The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-07-22

The Herald has been given permits
sion TO publish a letter written to a Salt
Lake friend by Major Richard w
Young, associate justice of the su-
preme court at Manila. 1t is the most
important contribution to the current
discussion of the Philippine question
that has recently appeared in print,
carving a full Endorsement and vindi-
cation of the Democratic policy from
an unquestioned authority upon the
subject. Major YOung'S exceptional OPP
pOrtunitieS for studying the Philippine
problem, his military and legal train
ing. well known conservatism and
sound judgment, and the high official
position conferred upon him by the
military governor are considerations
that add much weight to his state
ments concerning present conditions,
and his views as to the future DISPOSE
ton of the islands. His letter follows:
1.-THE war is not over by any means.
The end is not in sight. Military men
seem to expect it to last for months,
or even years. The spirit of insurrec-
ton is not tanned: the natives die with
a stOiciSm worthy the highest admira-
ton. We have few real friends among
them and those few run the risk of
speedy assassination in making mani
fest their friendship. The present pol
icy of AguinaldO is Fabian; he risks
no engagements, but is constantly alert
in attacking our weak garrisOns and
waylaying our struggling troops. He
bOloes our Outposts and falls with a
bloody hand on the hapless town that
has welcomed thei American troops
when abandoned by the latter. His
troops find a sufficient sustenance in
fruits and rice; they require but d few
yards of cotton cloth as clothing, take
to a tropical sun like ducks to water,
and expect no pay.
AMERICAN TROOPS SUFFER.
Our officers and men are killed nearly
every day, while a considerable num-
Der are constantly falling victims to
the sun. A few days since 1 went out
to Las Banos, on the Laguna, where
Captain Hilton, formerly of the Col
orados, and Andy Burt are stationed
with their companies. The captains
were both under the weather" and
each had over fifty men out of ninety
in sick report. This is exceptional, but
as a general rule the men cannot do
much campaigning in this climate and
retain their strength
The present volunteer regiments
must be mustered out in one year, and
ii is already a serious question how
they are TO be replaced. The number
of troops cannot be reduced, in fact
double or treble the number seems
necessary in order to bring a speedy
order out of this chaos. But, when
apparent peace has been brought about
how long viii it continue? Their ideals
of independence will remain unrealized
The bitterness of a two or three year
campaign with its horrors, its burning
of churches and homes and its death
of tens of thousands Of their fellow
cOuntrymen, viii be perpetuated in the
wailingS of the widow. the fdtherleSs
and the desOlate. Revolution. too. has
become habit among these people
PROBLEM OF THE FRIARS.
Not only will the sense of personal
affection and loss actuate them to re-
newed insurrection, but the failure of
the Americans to solve the question
of the friarS to their satisfaction will
remain to vex us. The natives are
deYout Catholics and will yet resent
the invasion of Protestant heretics
rendered possible by American sOver-
eighty. At present. however. their re-
hgious antipathies are directed against
the Monks of their own church. This
because the Monks, contrary to the
general rule Of the Council of Trent
in force in all Catholic countries. are
permitted to serve as clergymen, thus
preventing the native clergy. who are
not friars, from filling the more Iucra-
tive and influential positions as parish
priests. The natives allege, too, that
the friars, by a long course of OppreS-
sion and too frequent crime have sac
{ rificed the loyalty of the people. But
chiefly, it seems. are they unpopular
on account of the endless and valuable
tracts of land which they have accu-
mulated unto their respective orders.
ARCHBISHOP CHAPELLE's BOAST
Archbishop ChapeIe is here striving
TO unravel the skein. but he seems TO
believe that the native clergymen are
neither numerous nor intelligent
enough to be intrusted with the i'm
portant charge of 100000 Christians
One of our Manila papers, by the way.
stated the other evening, and I heard
the same statement quite directly N.Y.
self, that Archbishop ChaDeIIe had
boasted of having secured General
OTIS recall, a statement which sur
prises one as much by its lack of dis
erection as by its lack Of truth.
Nothing short of driving the friars
off the islands and cOnfiScating their
accumulated estates Will satisfy the
natives Nothing is more certain than
that the United States cannot do either