The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1900-06-16
PHILIPPINE COMMISSIONERS.
Difficulties of Publication Increased
by Diverse and Unsolicited
Suggestions.

Manila, June 1I.-Jndge William ii
Taft and his colleagues of the Philip
pine civil commission were hesct dur
ing their first week in Manila by
multitude of callers of all nationali
ties, professions ard interests, wit
presented bewidering assortment o
recommendation touching militar!
and civil policies. The commissioners
maintained the attitude of unpre
Wdieed listeners. They admit that
willie they anticipated an enormous
ttak, the completely and difficulty o
the problems and conditions are well
nigh staggering.
MacArthur's Popular Plans.
They find Gen. Macarthur admins
tering civil and military affairs III {
way that is universally popular. The
Filipino party, embracing prominent
insurrectonists who accepted Ameri
can rule through force Of circum
stances, is already making overtures
for the disposition of scheme of per
manent government, especially reviv'
ing the old proposition of autonomy
under an American protcctorate.
Expected the Millennium.
There are. of course, some Filipinos
who believed that Judge Taft would
bring the millennium in his vest pocket
and these profess to be disappointed
because sweeping changes are not
made Immediately Judge Taft's ut
terances Indicate conciIiatory policy
towards the natives. He has conferred
with the high army officers, some OF
whom strongly urge that larger
army is necessary to suppress the in
surrection. believing that civil govern
ment will be impossible until the ram
pant rebellion in the southern dis
tricts of Luzon, in the extreme north,
EN- provinces of the island and in the
Nissayas, except Negroes, is crushed.
One of the Foremost Questions.
One of the foremost questions is
how and from what material to or
game a civil force with which gradu-
ely to supersede the army, as a gov
crning machine. SPANS auNiliary, the
church. is necessarily barred from con-
sideration. American experience with
the natives discourages the hope of
honest government through them until
n generation or more have eradicated
the results of Spain's tutelage.
Trcachery of the Natives.
A large portion Of the provincial Off
cials already installed have proven
treachcrous, while the native police
and officials here in Manila are living
on scale of luxury suspiciously dis
to their salaries. Charges
against native Judges of failing to ac-
count for thousands of dollars re-
ceved in fines are under investiga-
ton.
Governmental Alternatives.
At the present the governmental al
ternatives are the army on the one
hand, and anarchy on the other. Gen.
otis plan of municipal governments is
being inaugurated in the principal
towns of central Luzon, and in parts
Of the Nissayas; but the Filipinos per-
>ist in thinking that the question
the United States will retain
the Philippines is still open and some
local leaders ask that municipal cleo
tons be postponed until after the pres
idential election
The Future of the Church.
The commissioners also find that the
future state of the church in the Phil
ippines 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
of the friars. Arch
bishop Chappelle has taken strong
stand in supporting the request of the
friars to be established in their old po-
sition.