The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-03
COMMISSION MAKES REPORT.
(ConiInued from First Page)


tack the Americans. Along this line the
DEGREES OF the Filipino Congress are also
cited as well as the making OF boios
(knives) m every shop in Manila. 1t Is
shown that a considerable element in the
Filipino Congress wished to address 10
President Mckinley a request not 10
abandon the Fiipinos TAT this stage the
Paris conference was discussing the fu-
ture OF the Philippines). The President
was also to be asked his desire as TO the
form OF government he wished to estao-
fish. But ell this time Aguinaldo was pre-
pairing for war and delaying these mes
sages. and Il was understood the attach
would come on the first act by the Amer
| lean forces which could afford pteteXt.
Insurgents Must submit.
A brief chapter then tells of the lack
| of success attending the effort made al
This time by Gen. Merritt through com
| mission to arrive at mutual understand
| ing with Aguinaldo as TO the intentions
| purposes and desires of the Filipino peo-
pie This brings the story up to the out
| break on the evening of Feb. 4, with the
attack upon the American troops follow
| ing the action of the Nebraska sentinel.
| The commission in concluding this chap
| ter says;
"Deplorable as war is, the one in which
| we are now engaged was unavoidable BY
us. We were attacked by a bold, adveu>
turous and enthusiastic army. No alter
| native was left 10 us except ignominious
| retreat. 1t is not to be conceived OF that
| any American would have sanctioned the
| surrepder of Manila TO the insurgents. our
| obligations to other nations, and 10 the
| friendly FiipinOs, and to ourselves ana
10 our flag demanded that force should
be met by force Whatever the future or
| the Philippines may be there is no course
open to US now except the prosecution OF
| the war until the insurgents are reuucec
| TO submission. The commission Is
| of the opinion that there has been no time
since the destruction of the Spanish squad
ron by Admiral Dewey when it was posi-
| BILE to withdraw our forces from the ISLANDS
| either with honor to ourselves or with
safety to the inhabitants"
The commission then takes up the con-
dition OF the country at the time of their
arrival. comparing it with conditions eX-
listing at the time they left short time
! ago. A vivid picture is given of the an
archy existing among the inhabitants in
and about Manila during the early spring.
The report then speaks of the issuance
of the commissions proclamation and the
| good effect il had on public sentiment.
| The natives accustomed to Spanish prom
| ises, urged upon the commission that acts
instead of promises should be given them.
AS a result native law courts were es-
tablished and this greatly aided In the
restoration of the public confidence. The
| now OF DODuldllOH SOOQ D6SdAl " SCI "
ward the city. Natives, who had fled
from their homes returned. As showing
the limited scope of the rebellion, the com
mission states:
I'VE learned that the strongest anti
American feeling was confined to the Tag
alog provinces, namely, Manila, CaVlle,
Laguna Batangas, Morong, Buiacah,
Nueva, Ecija, Principe Infanta and Fam
bales 1t was strongest in the first six
named and hardly existed in the last four.
The population of these provinces is esu-
mated 10 be about 100000, but 1t should
not be supposed that even in the SIX prov
inces Immediately adjacent to Manila the
people were united in their opposition to
us. Even here there was strong con
servative element. consisting of people OF
wealth and intelligence, opposed to the
war"
Not National Movement.
Under the head THE Rebellian Not q
National Movement" the report treats OF
the rebellion outside of the province OF
Ipzon where. it is stated the uprising
was viewed at first with indifference and
, later with fear Throughout the archi-
pelago at large there was trouble only
at those points 10 which armed Tagalogs
had been sent in considerable numbers
The machinery of nsurgent government
served only for plundering the people I'M
der the pretext of levying war contribu-
lions while many of the insurgent officials
were rapidly accommodating wealth"
1t is stated that the insurgent admins
tration throughout the interior was worse
than in the days of Spanish misrule; in
many provinces there was absolute an
archy and from all sides came petitions
; for protection and help.
AS to the state of affairs when the com
mission left, the report says fields were
E being planted and the people. protected by
our troops, were enjoying peace security
N,fvN tfNV, In fI.afr 1-aTF
. government previously unknown in thu
history of the Philippines.
The chapter devoted to establishment
of municipal government gives in details
the efforts in that direction. There wer'
many difficulties encountered. The town
Of Bacoor and linus were selected for tn
purpose of experiment, and after talk
} with the local head men," a local form
of government was established. Encour
! aged by the result the work was contin
ued at Paranaque and Las Pinas, will
= similar good results Al the request o
Gen. Lawton, who had been assigned t
this work by Gen. Otis, the commission
prepared a simple scheme of municipa
, government similar enough to the Old sys
TEN to be readily comprehensive to tn
natives, but giving them liberties whicl
? they had never before enjoyed. Thi
scheme was adopted and gave genera
z satisfaction. Governments were organizes
. with even more satisfactory results il
a Pandacan, Santa Ana, San Felipe, Mer
San Pedro and Machei while a slight
= different system was put into effect il
a Malabon, Polo, Obando, Meycauya, YAM
r | and Malolos
When They Departed.
q The commission sums up the situation
| at the time of their departure as follows
I when we left Manila a large volume o
business was being done, and the street
were so crowded as to be hardly safe. TIL
native population was quiet and order
and all fear of uprising had cong sine
Z passed. An efficient corps of native police
, men was on duty. A system of publ
schools in which English was taught, ha
a been advocated by the commission and es
: tabhshed by Gen. Otis Some 5000 schoi
, avs we're in attendance.
: I'm the Tagalog province Of Luzon
: where the ant-American feeling had bee
i strongest public sentiment had great
. changed, as evidenced by the fact that tn
r military governor of Ba angas had offere