Note 35 — Chapter XII · Otis and the War (Continued)

Still, the volunteers had arrived in time to enable Mr. Root to make a very nice showing to Congress, and through it to the people, in his annual report to the President for 1899, dated November 29th. This report is full of cheerful chirps from General Otis to the effect that the resistance was practically ended, and the substance of the information it conveyed duly found its way into the President’s message of December of that year and through it to the general public. One of the Otis despatches said: “Claim to government by insurgents can be made no longer.”35 This message went on to state that nothing was now left but “banditti,” and that the people are all friendly to our troops. Thus misled, Mr. Root repeated to the President and through him to Congress and the country the following nonsense: