Show TS 4 f k isS i iM M MERRITT ERRITT ON FILIPINOS Says Say We Ve Should Give Them Oar Our Dle Blessing and Let Them Go Chicago Dec 27 Major Major General governor of Merritt retiring military his the Philippines accompanied by bride formerly Miss l Laura Williams and his bis chief aide Major Strother has arrived in this city from New Y York rk General and Mrs Merritt will wUl remain at the residence of Norman Williams Mrs Irs Merritts Merritt's father until after the holidays when they will return to New York City where the gener general l will of resume his position as commander the department of the east cast which he ho left to go to Manila In regard to the inhabitants of the Philippine islands General Merritt said The best we wc can do is to give them thema a good military government give them what civilians are arc necessary to administer administer administer admin admin- ister the civil functions of gove government and when they are arc ready to form a agov gov government of their own give them our blessings and let them do so When asked what he thought of the proposed increase in the standing army to men the general declared he had always believed such an increase was necessary I We need a standing army of at at least men hero here in the United States be ho declared Now that we have acquired these new territories we shall need need a few more But in my belief men are ample and sufficient sufficient lent for all possible emergencies in inI Cuba Porto Rico and the Philippines I together The rest are needed in the United States for garrison duty If a a. larger force is wanted in the Philippines Philippines Philip Philip- Philippines pines it can easily be had from among the natives |