The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-11-20

dozen Tagaios left out Of all the rcpula-
ton when We took possession. The rest
had fed We treated them fairly and they
were astonished. The people had been tcld
by the leaders and by their priesthood THAI
! we would destroy them and their conu-
try.
When they saw tha. we treated the
few who remained kindly. few more
came. Then one Gay one OF the leaders
came and asked ns IL I would let some
OF the people come back and cultivate
their rice fields. / gave permission and
before ! LEFT over ten thousand OF them
were there. engaged IN their usual voca-
tons and very well satisfied. They appre-
cfated kind treatment and especially jus
fice. They noted the fact that We always
punished any soldier who nais;reated a ma
tive and wondered at il.
Must Reckon With Catholics.
when We Were leaving tne head man
or mayor as he might be called with a
large delegation came down IN see US and
Dir us good-by. Especially did they want
to know If another regiment was coming
TO take our <iace as they were afraid
they would be left without protection.
When they found that another regiment
was coming rhey were delighted. because
they were assured OF order. These were
common type OF the very tribe we are
at war with Aguinaido and his foliowrs
have drilled into the Tagalos the idea that
Americans are monsters in cruelty and
have aroused an intense fear and hatred
that will take time to counteract.
THE present administration policy OF be-
ginning an Introduction of se,f-government
on limited scate and wherever practical.
IL seems 10 me is a good one and the prop
er one. In some of the town elections
have been held and native officials elected
to conduct the local affairs under the gen.
fvo1 -rtefci nf tho vi tr~I f%sn R,xt
any scheme OF government or In fact, any
interest. governmental or otherwise. that
touches the Philippines or It's people must
take eognizance of the largest factor In
Philippine local affairs and the different
tribes. / refer TO the Catholic church.
THE Catholic church has had supreme
control OF the Philippine islands and their
various people, under Spanish rule. All the
education the different tribes have. they
got from the Spanish and Filipino priests
and friars. A majority of them can read
a little in their native language and know
enough mathematics for the simplest bar
ter purposes. All over the interior OF the
islands rise the spires OF large Catholic
churches. built in fortress style. In every
village we occupied We found the insur-
gents chief fortress was the Catholic
church and when We drove them from that
we had the town. These churches are
found everywhere even in the far interior.
and the priests either control absolutely
or have long term lease from the Span
ish government on all the best lands In all
the Philippine islands.
Trouble Caused by Priests.
'This is the greatest Philippine problem
Every enterprising foreigner is handicapped
by church claims. Under Spanish rule
the Filipinos were hewers OF wood and
drawers of water for the priesthood. In
some cases where We took possession the
Filipino farmers brought US IN their farm
produce, as they usually brought il to their
| priests, in paymg nt OF tithes. and they were
astonshed when we wouldn't take IL, and
couldn't understand why change of mas
| ters should mean a nonpayment of the
taxes they had always been used TO. In
one instance high native official pointed
| out the ruins of village. blackened and
destroyed. He said that one year the In
habitsnts OF that district refused to pay
the church taxes that were of the most
extraordinary kind, and that a battalion
OF Spanish soldiers swooped down on them
and burned and devastated till there was
nothing hut ruins left. After that the
tithes were paid
'.The present war is partly an outgrowth
Of priestly feuds. The Filipino priests
wanted tho Spanish priests ous;ed from
their holdings, so that they could get
them. There Is deadly feud between the
two priessly classes. The Filipino priests
are with Agunaldo IN his efforts. and
more than one priest has been shot IN the
trenches while he led the insurgent forces
against the Americans.
1T /. a problem OF problems. and / see
no way out OF the difficulty except to
make A searching inquiry into all the titles
10 church property, compelling the rever-
sion 10 the United States government OF
all that belonged to the Spanish govern
ment. insisting on the reversion of all held
by lease as soon as the leases expire. and
then taxing the remainder so heavily for
governmental expenses that the church
will be willing to let go some az its i'm
mense and extremely valuable realty. that
IL Is not improving to any extent. especial
~ as the implements in use are of the
crudest, wooden plows. and such ancient
articles of hushandry being still IN regular
use.
Products of the IsIa ands.
THE islands have unusual resources
Manila. city OF 100000. has a great COM
mercial output now, and its future prom
lses 10 be marvellous In the line Of devsi-
opnaent. The tobacco product can be made
enormous. The presen: methods are crude
| and not economical our headquarters for
time In the suburbs OF Manila were in
| an immense tobacco factory. employing.
when running full blast. 100 people. The
| manager told me that Philippine tobacco
was ssnt 10 Cuba ard worked fip and sold
as Cuban product and that with proper
methods the Philippine produc, would
| equal the bes. of Cubas crop
Their hemp Is an article OF divide
| celebrity, and thu trade is N its infancy.
/ Their sGgarcane lands are unlimited. They
| have agricultural possibilities OF the very
/ highest. They have valuable timhers os
| many varieties. ard tha Islands have hard
/ ly been scratched Yet by the mineral pros
/ pectcr hut Il IL believed there are mineral
/ deposits. They can grow rice % .eed a
nttle world. ard fruits 20 feed another.
! ard when Americans get started there and
| get the handicap of she church removed
/ there Is no method II measuring Or
prophesying iha possibilities, commercial
ly ard agricuituraliy. Of the Philippines.
AT present ssl the e.g enterprises and
( commercial undertakings are ia the hands
/ * the Germans and English mainly. The
I Tagaios of Manila. make up the bulk Of
/ the population bur they are only small
| shopkeepeTs n business At t1e very high
est stage The foreigners. especially the
| Spanish. who ogn a considerable share ot
/ the commercial undertakings as wsil as
spirit ot Matslia. are praying for American