Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-11
SEE A HARD TASK AHEAD
JUDGE TAFT AND CONFEREES AT
WORK IN MANILA.
Patiently Hearing All Opinions
Army Officers Want More Troops
Sent Out.

A dispatch from Manila yesterday saysi
Judge William H. Taft and his colleagues
of the Philippine civil commission were be-
set during their first week in Manila by q
multitude of callers of all nationalities pro-
LESSONS and interests, who presented a be-
wildering assortment of recommendation
touching military and civil policies.
The commissioners have maintained the
attitude of unprecedented listeners. They
admit that while they anticipated an enor-
nous task, the compleXity and difficulty of
the problems and conditions are well-nigh
staggering. They are determined. however,
with the cooperation of the army. in pac-
flying as well as in fighting. to make the
Philippines a peaceful and honestly gov
erned country before departing
They find General Macarthur administer
ing civil and military affairs in a way that
Is universally popular. The Filipino party.
embracing prominent insurrectionists who
accepted American rule through force Of
circumstances. is already making, overtures
for the discussion of a scheme of perma-
nent government. practically reviving the
old proposition of autonomy under an
American protectorate
There are. of course, some Fiipinos who
believed that Judge Taft would bring the
millennium in his vest pocket and these
profess to be disappointed because sweep
ing changes are not made Immediately.
Judge Tafts utterances indicate a con-
ciliatory 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 insurrection,
believing that civil government will be inn
possible until the rampant rebellion in the
southern districts of LuZon, in the extreme
northern provinces of the island, and in the
Visayas, except Negroes, is crushed.
One of the foremost questions is how and
from what materials to organize civil
force with which gradually to supersede
the army governing machine. Spains
auxiliary, the church, is necessarily barred
from consideration. American experience
with the natives discourages the hope of
honest government through them until
generation more Of training shall have
eradicated the results OF SPANS tutelage.
A large proportion of the provincial off,
Gals already Installed have proven treach-
erous while the native police and officials
here in Manila are living a scale Of
luxury suspiciously disproportionate to their
salaries. Charges against native judges Of
failing to account for thousands of dollars
received in fines under investigation.
At present the governmental alterna-
uves are the army on one hand and an
archy on the other. Gen. Otis plan Of
municipal governments is being inausurated
in the principal towns of central Luzon
and in parts of the Visayas, but the Fill
piros persist in thinking that the question
whether the United States viii retain the
Philippines is still open. and some local
leaders ask that municipal elections be post
poned until after the presidential election.
Many people OBJECT to taking the oath OF
allegiance to the United States government,
which is the first qualification for voting for
municipal candidates
The commissioners also find that the fu-
ture state of the church in the Philippines
is a leading question in the minds of many,
although most of those who have talked
with Judge Taft and his colleagues draw
the inference that the commissioners are
opposed to the reinstatement of the friars.
Archbishop Chappelle has taken a strong
stand in supporting the request of the friars
to be established in their old position.
AS a result of last weeks scouting more
than 300 Fiipinos were killed and 100 cap
tured. while 40 rifles. with ammunition and
stores, We're secured. The American loss
was nine killed. including a captain and a
lieutenant two captains and twenty-one
prvates wounded and one captain taken
prisoner by the Filipinos.