The Elbert County tribune., 1898-10-27
PHILIPPINES NERDs
THERE OUGHT TO BE Rrro,..
Problems To ne solved-Exbo,.,.
Must Re Reduced and Bandit, r '..s
Put Down.

Professor Dean G. worcas,..
University Of Michigan. who s oi u
article for the September Cen,.e u
The Malay Pirates Of tba n
pines" based upon personal e,i| rni|F
with them, contributes Ia ~ rr1lsnc
Century an article on .Kno,. oc,obs'
lens OF the Philippines" PM, ~,
Worcester says: oie,ss
Reforms should be begun G.,
and one Of the first should he ono
terial reduction In the e.,or., ns
taxes which have in the nss, s's
levied on the long-suffer,n9 4. ssi
tants. Such n measure wonI6 Aaih
tain to produce favorable Irr~ " "a
and would go far toward gIr,sAoa
natives confidence In the new sa N
trntion. aumllt
In order to strengthen tb,,
dence, a part of the funds r,,. wli
taxation should be expendad y
Improvements such as the buildln, :,
roads and the establishment Of sebe,'.
Another much-needed reform r'ua. a
be the provision of simple bu, "vaa saa
prehensive and effective code ~ w
The name OF the existing codes ~
gion, and a law suit under anv -.
them Is the worst misfortune tbs, y
befall n man. A preceden, c.. "a
found for anything; bribery Is r,,,
sal, and Justice virtually unknown y
the native once find out that ba = -
rights before the law. and be MI, va
gin to regard the law with soma
spect. N
AS n rule the civilized pa,,r.
orderly, and the most serious prohIs,'
which the representatives of law =,
order would have to face would h. ~ ~
suppression OF brigandage. Tbers ~ -
always existed. In the northern isl,sa'
bands of tulisanes, or professlas',
bandits. Sometimes they establlsb ,-
manent headquarters in inacce..n1.
places. and again they live sca,,a'.,
among the honest villages. assemble.
only when they have some devII,,r :
hand. Their ranks are recruited IN nv -
from the criminal classes, in part i.
the addition OF men who hava ~, -
driven by bitter wrongs to turn ag,I,.,
the existing order of things. They =.
often led by men supposed to be po.
sessed of anting anting, or ch,rr,
which make them bullet proof ~
give them various other miraeulor.
properties. These tullsanes descend !.
defenseless people, and plupder I'M
and carry Off prisoners TO he held 4,
ransom. As a rule they are despsns
towards. but some of their oper,ta,.
occasionally show daring. During =,
stay they kidnapped priest in the v,r
streets of Manila.
In the past. when the guardla a,l
has succeeded in hunting them dov,
they have usually been acquitted =
II convicted. have soon managed to 4
feet a mysterious escape, while ii
presiding alcaldes have suddenly /.
come wealthy.
At the close of the present war tbss
bands of tulisanss will doubles. h
augmented by the riffraff Of the Insur
gent forces. They have been so lou
accustomed to having their own WI,
that they will be overbold A vigorou
policy In dealing with them would han
a very wholesome effect. In operation
against them, and so far MS possIb. d
all operations in the archipelago, NJ
tive troops should be used. When wei
uIilitu anu Wtll leu l1tN make e1cet
lent soldiers. A convenient way to d.
pose of part of the insurgent forrs
would be to retain them In service IN
der white officers. 1t is perhaps wcrA
while to note. in this connection, that
in recent operations about Manila, M.
i've troops have. in at least one ls|
stance. remained true when Spanish
soldiers mutinied.
The widespread ignorance whch
prevails in the Philippines is one d
the most important problems demand
ing solution. Many of the natives an
quick TO learn. and are anxious ix
the opportunity. so that their educate,
reduces itself to question Of wiu
and means. A school system is pv
vlded for by the Spanish law. but far
oritism prevails in the choice OF ieact
ers. who are often grossly incompetent
while the practical working Of III
schools is frequently interfered viii
by the frinrs. A few prayers and q
little writing and arithmetic compris
the course of instruction in many x
the schools.