Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-10-15
The Dishonesty and Inefiiciency Of the Tssal
OF New York.


honesty and incompetency of the
civil courts of Manila which are
presided over by native magistrates.
is a striking proof of the utter in
ability OF the Fiipinos to rise to the
plane of honest efficiency in the dis
charge of administrative duties. There
are more than 1900 islands in the
Philippine archipelago. Scattered over
a considerable number Of them are
no less than 81 distinct tribes speak
ing more than 90 different languages.
These tribes represent various stages
Of development from abject barba-
rism to the semi of the
Tagal tribe, which inhabits about
third of the single island of LuZon.
Not only are the inhabitants of the
Philippine islands not a homogeneous
people, but there exists between them
intertribal feuds, which are, appar-
emily not only irreconcilable but ir-
repressible. When we refer to the
Filipinos we commonly indicate the
Tagal tribe. These constitute the
tirhost tvna Of Native civilization.
They have quick minds and quite a
number of them, especially in and
about Manila, are judged by Spanish
standards, fairly well educated. 1t is
this tribe occupying q part of a single
island, and representing but small
fraction of the people of the Philip
pine islands, which is making practi-
cally all the resistance to United
States authority, and whom Mr.. Bryan
and his fellow anti-expansionists pro-
pose TO set up in power and authority
over the remaining SO tribes of the
archipelago.
The men who were selected as civic
magistrates in the city of Manila
represented the highest type of Tagal
civilization. They We're the best men
their people could put forward and
what have been the results Of their
exercise of authority? 1t is very evil
dent that the Spanish and not the
American idea of public duty has
from the first determined their course
O. action, hence it is not surprising to
find that the greater part of the fines
which they have collected have gone
into their own pockets instead of into
the public treasury; that innocent
people have been persistently perse-
cuted for purposes fof extortion, and
that they have from the first been in
collision with the members of the ma
tive police. in the compromising of
offences on the basis of cash for
freedom"
So utterly rotten have these courts
been shown to be by recent revela-
tons that the Taft Commission, des-
pairing of securing anything approach
ing a reign of honesty and justice
through native officials is said to con-
TEMPLATE replacing them with
capable and honest Americans, in or
der that the native citizens themselves
may be protected in the exercise of
their civil rights.
What commentary is furnished by
these discoveries upon the Tagal
capacity for lf-government. Here
were men representing the very high
est type of native culture and Civili-
cation. They We're endorsed by their
native fellow-citizens as the most
trustworthy and capable men they
could put. forward for judicial ap-
pointments-and what has been the re-
SUIT! Not merely one, but all of them
are shown to be thieves and oppres-
sors' disregarding their solemn oaths
OF Office, ruthlessly overriding the
rights of their own people, subverting
with brazen dishonesty every precept
OF right and justice, and all for per-
sonal gain.
rms is the true Tagal character. and
YET the men we allude to are the leaders
OF that race whom the Democratic
party mad in mind to elevate to abso.
u'e power In the Philippines when II
h.