The San Francisco call., 1899-09-14

ana VINO was S4D5Ctt t4GflLIy PED-
NOTED TO the rank Of brtgadier general for
uerttorious conduct N action, Is fre-
quenr and welcome visitor in the camp
Of the AIinues0tas At the Preside.
Shortly after the occupation OF Manila
nv the American troops General Reeve
was assigned 70 duty as chief Of police,
and while serving IN that capacity met
many Of the leading merchants and pro-
fessi0uaI men Of the city OF Manila
Al the Occidental Hotel yesterday the
general was asked on behalf OF The Cal
70 express his opinion touching the situa-
rion Of affairs in the Philippines. He re-
IuctantIy consented To an interview but
desired At the outset 70 discLaim any IN
tanri0a 20 criticize the national policy Of
dealing with affairs IL the archipelago, or
10 pass judgment on the direction Of NIL
ttary opera ufons on the island OF Luzou-
He was willing 10 speak Of what he saw
and heard while on duty at Manila and 70
express his Judgment regarding the capa-
city Of FIIipiuos for government On
these topics he remarked
When I was appointed chief Of police
OF q city Of $50 Geo inhabitants deemed Il
wise % ascertain as soon as possible
soueEiug definite and 10 the point re-
garJiiug the character, traits disposition
and intelligence of the native population.
Accordingly I sought the counsel OF the
leading English. Scotch and German mer-
chants They told ne that the Eutptnos
were intelligent. Industrious. peaceable
and fond Of home life. Personal tavesti-
CATION convinced ne that the natives
were engaged in all branches Of industry.
IN the professions OF law and medicine
were many Of the natives
The best dentist in Luzon was an
officer IN AguinaIdo's army. In the
field OF mechanical and railway pur-
suits the FiIipinos were active and
promising. was surprised TO ascer-
tain that the diffusion Of knowledge
was general. The percentage of na-
tives able TO read and write was large
The enrolment of students in the
san Tomas and Dominican u-E.Ezssl-
ties and the attention paid co sur 4
branches Of knowledge as law, uedi-
cine. liberal arts and civil engineer
ing excited my surprise Five thou
sand students were enrolled at the
Dominican University. I mention
these facts co dispel the impression
that the Fi1ipinos are ignorant and
unIettered savages- Throughout the
provinces in the island Of Luzon good
common schools and high schools are
maintained, the teachers being
native priests"
General Reeve was asked what was the
disposition Of the natives toward Amert-
cans. and what progress the F'fupilos had
made in the direction of seIf-goverumeut.
'4In the provinces said General Reeve.
we found courts and schools esta blfshed
and found local authorities administer
ing affairs Of government Here vas q
the money. 50 collected in the interests OF
the governed The disposition Of the na-
tfves was that Of extreme friendship
toward Americans. In the city OF Ma
Mia the F{lipiuos especially those who
were wealthy. were anxious TO remove
the impression that they were ignorant Of
the requirements Of modern life and the
usages Of civilization They readily ex-
tended the hospitality OF their homes 70
American officers OF the military and civil
service"
Did General z. s Otis object to the I
interchange Of social amenities
There was no official objection, but it
was well understood AT Headquarters that
these social visits excited the dispIeasure /
OF General OTIS. One incident I parricu- (
IarIy recall General Garcia, though an
officer Of AgufnaIdo's army, invited ne
10 Z fiesta al CaI0oca1- QaIte a number [
OF officers accepted the invitation. among
them Colonel Frost Of the South Dakotas I
We were entertained most Hospitality [
The after dinner speeches evidenced many (
sentiments Of friendship. A full account I
Of the function was published in the Ma
Mia uewspap pers- The topic was discussed 4
at headquarters and the officers who at
tended were not commended. Thereafter I
IT was chilly for those who exchanged I
social greetings with the FuipInos-
guest" resumed General Reeve, II I
met an officer Of his staff who spoke /
fuently. Naturally the fu- I
ture of the islands was the topic Of 4
which brought forward 4
the question whether the natives were 4
capable of self government General 4
Garcia's talk was interpreted He IA
vored : policy Of permitting the na-
tives TO test their ability to govern 4
under the protection of 4
the United States. The same seuti-
ments were expressed by AguinaIdo. I
At MaloIos in October 7 saw Agufu-
aldo and had extended talks with him. +
Then he did not signify : desire that
the Filipinos should have absolute
at once, but expressed 4
the thought that protection guaran-
teed by the United States would be
acceptable He had in mind that
the natives should conduct the local
and the United States
should protect them against foreign
oppression or interference When
4 guinaIdo was asked if the Filipinos
were united on that point he frankly
said no, but assured Us that he could
bring the dissentsrs into line He
said one party was for absolute in
while the other party ia
vored . protectorate-
General Reeve was asked IL the blood
shed-the conflict OF arms-couId have
been averred by an Intelligent policy of
coucilfatfou. and to the question he re-
piled:
''ConcilIatory methods would have pre-