The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-11-03
F|[|P|NOS INCAPABLE II
OF SELF GOVERNMENT

OF SELF GOVERNMENT
Continued from page -
the last four. The population of these
provinces is estimated to be about H.
100000. but it should not be supposed
! that even in the six provinces imme-
diately adjacent TO Manila. the people
were united in their opposition to US.
Even here there was a strong 'conserya-
tive element. consisting of people of
wealth and intelligence, opposed to the
war"
Outside of Luzon.
Under the heading, THE Rebellion
Net a National Movement the report
treats of the rebellion out of the prov
inces of Luzon, where it is stated the
uprising was viewed at first with in
difference and later with fear Through
out the archipelago at large, there was
/ trouble only at those points to which
\ TagaloS had been sent in considerable
numbers. The machinery of insurgent
government" served only for plumber
ing the people under the pretext or
levying war contributions, while many
\ of the insurgent officials were rapidly
| accommodating wealth
As to the state of affairs when the
commission left. the report says: Be
fore the commission left the Philip
pines. nearly all the inhabitants had
returned to these ruined villages. Many
of the houses had been rebuilt Fields
that had lain fallow for three years
were green with growing crops. NUM-
| cipal governments had been established,
and the people, protected by our troops,
were enjoying peace, security and
degree of participation in their own
government previously unknown in the
history Of the Philippines. Attempts of
the insurgents to raise recruits and
money in the province of Bulucan were
proving abortive. except when backed
by bavonets and bullets. and even in
such cases the natives were applying
TO us for help to resist Them
Establishment of Governments.
The chapter devoted to Establish
ment of Municipal Governments" gives
in detail the efforts in that direction
There were many difficulties encoun-
tered. The condition of the people was
found to be most pitiable. They had
been plundered by the insurgent troops,
VINO had robbed them of jewels, money,
clothing and even food, so that they
were literally starving. Peaceful citi-
Zens had been fred on; women had
been maltreated.
There was general satisfaction that
the Americans had come at last, and
conditions seemed favorable for Amer
lean propaganda. The towns of Bacoor
and linus were selected for the purpose
of experiment, and after talks with the
local head men, a local form of gov
eminent was established. Encouraged
by the result. the work was continued
at Pararaque, Las Pinas and other
towns with similar good results.
a Of araI n
who had been assigned to this work by
General Otis, the commission prepared
simple scheme of municipal self-gov-
eminent, similar enough 60 the old sys-
tenn to be readily comprehensive to the
natives but giving them liberties which
they had never before enjoyed. This
scheme was adopted and gave general
satisfaction. In every instance enthu-
siasm ran high before the commission
ers took their departure, and cheers
were raised for General Lawton and
for the country which he represented.
Situation at Manila.
The commission states that a large
amount of supervision over the affairs
of our new municipalities proved nee
eSSary, as the officials were timid and
slow to comprehend their new duties.
AT many of the elections the votes
went about asking who they were ex-
pected to vote for. and it was only with
great difficulty that they were per-
suaded to exercise the right of free
suffrage. The commission sums up the
situation at the time of their depart
ure as follows:
When we left Manila. a large vol
ume of business was being done and
the streets were so crowded as to be
hardly safe. The native population
was quiet and orderly and all fear of
N fr,pr ho1 1n,,< 81,
efficient corps of native policemen was
on duty. A system of public school in
which English was taught had been
advocated by the commission and es-
tablished by General Otis. Some 5000
scholars were in attendance. ~
In the Tagalo province of Luzon,
where the anti-American feeling had
been strongest, public sentiment had
greatly changed, as evidenced by the
fact that the military governor of Ba-
langas had offered to surrender his
troops and his province if we would
only send small force there. The
Biools, in southern Luzon, had risen
against their Tagalo masters.
Macabees Our Friends.
THE Macabebes were clamoring for
an opportunity to fight in our ranks,
and native soldiers and scouts were
already serving under General Lawton
Stories of the corruption of insurgent
officers We're becoming daily more COM
mon. and the disintegration of the en-
emy's forces was steadily progressing.
The hope of assistance from outside
sources seemed to be all that held them
together
Having given so much attention to
the island of Luzon, the commission
then takes in detail the conditions in
the other islands. On this point il is
stated that the rebellion is essentially
Tagalo. and when it ends in Luzon il
must end throughout the archipelago.
The situation elsewhere than in Luzon
is summed up as follows:
THE only island. apart from LuZon,
where serious trouble threatens. is
Pana, to which a considerable force of
Tagalo soldiers was sent before an
outbreak of hostilities. Many of the
Visayans of this island are opposed to
the Tagalos, however, and it is not be-
lieved that the latter can make for
resistance.
in Samar. Leyte and Masbate, the
TaGalo invaders are numerically few
and are disliked by the natives of there
islands, whom they have oppressed. We !
were assured that 200 men would suf-
flee to restore order in Mindoro. Bobol |
was asking for troops, the Calamianes |
islanders had sent word that they |
would welcome us.
Moros Are Peaceable.
ssrTI,a,.o ca,, ha No iesfa mo-, IL,