The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1900-08-23

| them liberties which they mao never De-
fore enjoyed This scheme was adopted
and gave general satisfaction.
| In every instance enthusiasm ran high
! before the commissioners took their de-
! parture, and cheers were raised for Gen.
Lawton and for the country which he
represented.
| Secure Good Results.
With a single exception the officials
elected proved worthy of the trust impos-
ed in them, and conditions very rapidly
| improved in the newly organized towns.
| Governments were organized with more
satisfactory results in Pandacan, Santa
Ana, San Felipe, Meri, San Pedro and
| M9chei, while slightly different system
was put into effect in Malabon, Polo.
| Obando, Meycauya, Yang and Malolos.
| The commission states that large
amount of supervision over the affairs OF
our new municipalities proved necessary,
as the officials were timid and slow to
comprehend their new duties. At many
| Of the elections the voters went about
! asking who they were expected to vote
! for" and it was only with great diff
| Guilty that they were persuaded to exer-
| else the right of free suffrage.
| Schools for Manila.
The commissioners sum up the situa-
ton at the time of their departure as
| follows:
when we left Manila large volume
! 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 an uprising
had long since passed. An efficient corps
of native policemen was on duty. A
| system of public schools in which English
was taught had been advocated by the
commission and established by Gen. Otis.
| Some 5000 scholars were in attendance.
I'm the Tagalo provinces Of Luzon,
where the aAti-American feeling had been
strongest, public sentiment. had greatly
| changed, as evidenced by the fact that
the military governor of Batangas had
| offered to surrender his troops and his
| province il we would only send a small
| force there. The Bicols, in southern Luz
| zon, had risen against their Tagalo mas
| tiers. The Macabebes were clamoring for
an opportunity to fight in our ranks, and
native soldiers and scouts were already
serving under Gen. Lawton.
Rebellion Dying Out.
"Stories of the corruption Of insurgent
officers were becoming daily more COM
mon, and the disintegration of the enc
| my's forces was steadily progressing. The
| hope of assistance frcm outside sources
seemed to be all that held them togeth-
| er"
Having given so much attention to the
Island of Luzon, the commission then
takes up in detail the conditions in the
other islands. On this point it is stated
that the rebellion is essentially Tagalo,
| and when it ends in Luzon it must end
| throughout the archipelago. The situa-
ton elsewhere than in Luzon is summed
| up as follows:
1.-THE only island. apart from Luzon,
where serious trouble threatens, is Pa
nay, to which a considerable force of Ia
gallo soldiers was sent before the out
break of hostilities. Many of the Visay-
ans Of this island are opposed to the Ia
galos, however, and it is not believed
that the latter can make formidable
resistance.
Oppose the Tagalos.
"In Samar, Leyte and Masbate the Ta-
gallo invaders are numerically few and
are disliked by the natives of these ISL
ands, whom they have oppressed. We
were assured that 200 men would suffice
to restore order in Mindoro Bobol was
asking for troops. The Calamianes ISL
anders had sent word that they would
welcome US. There can be no resistance
| in Palawan. Satisfactory relations had
already been established with the war
like Moros, whose sultan had previously
been cOnciliated by member of the COM
mission, and in Mindanao this tribe had
even taken up our cause and attacked
the insurgents, of whom there are very
few in the island.
"In Cebu We have only to reckon with
the lawless element, which has never
been very formidable there"
Special attention is given to the Island
Of Negroes, as this seemed a field well
adapted to the extension of an American
system. Here the natives have adopted
local form Of government, including
congress, and had raised the American
| flag. They believed themselves capable
of managing their own affairs and asked
for a battalion Of troops to hold in check
a mountainous band of fanatics. The
battalion was furnished, but the people
pTONcu uudOlc " Out tuclT pTOXr& III
owing to i'll feeling among their own off,
Gals. The Americans remained popular.
Need American Rule.
At the request Of Gen. Otis new and
! simplified scheme Of government for the
island, giving the people large voice in
their affairs, but placing an American in
full control, was put into operation. 1t
brought about satisfaction, and public or
der is better in the island to-day than at
any time during the last twenty years.
Summarizing the failure Of the native
form Of government and the success Of
the American control, the commission
says:
"The fat failure of this attempt to es-
tablish an Independent native government
In Negros, conducted as it was under the
most favorable circumstances, makes it
apparent that here, as well as in the less
favored provinces, a large amount OF
American control Is at present absolutely
essential to q successful administration
| of public affairs"
E6orts for Peace.
The efforts at Cancellation with Agui-
| naldo and his various commissions are
set forth in detail. These commissioners
were assured of the bene6cent purposes
| Of the United States and the Presidents
readiness to grant the Filipino people as