The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-03-14
NEWS AND COMMENT.

The Manila correspondent of the Even
| ing Post, after a study of the Philippine
| situation, gives it as his conclusion that
the native population is absolutely inCap-
able of self government and will have to
be firmly held in check by the United
States or some other strong power. IL
Illustrative of this belief he gives this ac-
count of a conversation between COM
mittees of American officers and Filipl-
nos:
" Has any foreign power recognized
! your government? asked Colonel Crowd
cr.
"'No.'
"'Have you been recognized even as
beilgerents"
Ono
Then the United States and Spain
are the only powers recognized here?
Yes
"'Then the United States is response
BILE to other nations for these islanus?
Yes
"If We should leave, what would hap
pen to you?
THE Philippine committee held up
their hands in dismay. DO not leave us
for other powers would come in and take
possession Of the islands
Then, if our remaining here is a
benefit, why do you insist on making
trouble?
1.-The people are beyond CONTROL"
The correspondent gives some facts
showing the character of the people in a
| striking light. lie states: Not 100 miles
| from Manila, in the town of Panique, q
| body of natives formed themselves into
what they were pleased to call the guar
| dia de honor They We're free lances--
| for all practical purposes brigands. They
did not recognize Aguinaldo or his gov
| ernment One day they invited the men
! that Aguinaldo had sent up to govern
the place to dinner. They killed these
! representatives, and held the town as
| independents. Al other incident: In Ma
lolos itself a whole company of insur-
| gent soldiers, after receiving their am
| munition, took to the woods. For such
| thing to happen in MalOlOs promises
| very poorly for the future government
| of AguinaldO. Consequently, this affair
has been kept extremely quiet by the M
| surgents. 1t is evident that This sort of
! thing could not go on long without pro-
| ducing chaos in the interior"
| In a report to the navy department,
! dated San Luis dApra. Guam, Jan. 81,
| Commander Taussg of the gunboat
! Bennington gives some interesting infor-
nation about the town of Agana, the
capital of the island. There are eight
stores i'm Agana, besides n number OF
! fIlldll nuts, NntIt lIle HdllNt dSudINleDIe,
made out of fermented cocoanut milk, is
sold. The one Japanese store is an ex-
| tensve establishment ana the best i'm
! town. There is also an American store,
more pretentious than the others, but
| inferior TO the Japanese. a miscellaneous
class of goods Is kept here, including
canned supplies, kerosene oil, rice, accor-
dions, hats, stockings, lamps, lamp
| shades, Crockcry, trunks, paints and
nails. In the town -four is difficult TO OBJ
tain and butter and lard keep poorly in
| such warm climate and are expensive.
Milk can be purchased in small guam
titles. Chickens and eggs are plentiful
Tho beef is poor and there are no sheep
| on the island. Vans and sweet po-
tatoes grow freely, and corn. used by the
natives 10 make bread, is likewise plen%i-
| full Pigs abound everywhere. Baanas
cocoanuts and breadfruit furnish the
| chief sources of food for the natives
Very little fishing is done. fair quail
ity of clam Is found and a very small
oyster of sweet taste. Deer and goats
abound. Wild turkey, p3over, ducks and
! other edible birds are plentiful. In all
| Guam Is a toerably good location foI
men not predisposed to work.
| With regard 10 the much talked of al,
| lance between Great Britain and tn,
| United States, eX-SeCretary of State John
| w. Foster says: I'VE should have no al,
lance with anybody for ANYTHING SO
far as China is concerned Washington
never uttered q truer word than when
| in his Farewell Address, he said nations
were friends only for selfish interests
! We have never had hut ono alliance, and
that was with France, when We were
| struggling to gain our indepCndenCc
Every one knows how II had To he broker
with little credit To MS. To form an alli
auce now with any nation would be ,
serious blundor. As long as our policy