The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-06-19
VIEWS OF A FRENCHMAN
The Philippine Situation as Noted by Henri
IrOti, q Newspaper Man.
WAS SEVERAL WEEKS IN The ISLANDS
,r. r.,sure success the Volunteers
Must BE Replaced by hcS"-
lar soldiers.

New York June IA prominent news
paper man. Henri Troll correspondent OF
LIE clair and .o Monde llustre, and chiet
editor of La Ptut Republiquc and La Ian,
terne. recently returned from the Philippine
islands by way Of Vancouver and sailed ioI
France today in order to report the result o.
his mission 10 his ptpers. Before sailing nc
YVES asked to furnish the Associated Press
with tue impressions he had formed III the
Philippine islands, and lie did SO in the fol-
lowing ,crDs
Il have Just Iasaed several weeks Ia the
iglands and viii speak frankly on the SUBJ
jact During your war with spain openly
tnd frequently proclaimed my sympathy lql
the American cause Let this De poihe ~
uiuu IL truiclse matters, 50 my criticism
wtll De solely Inspired py my desire " re-
spect the tlnth. So -
MY nTst visit was to General Jus, Holu
whom 1 had u request AUTHORIZATION 10 pass
through tbs American lines ! Was cnruiAly
received by the general and asked him u ne
was sat SHED Win his campaign ana II ne
hoped to PROMPTLY terminate II, .s.s u..,
4" Yes, be answered, Il am s0tshed with
The results achieved and from this time on
/ hope 70 accomplish IN the quickest manner
possible tile patriotic task conhded 10 me Dy
nay governlu MT. unhapplly, ! can not deny
that 1t Viii take a long time. rms is the
season OF .aius and the sun becomes every
day more dangerous and more falal thah tAe
riAes 81 tie gllipiuos Besldes, it is my IN
tention to rush my troops a little further
forwaru dne alterward to make them wait
for mare favorable period. During thls tlme
Of enforced icpose our leet Will DC able 10
continue tie cruise along the coasts.
II thanked General OTIS for hts gracious
reception and asked Professor Schurmau OF
the Philippine commission for more ample
nformauuu. Mr. Schurman, l am happy to
have The occasion Of saying, is very re-
snlss 9 IA i'm ar tall tNF
profound erudition. Nobody could be more
worthy Of tho mission which has been in
trusted TO hlin. lnhappily, | believe ne Is
poweresy to obtain satisfactory results. Later
on / will tel. you why.
why, l said to him, has not America
established IN the Philippines the protective
system like that France has installed in
Tuns aud AMMAN? 1t is In substance a
solute satisfaction. At the same time the
solution. would safeguard the pride of the
ilpinos WnO favor autonomy
1t Is impossible, replied Mr. Schurman,
and | Will let you know the reason why. At
Tunis the"e e hey and in AMMAN an en-
peror. and your protectorate is exercised over
a stable government. Here there Is nothing
OF the KIM. We are in the presence of an
archy and you can not establish a protec-
torate oyel government which does not
exist
I'm on interview with Admiral Dewey, .he
acmiral said: 'Aguinaldp VIII agree to sub
nit sooner or later lie has around him too
many generals and too few soldiers to resist
us Agunado during tae war with Spain
was not our ally. as has been claimed We
never made treaty Of alliance with him and
we neye" promised him anything. We had a
common enemy lie acted on his side, we on
ours. There has been no other understood
ing
zone evening I visited Florentine Torres,
president OF the Philippine commission Of
Manila Torres was a magistrate under
spanish rule and is a very. intelligent man.
In
commission Is a very difficult one. We are
trying tn bring about pacifcation. but
"hen We ssnll have found a solution OF the
question with Mr. Schurman 1t will be neces-
sary to cause Aguinaldo TO accept 1t and
there will be another great difficulty
why do you fear the position of Agui-
naldo? Is he ambitious
No, but lie has illusions. He hopes for
the intervention of the great European pow
ers, as IN Crete, and he even counts on the
cooperation Of Japan
And you, sir for what do you hopper
on, as Tor myself ! hope the war will
soon be finished, for II is running US We
landed prorrietors would accept "A govern
ment similar to that OF Canada We do not
wish for a delaiture Of the Americans for In
that case cut fortunes would be swept away.
II is not only a question OF Aguinaldo and
his troops OF a nationalist movement but
above all, OF socialist and revolutionary
movement created by the Instruction The
lower classes OF people and many of the chiefs
are military socialists. | will cite for exam
pie Luna, who for a long time frequented the
socialist clLos of Europe; Santlko, who at
one time had influence among certain So
cialist committees of America, and the poet
Patorno, who Is an enthusiastic socialist Also
rest well assured that the movement is d.
rected more against the capitalists, to what
Americans
Regarding the declarations of Torres there
are two Important observations which I ask
permission 10 present Immediately The first,
: "a nf ant tb.,
mission with which Mr.. Schurman In spite
Ct his good VIII, seems to me powerless to
obtaln serious results. Were he to ind a
solution of the situation with the Philinnine
commission II would afterward he necessary
to have II accepted by Aguinaldo and his
troops and eceiythng would have to be de-, e
over again. The second observation is the
Importance which has been attached To this
entry Upon the stage OF socialism In the Phil
lppines. IT explains the dissensions which
exist among the Filipinos and naturally will
result m tie Americans finding before the
conclusion Of peace serious support among
the better Glasses.
~ aftervard interviewed successfully sew
eral influential Filplnos, notably Gregorio
Araneto, the first minister OF justice of the
government OF Agulnaldo, They all confirm
the statements of Torres
u was struck with the fine presence OF
your your soldiers They are big men, strong
supple and agile who bear testimony 10 the
beauty of the American race
But uAlappily. | know that precisely on
account Of their physical strength thew would
experience difficulties ia enduring the eli
maue OF the Philippine islands This seems
pRraooNcal and yet It Is SO. In those warm
ana damp climates as rule the very Wig
orous men do NOT endure the climate as we'll
IS smaller individuals, Resides this, the
american troons have in my opinion ratlons
when are too beating Admirably Supplied
WIN PROVISIONS the soldiers eat too much
meat snd not enough rice
IN the interior think they should adapt
themselves better 10 the exigeucies OF the
miost IN which they live
oar soldiers fight with great bravery but
y Is ihptSs;Jle not TO remark the lack Of
elssiplNe among the volunteers The latter
yohu9rt themselves well under fire hut thev
rsy h,ils attention 20 obedience 10 thsir
'hleI. | think II is absolutely necessary sor
success oi your conquest to rcrlace tho yolun-
eeIs as 'apidly as possible 6y regulars.
~ any case Il does not seem IL me I'M
puss.ple 10 nope for a cOmrlate victory dur
lnE tne ra'rv season. Tho difficulties in tbis
crHnt,tn m this country Of mountains ana
'N.,arSsNe Seat must not be forrnttop
me ll'lner the American troons Vst au,,,
rom the coast and the line OF railroads NE
~ 1919 VIII be the complications encountered
hghurg The natives. 4 hurdrad thorsgnd
, ,n.n WI. hot be too many to conquer he
Ell CaMpo NOTES.