible
terms they could with the United
States. Their idea was to have con-
troll OF the international affairs of the
islands, but protection outside. Otis
testified he knew very little of the COR
respondence between Gen. Merritt and
Aguinaldo, but the recalled Aguinaldo's
reply to a communication referring to
an agreement that the insursent forces
should withdraw to a certain point
designated. He had himself directed
Aguinaldo to withdraw to the suburbs
of Manila, outside the American de-
fenses, according to the terms Of the
protocol with Spain. This was not
only military necessity, but In &C.
cordance 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 in
terests OF peace. Dual occupancy of
Manila, Otis said he considered dan
gerous. He based his whole action,
he said. on the protocol, as he under
afnnd II