The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-06-11
AN ENORMOUS TASK.
Philippine Commission Finds
a Serious Situation.
GOOD TIMBER FOR OFFICIALS SCARCE
The Natives Cannot BE Trusted to
FIJI Places of ResponsibiIity-The
Army Alone Prevents Anarchy.

Results of Recent Scouting.
MANILA, June 11.-Judge William II
Taft and his colleagues of the Philippine
civil commission were beset during theiI
first week in Manila by a multitude OF
callers of all natonalities, professions
and interests, who presented bewilder.
ing assortment Of recommendations
touching military and civil policies. The
commissioners maintained the attitude OF
unprejudiced listeners.
They admit that, while they anticipat
ed an enormous task, the completely and
difficulty of the problems and conditions
are well nigh staggering. They are de-
termned, however, with the cooperation
of the army in pacifying as well as In
fighting to make the Philippines peace
full and honestly governed country before
departing.
They find General Macarthur admins
tering civil and military affairs in way
that is universally popular. The Filipino
party embracing prominent instruction.
lists who accepted American rule through
force of circumstances.is already making
ovcrtures for the discussion of Il scheme
of permanent government, practically re.
vivsg the old proposition of autonomy
under an American protectOrate.
There are. of course, some Filipinos
who believed that Judge Taft would
bring the millennium In his vest pocket
and these profess to be disappointed be-
cause sweeping changes are not enforced
Immediately. Judge Taft's utterances in
dictate concliatory policy toward the
natives. He has conferred with the high
army officers, some Of whom strongly
urge that larger army is necessary to
suppress the instruction, believing that
civil government will be impossible until
the rampant rebellion in the southern dis
tricts of LuzOn, in the extreme northern
provinces of the island and in the Visa
yas, except Negroes, is crushed.
One of the foremost questions is how
and from what materials to organize
civil force with which gradually to super
sede the army as IA governing machine.
Spains auxiliary, the church, is necessa.
riIy barred from consideration. Ameri'
can experience with the natives discour
ages the hope of honest government
through them until generation or more
of training shall have eradicated the re.
suits of Spain's tutclage A large pro.
portion Of the provincial officials already
installed have proven trcacherous, while
the native police and officials here in Ma
Mia are living on a scale of luxury sus-
pcously disproportionate to their sala-
rics. Charges against native judges OF
failing to account for thousands of dol.
lars received in fines are under investiga.
ton.
At present the governmental alterna
tives are the army on one hand and an
archy on the other. General Otis plan
of municipal governments is being inau.
guratcd in the principal towns of central
Lllzon and in parts of the Nisayas, but
the FilipinoS persist in thinking that the
question whether the United States will
retain the Philippines is still open, and
some local leaders ask that municipal
elections be postponed until after the
presidential election. Many people OBJ
ject to taking the oath Of allegiance tn
the United States government, which is
the first qualification for voting for mu
nicipal candidates.
The commissioners also find that the
future state of the church in the Philip.
pines is II leading question in the minds
of many, although most of those who
have talked with Judge Taft and his col
leagues draw the inference that the com
missioners are opposed to the reinstatc
ment of the frlars. Archbishop Chapello
has taken n strong stand in supporting
the request of the friars to he established
in their old positions.
AS result Of last weeks scouting
more than 200 Filipinos were killed and
1850 captured, while 140 rifles, with am
mnnition and stores, were secured
The, American loss was nine killed, in.
Gliding a captain and a lieutenant; two
captains and q prvates wounded and
one captain taken prisoner by the Fill
pnos