The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1900-09-08
The Islanders Apparently Incapable
Of Realizing the Functions Of
the New Commissioners.
cOWED BY THEIR ARMED COUNTRYMEN.
4 Genulne Reign of Terror Exercised by In.
urgents and Ladrones Over the Peace
ably IncIined-Town Oficlsls, Appointed
by the Americans. Murdered-Traveler
Ambushed.

pun cSS W Az
of the commission of peace. There
is no possibility of separating the leg
~isiative from the executive branches
of the government; and, therefore,
the commissions announcement of its
assumption of power, Saturday, has
met with childish comments at the
hands of the Spaniards and foreign
ers, who sneer at the new arrange
ment, as they are apt to do at every
beneficial innovation on the part Of
the United states authorities.
The commission enters upon the
governmental field under the follow.
ing conditions:
Islanders Desire Peace.
A majority of the islanders desire
peace and the resumption of business
under the Americans; but they are SC
cowcd by IA long series of murderous
atrocities and destruction of proper.
ty by their armed cOuntrymen that
they dare not activelyshow their feel
ings, especially because experience has
taught them what such an expression
of sentiment will bring upon them
from the mercilcssly r~evengeful reb.
els. A genuine reign of terror is eX.
ercised by insurgents and ladrones
over peaceful country folk, in order
to collect the revenue and recruits
their operations require, and wide.
spread vengeance is wreaked in the
vicinity of g~arrisoned towns.
Murdered the Town Officials.
For example, the insurgent general,
Cables. in the Province of Laguna, put
to death the president and Office
holders of the town of Bay, oD
Laguna de Bay.who has been install.
ed by the Americans, and gave orders
that a similar fate should be meted
out to other adherents of the Ameri-
can cause. He also ordered that all
Filipino soldiers who sold their rifles
to the Americans should be killed.
Would Retaliate on the F~riendlic
Any change in policy involving the
withdrawal of the United States
troops, without substituting for them
an adequate defensive force, is Ger.
tain to result in fearful retaliation at
the expense of the friendlies. The ap-
preaching patriation of the volun.
teers tends to influence the situation
unfavorabIy.
Quiet in Northern LIxon.
In northern Luzon the statu quo is
fairly well maintained, and the peo-
pie in that quarter are quiet and en-.
gagged in planting, except in the
Province of Nueve Ecija and Bulacan
where there has been a recent out
burst of rebel and ladrone activity.
Travellers Ambushed by GueErIlIns
But, in southern Luzon conditions
are far from satisfactory. Life there
is not safe outside the garrisoned
towns. Travellers are subject to am
bush by guerrillas. Rarely does a day
pass without al encounter between
the United States troops and the in
SurgentS or ~ladrOneS, resulting in
casualties. There are $4,000 troops in
that district, Gen. Gates, command
ing. and in three regiments over a
third of the men are sick. The actiy-
ity of the enemy increased last
month. There is evidence that the in
surgents have come into possession
of new rifles and that they wish to
annihiliate some small American gar.
riSon.
Conditions In the y~isnynnS
Conditions in the Visayans continue
virtually unchanged. The lack of
troops in Samar prevents aggression.
Negroes, Romblon, Masbate, Sibuyan,
Tablas and Bohol. are tranquil, all
desiring civil governments. Mindanao
is also tranquil, excepting the dis
tricts of 1eagayan and Surigam,
where occasional encounters with the
Filipinos occur. The enemy'S fight
ing force there is limited, but it has
a number of rifles. The ~surrenders,
although they have n~oticeably de-
creased since May, continue.
Benefits Of American Occupation.
The experience of northern Luzon
shows that the American occupation
of any locality tends to its pacifica-
ton and well-being. An unsettled
American policy retards the invest
ment of capital. Nevertheless the i'm
ports for the last quarter and a half
were greater than during any equal
period of the Spanish regime. No
doubt the needs of the army of occu-
patton are responsible for n very con-
siderable fraction of this.
The internal revenu collections
are a third greater than those made
nv Spain. This is due to an honest
system of accounts, to a lack of IA
voritism and to impartial enforce
ment of the law.
Cash for the Commissioners.
The military authorities will turn
over Sc. 900. 900. Mexican. to the com
mission, and this will probably be ex-
pended in public improvements, nota-
bly in harbor developments, the need
Of which is greatly hamperln. thu
shipping industry.
The commission will first organize
municipalities in the provinces, nota-
bly, in Pampanga province. Subse-
auently it will turn its attention to
needed reforms in the civil and Grim
ipal codes. passing in due time to 9TH
.er features of its Instructions