Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-03-20
OTIS CHANGED ORDERS
Omitted Word Sovereignty"
From Proclamation Extend.
ing Military Authority.
Believed That President McKin.
ley Did Not Then Understand
the Situation.
Was Afraid Presidents Instruc'
tons Would Be Disastrous.
Ends Testimony.

Washington. March 19.-General Otis
continued his testimony before the sen
ate Philippine committee. Referring tt
his order of Sept S, 1898, directing the
withdrawal of the insurgent troops out
side of the defenses of Manila, General
! Otis explained that committee from
Aguinaldos cabinet visited him. in the
discussion which followed, he said they
did not mention the fact that the towns
not portion of the city. He classed as
ridiculous Aguinaldos request to re-
Manila occupied by the SpaniarGs in
| trade for some of the southern part of
| the city held by insurgents. General
Otis said he did not give the insurgents
actual permission to occupy the block
| houses which Aguinaldo claimed had
been given him. What he had said was:
Il do not care anything about the
| blockhouses. We are not going to take
| that Aguinaldo had demanded of Cen
eral Merritt to cable Washington for
| instructions. The reply was that there
must be no dual occupation of Manila.
General Otis then detailed the circum-
stances attending the capture of Iloilo,
the offer of the Spanish general, Rios,
to hold the place against the insurgents,
pending the arrival of the United States
troops, and the capture of the town by
the Visayans before the arrival of the
United States troops Aguinaldo, he
said, was overjoyed when he learned
that the detachment had been sent out
because he (Aguinaldo) declared that
the first shot would be fired at Iloilo,
which would bring on war between the
United States and the insurgent forces.
General Otis said he had cabled Wash
ing. saying that the taking of Iloilo
meant war in the islands, and had re-
ceived the response to defer action,
which he did until the insurgents made
war on the United States forces in Ma
Mia. He had, he said, issued his proc
lamation extending military authority
TO all parts OF the archipelago under in
Rawlins sought to show that many of
the things done by the United States
military authorities We're in contraVen-
lion of the protocol, but General Otis
explained that he feltit his duty to pro-
tect lives and property.
AT the afternoon session General Otis
continued his testimony. Referring to
his proclamation extending military au-
thority to all parts of the Archipelago
General Otis said he expressly omitted
therefrom the word Sovereignty" be-
cause the Filipinos attached to it the
meaning which the word conveyed to
them while under the domination Of
Spain. Senator Carmack called his at
tention to the difference between the
language used by the president in his
instructions and that contained in his
(OtisO proclamation and asked Why he
had also omitted the words control"
government" lawful rule" "authori-
ty must remain supreme
General Otis exclaimed that when these
Instructions of the president were re-
.ceived ne was somewhat surprised He
was afraid they would be disastrous
and assist the Aguinaldo government
to excite the people of Luzon. General
Otis said he told Admiral Dewey, who
had called on him the following day,
that he did not think the president un-
derstood the situation, owing to the
great distance of the islands from
Washington, and that under the condi-
lions then prevailing he would be per-
fectly justified in making certain
amendments. Leading Filipinos told
him that the words might be used by
Mabni to excite the people.
Senator Patterson asked General Otis
If the idea of the Filipino people re-
garding the hopes and aspirations for
Independence was q mistaken one.
No" said General Otis, "Aguinaldo had
his ambitions" Speaking very deliber-
ately he said: And he was sent over
from Hong Kong for the purpose of
driving the Spaniards out and then at
have the papers of the original junta."
He thought Aguinaldo was performing
double part at that time. He then
explained the location of the Nebraska
regiment. which was first attacked out
side Manila.
In response to Senator Carmack, he
said that he had no plan of action in
in the event that the
fight had not occurred that night and
that the treaty had been ratified the
next day, altho plan could have been
found very quickly mo man ever
worked harder in the interests of peace
than /" said the general, but if the
United States troops had attacked the
Filipinos and driven them out of the
city when they first got there. 1t would
have been much better. They got very
'cockey' after a while, and thought
they could sweep us into the bay"
The trouble in LuZon, General Otis
said, was caused by the good men be-
ing overthrown, because of fear Of as
Until the time of the ratification
of the treaty, was not the Filipino
army there for the purpose of assert
ing and maintaining their independ-
asked Senator Patterson |
General Otis said that he did not
know what they We're there for, but
he had an idea, formed some time pre-
vious to the breaking out of the hos
tilities, that the insurgents intended
to drive the Americans out If they
could. The Filipino army. he declared,
was there to overawe the people in |
Lu2on and elsewhere.
Admitting" said Senator Patterson,
that they We're there to overawe the
people, did you have any doubt in
your mind that the hope of the Fill
i.