Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1898-11-10
REFORMS IN THE PHILIPPINES
Problems That Confront the New
Owners of Those Far
away Islands.


Reforms should be begun at once,
and one of the first should be ma
terial reduction in the eXtortionate
taxes which have in the past beer levied
on the longsuffering inhabitants.
Such a measure would be certain to
produce favorable impression, and
would go far toward giving the natives
confidence in the new administration.
In order to strengthen this con-
fidence, a part of the funds raised by
taxation should be expended in local
improvements, such as the building of
roads and the establishment of schools.
Another much-needed reform would
be the provision of simple but COM
prehensiye and effective code of laws.
The name of the existing codes is
legion, and lawsuit under any one of
them is the worst misfortune that can
befall a man. A precedent can be
found for anything; bribery is uni
versal, and justice virtually unknown.
Let the native once find that he has
rights before the law, and he will be-
gin to regard the law with some re-
spect.
As a rule the civilized natives are or
derly, and the most serious problem
which the representatives of law and
order would have to face would be the
suppression of brigandage. There have
always existed, in the northern islands,
bands of tulisanes, or professional
bandits. Sometimes they establish
permanent headquarters in inaccessi-
bic places, and again they live seat
tered among the honest villages, as
sembling only when they have some
deviltry on hand. Their ranks are re-
cruited in part from the criminal
classes, in part by the addition of men
who have been driven by bitter wrongs
to turn against the existing order of
things. They are often led by men sup
posed to be possessed of anting anting,
or charms which make them bullet
proof and give them various other
miraculous properties. These tulisanes
descend on defenseless people, and
piunder, kill, and carry off prisoners to
be held for ransom. As rule they are
desperate towards, but some of their
operations occasionally show daring.
During my stay they kidnapped priest
in the very streets of Manila.
In the past, when the guardia civil
has succeeded in hunting them down,
they have usually been acquitted, or,
If convicted, have soon managed to eff
feet mysterious escape, while the
presiding alcaldes have suddenly be-
come wealthy.
At the close of the present war these
bands of tulisanes will doubtless be
augmented by the rifrraff of the in
surgent forces. They have been so
long accustomed to having their own
way that they will be over bold. y
vigorous policy in dealing with them
syould have a very wholesome effect.
In operations against them, ard so
far as possible in all operations in the
archipelago, native troops should be
used. When well drilled and wen led
they make excellent soldiers. \ con-
venient way to dispose of part of the
insurgent forces would be to retain
them in service under white officers
1t is perhaps worth while to note, in
this connection, that in recent opera
tions about Manila native troops have.
in at least one instance, remained true
when Spanish soldiers mutinied.
The widespread ignorance which
prevails in the Philippines is one of the
most important problems demanding
solution. Many of the natives are
quick to learn, and are anxious for the
opportunity, so that their education
reduces itself to a question of ways
and means. \ school system is pro-
vided for by the Spanish law, but IA
voritism prevails in the choice of
teachers, who are often grossly in
competent, while the practical work
ing of the schools is frequently inter
fered with by the friars. The law pro-
vides that Spanish shall be taught; but
as it suits their convenience. in the
more out-of-the-way places. to be the
only means of communication between
government and natives. they often
forbid this. \ few prayers and lit
tie writing and arithmetic comprise
tie course of instruction in many of
the schools.-Prof. Dean C. Worcester,
in Century.