The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-06-11
MANY CALLED ON TAFT

And His Co-Workers Of the Philip
pine Commission - Plenty of Grave
subjects With Which to Contend.
MANILA, June 10-Judge William H.
Taft and his colleagues of the Philip
pine civil commission, were beset dur
ing their first week in Manila by null
titude of all nationallties professions
and Interests, who presented a bewil-
derIng assortment of recommendations
touching military and civil policies The
commissioners maintained the attitude
Of unprecedented listeners.
They admit that, while they antlci-
pated an enormous task, the compiextty
and difficulty of the problems and con-
dltlons are well nigh staggering, They
are determined, however with the CO.
operation OF the army In pacifying as
wen as In AghtIng, to make the Philip
pines peaceful and honestly governed
country before departing.
Macarthur Generally Popular.
They find General Macarthur admin.
ISterlng civil and military affairs in a
way that is universally popular. The
Filipino party embracing prominent In
surrectlonists who accepted American
rule through force Of circumstances, is
already making overtures for the dis
cussion of scheme OF permanent gov
ernment, practically reviving the old
proposltIon OF autonomy under an
American protectorate.
There are, OF course, some FllipInos
who believe that Judge Taft would
bring the millennium in his vest pocket
and these profess to be disappointed be-
cause sweeping changes are mot made
Immediately. Judge Tafts utterancas
indicate conclliatory 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 Insurrection,
believing that civil government viii be
Impossible unfit the rampant rebellion
in the southern districts of Luzon in the
extreme northern provinces Of the Is
land and in the vlzayas, except negroes
IS crushed.
How to Organize Civil Force.
One Of the foremost questions ds how
and from what materials to organize a
civil force with which gradually to SUI
persede the army us a governing ma
chine. Spaln's auxiliary, the church, is
necessarily barred from consideration.
American experience with tho natives
discourages the hope Of honest govern
ment through them until IL generation
or more OF training shall have eradi-
Gated the results of spain's tuttiAge. a
large proportion Of the provincial ON
cials already Installed have proven
treacherous, while the native police and
officials here and In Manila are living
on u scale OF luxury suspiciously dis
proportIonatc to their salaries. Charges
nglinst native Judges of failing to ac.
count for thousands Of dollars received
in fines, are undar investigation.
At present thr governmental alterna,
tives Rre the army on one hand and an
archy on the other General OTIS plan
Of municipal government is being in.
augnratcd in the principal towns of
central LuSon and In parts OF the Visa
yus, but the Ffipnos persist in thinking
that the question whether the United
States will retain the Philippines is still
open and Bomr local leaders nsk that
municipal elections be postponed until
after the presidential election. Many