Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-09-06
PENSION REFORMS.

PENSION REFORMS.
It is probable the annual report of the
commissioner of pensions will be dis
tributed this week among the veterans
at the encampment in Philadelphia, as
Commissioner Evans completed it be-
fore leaving Washington to attend the
the probability of an attack being made
upon Commissioner Evans method of
administering the pension bureau in the
report of the G.. A. r. committee, which
made an investigation several months
ago and which will be submitted TO the
encampment. But Mr.. Evans is conf
dent that the committees report will
show that he administered the laws
properly and that if there is any CEN
him. The statistical features of the re
port, heretofore referred to in these
columns, certainly show that progress
has been made in the work of the de-
partment. The report of the commits
sioner recommends the repeal of the
law granting arrears to the widows of
pensioners. 1t would seem that veterans
alone could justly claim arrears. The
commissioner also recommends that the
law shall be strictly enforced which re-
quires every pension agent to prepare
and mail to each pensioner whose pen
sion is payable at his agency a voucher
fifteen days preceding each quarterly
pension day. The report says, too, tina,
during the present fiscal year the ar
rears work will be greatly diminished
tically current. This will be great re-
lief to those who have waited long and
anxiously for returns after films
claims; in fact, this has been one of the
chief causes of complaint against the
pension office. 1t is hoped that this re-
port and the action of the G. A. r. en-
campment may clear the way for more
harmonious work.
FROM A FILIPINo,s STANDPOINT
An instructive article recently pub
lished on The Philippines and the
Filipinos, by Ramon Reyes Lala, a ma
tive of Manila, is attracting attention
because of its comprehensive summar!
of facts and its evident impartiality il
dealing with the important question.
involved. This native Filipino claim.
that the better class of the inhabitants
are desrous for American rule, be
cause they believe that only stronger
power can reconcile the difference.
among the various tribes and establish
beneficent government one which vii
command respect abroad and securit,
at home
There are no less than thirty distinc
tribes in the Islands. many of which in
habit the mountains. The latter, wht
constitute about three-elghths of tn,
total, are classed by him as barbarians
hostile toward the civilized inhabitant
of the valleys, and entirely without co
hesion, each tribe having a patriarcha
government, While all of them are. OBJ
posed to any control, their only philo
sophy being ITO live without work an,
steal all they can To subdue thes
tribes and train them TO become civil
lied will be the hardest task that W
must face when our rule is acknowl
edged.
The other fve-eighths are more civil
lied, but are divided into tribes that ar
hostile to each other. OF these tn
Tagalogs of Luzon, numbering abou
100000, are doing the fighting unde
the leadership of Aguinaldo. The Visa
vans of the southern islands. number
ing some 100000, are more pacific an
have long been antagonistic to the Ia
galogs, which hostility has lately bee
has placed garrisons of Tagalogs i
nearly all the Visayan towns. TIL
Visayans are represented as in realit
friendly to American rule, but not abb
at present to give proof of this attitude
The article contains some practice
suggestions as to the best method q
government, while pointing out tn
difficulties sure to be encountered
Different tribes will require quite dit
farant arrappemanfs and fI,a pacazs;f
is emphasized Of governing the island
entirely without political bias. The tire
mendous moral support given the in
surgents carrying on the present wa
by the course Of a few misguided sena
tors and congressman is emphasized a
the main cause Of continued warfare.
= careful perusal Of this article mus